Last week, I reworked Numbers from By the Numbers, bringing her from the Shadowrun setting into one of my own creation. Numbers was the easy one to work with; her background came to the fore during the story and her role didn't really change despite the translation; she's the hacker of the group, and the new system, the Leverage RPG, has that as an explicit role.
The rest of the cast of By the Numbers will take work. The Mecha Academy setting doesn't have magic or cybernetics, meaning the rest of the crew will have fundamental changes made to them. Yet, the goal is to keep to their personalities, not their abilities. Having learned my lesson the first time I created characters for the game, I'll just focus on one character, Oswald, the mage.
Showing posts with label By the Numbers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label By the Numbers. Show all posts
19 Jul 2018
13 Jul 2018
Leverage By the Numbers
I've worked on a character from By the Numbers, writing up Numbers for Shadowrun. The main problem with the story is that I'm playing in someone else's intellectual property. The characters, though, are mine. If I can translate them into a new setting, I have a more or less original work. Heists occur in all genres; Ocean's 11 is a good example. Move the heist to a different time and setting, like a fantasy world or the far future. Liberating heirlooms from a dragon's horde is still a heist, as is stealing data from a privately owned space station. The trappings are different, but the key is how the characters overcome their challenges.
To this end, I'm going to try to create Numbers using the Leverage RPG. I've delved into the game before, getting ready to write Unruly. Having learned my lesson the first time, I'll just create Numbers, though the rest of the cast will chime in.
Before starting, though, I do need a setting. I want to move away from the mash up of cyberpunk and epic fantasy that is Shadowrun while still staying in the realm of science fiction. The Mecha Academy setting is there ready for expansion. What that means is no magic (sorry Oz), no elves (sorry Treehugger), and no trolls (sorry Charles). Cybernetics aren't a thing in the Mecha Academy setting, more for prosthetics than willing replacement. The setting's gone through that phase. WIth all that out in the open, let's go steal, er, make us a Numbers!
To this end, I'm going to try to create Numbers using the Leverage RPG. I've delved into the game before, getting ready to write Unruly. Having learned my lesson the first time, I'll just create Numbers, though the rest of the cast will chime in.
Before starting, though, I do need a setting. I want to move away from the mash up of cyberpunk and epic fantasy that is Shadowrun while still staying in the realm of science fiction. The Mecha Academy setting is there ready for expansion. What that means is no magic (sorry Oz), no elves (sorry Treehugger), and no trolls (sorry Charles). Cybernetics aren't a thing in the Mecha Academy setting, more for prosthetics than willing replacement. The setting's gone through that phase. WIth all that out in the open, let's go steal, er, make us a Numbers!
16 Oct 2014
By the Numbers Commentary - Numbers
As with the previous three Thursdays, I'll go into Numbers as a character in a narrative as opposed to a game. Numbers was the first to be cast. It wasn't that I needed a hacker right away so much as I knew Saeder-Krupp would be involved. Numbers, with her background and her nemesis, made for conflict. The goal of By the Numbers was to have the story feel like it could have been part of a campaign. Having someone with an enemy on the character sheet meant having that enemy show up. Numbers had the perfect nemesis.
10 Oct 2014
By the Numbers - Behind the Scenes VI
Wrapping up the behind the scenes work is Numbers. The hacker was the first I statted out. Between her and Charles, I didn't want to spend more pre-NaNo time prepping Oz and Treehugger. Numbers, though, did need statting out. The core Shadowrun rules doesn't have an archetype for the social engineering hacker. Numbers also got a full name, mainly because Herr Wulfe of Saeder-Krupp was going to use it against her. The negative Notoriety comes from the First Impression quality, which I'll cover later. The core concept, as mentioned, was a social engineering hacker, someone who not only breaks into computer networks but also hacks social interactions. Social engineering hackers exist even today; the Nigerian prince scam/spam is a classic, if poorly executed, example.
9 Oct 2014
By the Numbers Oswald - Commentary
Last week, I went through the character sheet for Oswald, the crew's mage, with comments about the changes made for By the Numbers. Today, let's look at Oz as a story character instead of a player character.
As with Treehugger, Oswald's role was defined first. The crew needed a magician. The goal of By the Numbers was to present the Shadowrun setting while still making sure that the events in the story could be played out. The main difference between Shadowrun and other cyberpunk and even non-cyberpunk science fiction is the addition of almost Tolkien-esque fantasy. It's possible to argue that Shadowrun is a futuristic urban fantasy setting, but the fantasy elements harken back to more traditional fantasy than the supernatural or the faerie of urban fantasy. As a fantasy element, magic exists, though in Shadowrun, it can be tested with the scientific method.
Thus, Oswald was needed, or at least a magician. I could have gone with a shaman instead of the hermetic Oswald, but I felt that was one more layer that could break the suspension of disbelief. Oz was still nebulous, though. I was envisioning a man in a long coat, collar turned up against the wind, lighting a cigarette with his finger. That image told me a bit about the mage, but not everything, and nothing about his background. I went back to Charles and Numbers to see what they lacked. Charles covered the combat roles while Numbers had the social and computer skills covered. They didn't have any real investigative abilities. Sure, Charles could stand menacingly over someone, but intimidation tends to leave the intimidated frustrated, embarrassed, and angry afterward. Polite questioning, though, would leave the questioned wondering, but not in a mood for vengeance.
Once I realized that a mage investigator would work, I remembered the Mage Detective archetype in the rules. That still left me having to work out the character's background. A private investigator could work for the plot, but PIs tend to have a sheen of legitimacy to them. I wanted a team of runners, equals to each other, not a team that answered to one person. The Federated-Boeing Johnson wanted a team of deniable assets, not a private investigator who would leave a data trail. That meant that the detective had to be in the shadows for some reason. From there, the idea of an ex-cop came to mind. The ex-detective couldn't be from Seattle, though; he'd be recognized by former colleagues. That's how Oswald came to be ex-NYPD Inc. New York is the other side of the continent from Seattle and NYPD Inc never had the law enforcement contract for the West Coast city. Ta-daa!
Most of Oz's personality came out while writing. He has a low tolerance of BS, which has him in conflict with the elf poser Treehugger. He doesn't target innocents, though who is innocent is based on his judgement and experience. He won't harm children, though teenagers are another matter. In Chapter 9, Oz is the one championing rescuing Sun Jung for the girl's sake. And, somehow, Oswald turned into a ladies man. Completely unintentional, but it worked for him.
Tomorrow, Numbers' character sheet.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, hiatus week Q&A, where you get to ask the questions..
Saturday, over at MuseHack, an early round-up as announcements come fast and furious.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
As with Treehugger, Oswald's role was defined first. The crew needed a magician. The goal of By the Numbers was to present the Shadowrun setting while still making sure that the events in the story could be played out. The main difference between Shadowrun and other cyberpunk and even non-cyberpunk science fiction is the addition of almost Tolkien-esque fantasy. It's possible to argue that Shadowrun is a futuristic urban fantasy setting, but the fantasy elements harken back to more traditional fantasy than the supernatural or the faerie of urban fantasy. As a fantasy element, magic exists, though in Shadowrun, it can be tested with the scientific method.
Thus, Oswald was needed, or at least a magician. I could have gone with a shaman instead of the hermetic Oswald, but I felt that was one more layer that could break the suspension of disbelief. Oz was still nebulous, though. I was envisioning a man in a long coat, collar turned up against the wind, lighting a cigarette with his finger. That image told me a bit about the mage, but not everything, and nothing about his background. I went back to Charles and Numbers to see what they lacked. Charles covered the combat roles while Numbers had the social and computer skills covered. They didn't have any real investigative abilities. Sure, Charles could stand menacingly over someone, but intimidation tends to leave the intimidated frustrated, embarrassed, and angry afterward. Polite questioning, though, would leave the questioned wondering, but not in a mood for vengeance.
Once I realized that a mage investigator would work, I remembered the Mage Detective archetype in the rules. That still left me having to work out the character's background. A private investigator could work for the plot, but PIs tend to have a sheen of legitimacy to them. I wanted a team of runners, equals to each other, not a team that answered to one person. The Federated-Boeing Johnson wanted a team of deniable assets, not a private investigator who would leave a data trail. That meant that the detective had to be in the shadows for some reason. From there, the idea of an ex-cop came to mind. The ex-detective couldn't be from Seattle, though; he'd be recognized by former colleagues. That's how Oswald came to be ex-NYPD Inc. New York is the other side of the continent from Seattle and NYPD Inc never had the law enforcement contract for the West Coast city. Ta-daa!
Most of Oz's personality came out while writing. He has a low tolerance of BS, which has him in conflict with the elf poser Treehugger. He doesn't target innocents, though who is innocent is based on his judgement and experience. He won't harm children, though teenagers are another matter. In Chapter 9, Oz is the one championing rescuing Sun Jung for the girl's sake. And, somehow, Oswald turned into a ladies man. Completely unintentional, but it worked for him.
Tomorrow, Numbers' character sheet.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, hiatus week Q&A, where you get to ask the questions..
Saturday, over at MuseHack, an early round-up as announcements come fast and furious.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
8 Oct 2014
By the Numbers Commentary - Treehugger
Going back, I put up Treehugger's character sheet and discussed the mechanics and how her traits affected writing. Now it's time to look at Treehugger as a character in a story, much like I did with Charles.
Treehugger was the last to be cast in the crew. I had a role that needed filling, the rigger, but didn't quite have an idea of who the getaway driver would be. The Shadowrun fourth edition anniversary version had two different rigger archetypes, the Smuggler, as seen with Treehugger's sheet, and the Drone Rigger. I needed a getaway driver and didn't feel like going through creating a player character sheet from scratch, thus I went with the Smuggler, who came with vehicles. From there, it was a matter of reading the character sheet and seeing if anything struck me. The Elf Poser drawback led to Treehugger's elfiness. From the elfiness, I got the idea of an ill-informed girl from the city streets thinking that elves are in touch with nature, then wrapping her car around a tree on her first run. The dam broke, and Treehugger because a character instead of a set of stats.
Treehugger also wound up being the team's face for negotiations. As you will see later this week, Numbers focused her skills on social engineering, deceiving people into giving her everything she needed to hack past security. Treehugger, though, had the very critical Negotiation skill. She learned to hide her surgically altered ears during negotiations. TH also became the backup hacker; she's as wired as Numbers is for direct neural interface. The difference between plugging into a computer and into a van is negligible; it's just how the hardware works that's different, not the interface.
Of the crew, Treehugger had the cheeriest outlook, despite having the most invasive set of implants. Part of this is from her elfiness, her belief that she is really an elf in a human body. She believes that elves are, overall, happier. It's not that she hasn't met any dour elves; she just sees them as being dour because she sees them in the same line of work she's in. Shadowrunners aren't a happy group in general; Glenn Frey's "Smuggler's Blues" works for both Colombian drug smugglers and shadowrunners.
Treehugger is an awkward fit with the group. Between her allegy to sunlight and her elf delusion, she is an oddity, someone who will stand out from a crowd. Numbers is the chameleon. Charles is the big one, as is expected from trolls. Oswald, outwardly, is scruffy, like many a shadowrunner. Treehugger stands out; she's there for the rush, though the money will help her with the gene therapy she needs to be the elf she truly is. However, from the narrative perspective, she let me add some intra-team conflict by being herself. Treehugger also reflects a reality in the settings - sometimes, you have to take what's available, the good with the bad. Treehugger is an amazing driver, but her teammates have to deal with her being elfy.
Tomorrow, Oswald's commentary.
Friday, the last of the behind the scenes posts with Numbers.
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, hiatus week questions and answers.
Treehugger was the last to be cast in the crew. I had a role that needed filling, the rigger, but didn't quite have an idea of who the getaway driver would be. The Shadowrun fourth edition anniversary version had two different rigger archetypes, the Smuggler, as seen with Treehugger's sheet, and the Drone Rigger. I needed a getaway driver and didn't feel like going through creating a player character sheet from scratch, thus I went with the Smuggler, who came with vehicles. From there, it was a matter of reading the character sheet and seeing if anything struck me. The Elf Poser drawback led to Treehugger's elfiness. From the elfiness, I got the idea of an ill-informed girl from the city streets thinking that elves are in touch with nature, then wrapping her car around a tree on her first run. The dam broke, and Treehugger because a character instead of a set of stats.
Treehugger also wound up being the team's face for negotiations. As you will see later this week, Numbers focused her skills on social engineering, deceiving people into giving her everything she needed to hack past security. Treehugger, though, had the very critical Negotiation skill. She learned to hide her surgically altered ears during negotiations. TH also became the backup hacker; she's as wired as Numbers is for direct neural interface. The difference between plugging into a computer and into a van is negligible; it's just how the hardware works that's different, not the interface.
Of the crew, Treehugger had the cheeriest outlook, despite having the most invasive set of implants. Part of this is from her elfiness, her belief that she is really an elf in a human body. She believes that elves are, overall, happier. It's not that she hasn't met any dour elves; she just sees them as being dour because she sees them in the same line of work she's in. Shadowrunners aren't a happy group in general; Glenn Frey's "Smuggler's Blues" works for both Colombian drug smugglers and shadowrunners.
Treehugger is an awkward fit with the group. Between her allegy to sunlight and her elf delusion, she is an oddity, someone who will stand out from a crowd. Numbers is the chameleon. Charles is the big one, as is expected from trolls. Oswald, outwardly, is scruffy, like many a shadowrunner. Treehugger stands out; she's there for the rush, though the money will help her with the gene therapy she needs to be the elf she truly is. However, from the narrative perspective, she let me add some intra-team conflict by being herself. Treehugger also reflects a reality in the settings - sometimes, you have to take what's available, the good with the bad. Treehugger is an amazing driver, but her teammates have to deal with her being elfy.
Tomorrow, Oswald's commentary.
Friday, the last of the behind the scenes posts with Numbers.
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, hiatus week questions and answers.
3 Oct 2014
By the Numbers - Behind the Scenes V
Welcome back. This week's character study is Oswald, the crew's mage. Oswald's stats are the same ones for the Mage Detective archetype in the fourth edition anniversary release of Shadowrun. I didn't feel like creating Oz from scratch, but did want to change the spells known, adapting them for my needs. More after the jump. Oh, and if parts seem familiar, I needed to save time in writing by reusing last week's prose. Apologies.
26 Sept 2014
By the Numbers - Behind the Scenes IV
Welcome back. This week's character study is Treehugger, the crew's getaway driver. Treehugger's stats are the same ones for the Smuggler archetype in the fourth edition anniversary release of Shadowrun. I didn't feel like creating TH from scratch, and the Smuggler archetype seemed interesting as written. To save time, I just went with the sheet as written, then interpreted the concept. More after the jump.
25 Sept 2014
By the Numbers Commentary - Charles
Last week, I put up the character sheet for Charles, with comments interspersed. That sheet was more about the game mechanics and potential role he could play in By the Numbers. Today, the actual role.
Charles was the second character added to the roster, the first being Numbers. The team would need a heavy hitter, someone who could both take and dish out punishing blows that, at the time of conception, Numbers couldn't. Troll bodyguards are a known element in Shadowrun; their size and increased strength compared to a human makes them a natural. I ran with that idea, then played a bit more with it. Troll street muscle is almost a stereotype in the game; big as ox, strong as tractor, dumb as tractor. Charles, though, is a little below human average in mental stats. He's not thick as a brick. He just acts as a wall of muscle.
Still, Charles didn't have as big a role in the story as I'd hoped. The strong, silent type doesn't do much during dialogue, and tends to be the one watching. Very much in line with Charles' personality, but, as a story element, strong and silent leaves Charles on the sideline. With the opening chapter, I made sure to show off each member of the crew, giving them time to shine before the plot started. Charles also had his lines of investigation; he has the in with the Seattle Mob, not ex-cop Oswald, not the former accountant Numbers, and not the flighty elf-wannabe rigger Treehugger.
If I write a follow up, I do want Charles to be more active. The first half of the plot was bodyguard work, notoriously reactive in nature. Worse, I had him stuck inside the hotel during the meeting while Oz and Treehugger retrieved Nabi's daughter. I've written a snippet for the follow up, starting with a break and enter at a corporate facility; Charles will get a chance to be more than the imposing wall looming over everyone else.
Tomorrow, Treehugger's character sheet.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, Ocean's Eleven.
Saturday, over at MuseHack, the September news round-up for adaptations and remakes.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
Charles was the second character added to the roster, the first being Numbers. The team would need a heavy hitter, someone who could both take and dish out punishing blows that, at the time of conception, Numbers couldn't. Troll bodyguards are a known element in Shadowrun; their size and increased strength compared to a human makes them a natural. I ran with that idea, then played a bit more with it. Troll street muscle is almost a stereotype in the game; big as ox, strong as tractor, dumb as tractor. Charles, though, is a little below human average in mental stats. He's not thick as a brick. He just acts as a wall of muscle.
Still, Charles didn't have as big a role in the story as I'd hoped. The strong, silent type doesn't do much during dialogue, and tends to be the one watching. Very much in line with Charles' personality, but, as a story element, strong and silent leaves Charles on the sideline. With the opening chapter, I made sure to show off each member of the crew, giving them time to shine before the plot started. Charles also had his lines of investigation; he has the in with the Seattle Mob, not ex-cop Oswald, not the former accountant Numbers, and not the flighty elf-wannabe rigger Treehugger.
If I write a follow up, I do want Charles to be more active. The first half of the plot was bodyguard work, notoriously reactive in nature. Worse, I had him stuck inside the hotel during the meeting while Oz and Treehugger retrieved Nabi's daughter. I've written a snippet for the follow up, starting with a break and enter at a corporate facility; Charles will get a chance to be more than the imposing wall looming over everyone else.
Tomorrow, Treehugger's character sheet.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, Ocean's Eleven.
Saturday, over at MuseHack, the September news round-up for adaptations and remakes.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
19 Sept 2014
By the Numbers – Behind the Scenes II
The next few weeks
are going to focus on the crew and how they came into being. The
goal of the NaNoWriMo 2010 was to make sure
that the story matched the game. I find it annoying when a tie-in
novel ignores key elements of game play. Thus, I made sure that the
characters could be created in the core rules. More after the
break.
18 Sept 2014
By the Numbers - Outline Commentary
There's not much left to say, but you may want the outline open while you read. The timeline served its purpose, to make sure I knew when things were happening, especially when using time stamps in the story. The outline, though, may need some extra comments.
Normally, I don't outline. NaNoWriMo encourages writing by the seat of one's pants. The idea is that if an outline doesn't cover everything, being able to adapt on the fly, especially when trying to get at least 1667 words in one day, is a handy skill to have. With the focus on the crew and a lot of off-camera scheming going on, knowing what the opposition was up to was useful. It did feel like I was writing the story twice, though, which takes away from the process. Using point form did leave details open for me to fill in, like in Chapter 6. Chapter 6 is also a good example of me ignoring the outline. The outline isn't set in stone. I gave myself permission to ignore it if the story wanted to go elsewhere. The epilogue is another part where the outline and the story diverge. The outlined ending didn't work; Wulfe would easily find Numbers after he was done breaking Ms Evo. Numbers had to disappear. The reveal of Graves isn't in the outline but was a last minute addition as I realized that the audience wouldn't know why events happened the way they did. There's still information missing, such as the depth of the infiltration by Graves' people, but that was going to be for another novel.
The big meeting in Chapter 7 did need the background info in the outline. I needed to know which companies were at the meet and who was bringing which bodyguards. I also worked out which corporations weren't hit and which ones were. Wulfe got the code name "Nemesis", mainly because I didn't have a name for him yet. From here, I have the details for later installments. Evo is infiltrated, but the main contact is going through interrogation. I do have an rough idea for the next story, including where Numbers is and what the crew is doing without their sociable hacker.
The longer chapter outlines are the ones with the more elaborate stage directions and action choreography. Drama, like in Chapter 12 with the stand-off between Numbers and Nabi, just had a few notes. The gunfight in Chapter 15 and the chase in Chapter 21 needed things worked out to know where I wanted to end. Note that I use film jargon, such as "off-camera" and "choreography". It stems from how I approach writing a scene. I picture the scene in my head, moving the camera, the point-of-view, around until I get the best angle. I let dialogue play out, reworking lines until everyone sounds right. The process may not work for everyone, but it does work for me.
Will I use an outline in future projects? Not to this degree. The prep work I'm doing for the Unrulies isn't going into as much detail. I'm more concerned about getting to know the characters so that I have an idea of they'll react when something unexpected occurs. I did something similar with the crew for By the Numbers, too. Going through the story and commenting reminded me of the background work I did for almost every character who appeared. Having characters with motive goes far when writing by the seat of my pants.
Tomorrow, the start of the character sheets.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, Battle Beyond the Stars.
Saturday, over at MuseHack, Ocean's Eleven.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
Normally, I don't outline. NaNoWriMo encourages writing by the seat of one's pants. The idea is that if an outline doesn't cover everything, being able to adapt on the fly, especially when trying to get at least 1667 words in one day, is a handy skill to have. With the focus on the crew and a lot of off-camera scheming going on, knowing what the opposition was up to was useful. It did feel like I was writing the story twice, though, which takes away from the process. Using point form did leave details open for me to fill in, like in Chapter 6. Chapter 6 is also a good example of me ignoring the outline. The outline isn't set in stone. I gave myself permission to ignore it if the story wanted to go elsewhere. The epilogue is another part where the outline and the story diverge. The outlined ending didn't work; Wulfe would easily find Numbers after he was done breaking Ms Evo. Numbers had to disappear. The reveal of Graves isn't in the outline but was a last minute addition as I realized that the audience wouldn't know why events happened the way they did. There's still information missing, such as the depth of the infiltration by Graves' people, but that was going to be for another novel.
The big meeting in Chapter 7 did need the background info in the outline. I needed to know which companies were at the meet and who was bringing which bodyguards. I also worked out which corporations weren't hit and which ones were. Wulfe got the code name "Nemesis", mainly because I didn't have a name for him yet. From here, I have the details for later installments. Evo is infiltrated, but the main contact is going through interrogation. I do have an rough idea for the next story, including where Numbers is and what the crew is doing without their sociable hacker.
The longer chapter outlines are the ones with the more elaborate stage directions and action choreography. Drama, like in Chapter 12 with the stand-off between Numbers and Nabi, just had a few notes. The gunfight in Chapter 15 and the chase in Chapter 21 needed things worked out to know where I wanted to end. Note that I use film jargon, such as "off-camera" and "choreography". It stems from how I approach writing a scene. I picture the scene in my head, moving the camera, the point-of-view, around until I get the best angle. I let dialogue play out, reworking lines until everyone sounds right. The process may not work for everyone, but it does work for me.
Will I use an outline in future projects? Not to this degree. The prep work I'm doing for the Unrulies isn't going into as much detail. I'm more concerned about getting to know the characters so that I have an idea of they'll react when something unexpected occurs. I did something similar with the crew for By the Numbers, too. Going through the story and commenting reminded me of the background work I did for almost every character who appeared. Having characters with motive goes far when writing by the seat of my pants.
Tomorrow, the start of the character sheets.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, Battle Beyond the Stars.
Saturday, over at MuseHack, Ocean's Eleven.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
12 Sept 2014
By the Numbers - Behind the Scenes I
Welcome back! The story has wrapped up and is complete on its own page now. Over the next few weeks, I'll post some of the behind the scenes work while I prep the next serial. Today, the basic outline.
11 Sept 2014
By the Numbers Epilogue - Commentary
As always, please read the epilogue first.
First, why the epilogue? I don't normally have one in my writing. Usually, the characters figure things out by the end. By the Numbers, however, has a conspiracy driving events. The characters aren't in a position to discover the depth behind the events. Readers may want a bit more closure than the crew getting paid. The other reason is that payment is not the end of a shadowrun. There are times when getting paid starts a new set of problems. Thus, the epilogue is split into two parts. The first part steps away from the crew to give the reader a different look at the events. The second returns to the crew.
The first part shows what happened to Middlemas, the mage involved in the kidnapping of Nabi's daughter. He's not a normal street asset, as a few elements show. First, he's using his name instead of an alias. Second, there's arrogance that wise runners wouldn't display. The skin grafts are for the burns he suffered in his fight with Oswald. Again, fire elementals and open flame are never a good idea in an abandoned building in a bad part of town.
The fate of the fixer, K-Bob, is definitely a warning. Acts of violence tend to leave a body in one location. Spreading the pieces around is a graphic but effective way of saying, "Get off my turf." Either Baba Ganoush or Mister Macro arranged for the hit; last thing they want is runners being more paranoid than normal about being crossed by an employer.
The heart of the conspiracy is Graves. Graves is a dragon, a western dragon to be specific. He isn't one of the greats, like Lofwyr, CEO of Saeder-Krupp, is. However, a "normal" dragon is still formidable. A dragon with a claw in several corporations, manipulating cells, influencing companies large and small, is one to beware of. Graves' plan is to carve out a home of his own, starting with Seattle. Controlling corporations such as Fed-Boeing, Knight Errant, Lone Star, Gaiatronics, and even Evo and Telestrian means getting control of the services the metroplex uses. Fed-Boeing provides a source of aircraft, small and large, ideal for protecting and controlling Seattle air space. Graves is still around at the end of the story. This means I can create a sequel if I choose.
The second part returns to the crew and the aftermath of the shadowrun. Numbers says her goodbyes to the team. This went completely different than what I had planned in the outline, but there's no other outcome possible. Numbers needs to leave. Wulfe knows where she lives and has an Inspector Javert level of dedication to breaking her.
At the end of writing, I didn't feel comfortable with the story. I was feeling out of sorts, dejected. The loss of Numbers was the main reason; she was a key part of the story that not having her at the end, with no resolution, put me off the story. Getting the story ready for posting let me see it with new eyes after a few years. It holds up, and the end, while not anticipated, is the only way the story could end.
Since 2010, I have worked out where Numbers went, what Graves is doing next, and what the rest of the crew is doing. That story is for another serial.
In the coming weeks, as I prep the next serial, I'll be posting some background work for By the Numbers, including the original outline and character sheets for the cast.
Thanks for reading!
Tomorrow, the outline.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, Daredevil.
Saturday, over at MuseHack, Battle Beyond the Stars.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
First, why the epilogue? I don't normally have one in my writing. Usually, the characters figure things out by the end. By the Numbers, however, has a conspiracy driving events. The characters aren't in a position to discover the depth behind the events. Readers may want a bit more closure than the crew getting paid. The other reason is that payment is not the end of a shadowrun. There are times when getting paid starts a new set of problems. Thus, the epilogue is split into two parts. The first part steps away from the crew to give the reader a different look at the events. The second returns to the crew.
The first part shows what happened to Middlemas, the mage involved in the kidnapping of Nabi's daughter. He's not a normal street asset, as a few elements show. First, he's using his name instead of an alias. Second, there's arrogance that wise runners wouldn't display. The skin grafts are for the burns he suffered in his fight with Oswald. Again, fire elementals and open flame are never a good idea in an abandoned building in a bad part of town.
The fate of the fixer, K-Bob, is definitely a warning. Acts of violence tend to leave a body in one location. Spreading the pieces around is a graphic but effective way of saying, "Get off my turf." Either Baba Ganoush or Mister Macro arranged for the hit; last thing they want is runners being more paranoid than normal about being crossed by an employer.
The heart of the conspiracy is Graves. Graves is a dragon, a western dragon to be specific. He isn't one of the greats, like Lofwyr, CEO of Saeder-Krupp, is. However, a "normal" dragon is still formidable. A dragon with a claw in several corporations, manipulating cells, influencing companies large and small, is one to beware of. Graves' plan is to carve out a home of his own, starting with Seattle. Controlling corporations such as Fed-Boeing, Knight Errant, Lone Star, Gaiatronics, and even Evo and Telestrian means getting control of the services the metroplex uses. Fed-Boeing provides a source of aircraft, small and large, ideal for protecting and controlling Seattle air space. Graves is still around at the end of the story. This means I can create a sequel if I choose.
The second part returns to the crew and the aftermath of the shadowrun. Numbers says her goodbyes to the team. This went completely different than what I had planned in the outline, but there's no other outcome possible. Numbers needs to leave. Wulfe knows where she lives and has an Inspector Javert level of dedication to breaking her.
At the end of writing, I didn't feel comfortable with the story. I was feeling out of sorts, dejected. The loss of Numbers was the main reason; she was a key part of the story that not having her at the end, with no resolution, put me off the story. Getting the story ready for posting let me see it with new eyes after a few years. It holds up, and the end, while not anticipated, is the only way the story could end.
Since 2010, I have worked out where Numbers went, what Graves is doing next, and what the rest of the crew is doing. That story is for another serial.
In the coming weeks, as I prep the next serial, I'll be posting some background work for By the Numbers, including the original outline and character sheets for the cast.
Thanks for reading!
Tomorrow, the outline.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, Daredevil.
Saturday, over at MuseHack, Battle Beyond the Stars.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
5 Sept 2014
By the Numbers - Epilogue
Epilogue
1158 hours
James Middlemas strode into the luxurious executive office. The administrative assistant got up as he approached. "Mr. Graves is expecting me." He gave the admin assistant an approving look-over.
The assistant looked over her list of approved visitors. "Mr. Graves is expecting you, sir."
Shadowrun © 2013 The Topps Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Shadowrun and Matrix are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of The Topps Company, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. Catalyst Game Labs and the Catalyst Game Labs logo are trademarks of InMediaRes Productions, LLC.Wednesday, April 28, 2071
1158 hours
James Middlemas strode into the luxurious executive office. The administrative assistant got up as he approached. "Mr. Graves is expecting me." He gave the admin assistant an approving look-over.
The assistant looked over her list of approved visitors. "Mr. Graves is expecting you, sir."
4 Sept 2014
By the Numbers Chapter 22 - Commentary
Welcome back. As always, please read the chapter first.
The crew has the package and meets the Saeder-Krupp entourage for the hand-off. Chapter 22 was the last chapter of the story, though there are some loose ends to wrap up. Getting to the last chapter during NaNoWriMo is always a relief. November requires a steady rate of output, at least 1667 words a day; more is ideal. My personal goal was to average 2000 words a day. At the end of writing, By the Numbers had 58 563 words as verified by the NaNo site. A little under 2000 words a day and not quite at a decent number for publishing in print. Thus, it's here instead of submitted to Catalyst.
Some translation, again. The German was through Google Translate again. For a proper publication, I'd get someone who spoke and, more importantly, wrote German fluently to smooth things out. For the record, here's what Wulfe is saying while rudely speaking a language most of the crew can't: "I still object. Miss Page is wanted for the destruction of corporate property. I must take her in." Fraulein Johnson, while not necessarily helping Numbers, sees Ms Evo as a more pressing matter. Giving Numbers the one month headstart on running away, which was part of the payment worked out for the run, means that if Fraulein Johnson needs to hire the crew again, they're more likely to agree. Having Wulfe interrogate Ms Evo keeps him busy.
As mentioned, I have loose ends despite wrapping up the main plot here. The crew was never in a position to really discover the depth of the issue. They were hired to protect the head of Federated-Boeing security, then to extract one part of the conspiracy to be given to Saeder-Krupp. At no point were they able to investigate further, nor were they being paid to dig up dirt. Thus, the need for an epilogue, but that's another chapter.
Tomorrow, wrapping up By the Numbers.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning.
Saturday, over at MuseHack, Daredevil.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
The crew has the package and meets the Saeder-Krupp entourage for the hand-off. Chapter 22 was the last chapter of the story, though there are some loose ends to wrap up. Getting to the last chapter during NaNoWriMo is always a relief. November requires a steady rate of output, at least 1667 words a day; more is ideal. My personal goal was to average 2000 words a day. At the end of writing, By the Numbers had 58 563 words as verified by the NaNo site. A little under 2000 words a day and not quite at a decent number for publishing in print. Thus, it's here instead of submitted to Catalyst.
Some translation, again. The German was through Google Translate again. For a proper publication, I'd get someone who spoke and, more importantly, wrote German fluently to smooth things out. For the record, here's what Wulfe is saying while rudely speaking a language most of the crew can't: "I still object. Miss Page is wanted for the destruction of corporate property. I must take her in." Fraulein Johnson, while not necessarily helping Numbers, sees Ms Evo as a more pressing matter. Giving Numbers the one month headstart on running away, which was part of the payment worked out for the run, means that if Fraulein Johnson needs to hire the crew again, they're more likely to agree. Having Wulfe interrogate Ms Evo keeps him busy.
As mentioned, I have loose ends despite wrapping up the main plot here. The crew was never in a position to really discover the depth of the issue. They were hired to protect the head of Federated-Boeing security, then to extract one part of the conspiracy to be given to Saeder-Krupp. At no point were they able to investigate further, nor were they being paid to dig up dirt. Thus, the need for an epilogue, but that's another chapter.
Tomorrow, wrapping up By the Numbers.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning.
Saturday, over at MuseHack, Daredevil.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
29 Aug 2014
By the Numbers - Chapter 22
Special Delivery
0027 hours
Charles eased his Harley into the Renton Mall's parking lot. Treehugger followed with the Bulldog. The lot was deserted, with only three cars total. One of the cars, a dark blue BMW i985 sedan, flashed its headlights. Treehugger blinked the step-van's once in response. She parked the Bulldog several lanes away from the BMW. Charles stopped beside the van and dismounted. He walked around to the rear door. Inside, Numbers removed her belongings from the bag holding the Evo representative. She took a deep breath to steady herself.
Shadowrun © 2013 The Topps Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Shadowrun and Matrix are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of The Topps Company, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. Catalyst Game Labs and the Catalyst Game Labs logo are trademarks of InMediaRes Productions, LLC.Saturday, April 24, 2071
0027 hours
Charles eased his Harley into the Renton Mall's parking lot. Treehugger followed with the Bulldog. The lot was deserted, with only three cars total. One of the cars, a dark blue BMW i985 sedan, flashed its headlights. Treehugger blinked the step-van's once in response. She parked the Bulldog several lanes away from the BMW. Charles stopped beside the van and dismounted. He walked around to the rear door. Inside, Numbers removed her belongings from the bag holding the Evo representative. She took a deep breath to steady herself.
28 Aug 2014
By the Numbers Chapter 21 - Commentary
As always, please read the chapter first before continuing.
Chapter 21 featured the great escape. A car chase, allowing Treehugger to have her moment to shine. The chase features three types of vehicles; the step van driven by Treehugger, the Chrysler-Nissan Patrol 1s driven by Evo's security, and the Harley Scorpion ridden by Charles. Of the three, the Scorpion would have the best chance of escaping. Too bad the package is in the van.
Car chases take some work in writing. In a visual medium, like television or movies, it's enough to show the vehicles taking turns, their tires squealing as the coefficient of friction is almost overcome. With the written word, the scene changes, becoming more about the reactions by the people involved instead of the adrenaline of a vehicle ramming another with chase music playing. Adding to the complexity is Treehugger becoming one with the van. While her body is still in the driver's seat, her consciousness is in the van's main computer. Riggers are cybernetically enhanced to meld their reactions to a vehicle's system, from engine to steering to even the radio. If the van takes a hit, Treehugger feels it as if it happened to her body. Needless to say, this would get weird to write. Fortunately, I also had Oz and Numbers, requiring me to place the "camera" inside the van instead of inside the van's computer.
Part of the planning for a car chase is figuring out where the chase is. I had used placeholders at the time of writing, Wilshire and Smith. When I wrote Crossover, a Subject 13 novel, I picked Washington and Main, hoping that they'd exist in Cleveland. The hope worked out far better than I expected then; that very intersection was close enough to the main action that it made sense to keep it. With Wilshire and Smith, though, I didn't have such luck. First, having placed Evo in Renton, I had to rearrange the map. Today, Renton, Washington, is a satellite city of Seattle, having its own industries, including an Boeing assembly plant and Wizards of the Coast. It also acts as a bedroom community for people who commute to Seattle and back. Naturally, I needed to raze that housing to drop Evo in somewhere. The intersections mentioned do exist; they just don't have a corporate enclave or a red-light district office near them.
Numbers' crack about becoming the Chase of the Week comes from today's televised police chases. It's a simple search on YouTube to find media footage of car chases in California. It wouldn't be beyond the realm of conception that media outlets in the 2070s would feature the top five car chases of the week along the lines of today's sports channels showing the top five plays of the week. In the future, the revolution won't be televised, but the top ten embarrassing mistakes by revolutionaries will be.
Chapter 21 was short. The chase had to last long enough to provide a proper climax without boring the reader with minutiae, near-misses, and improbable stunts. The point was made, Evo was not letting their rep be taken, and the crew got one last chance to show off.
Tomorrow, the delivery.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, Lost in Translation's August news round up.
Saturday, over at MuseHack, Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
Chapter 21 featured the great escape. A car chase, allowing Treehugger to have her moment to shine. The chase features three types of vehicles; the step van driven by Treehugger, the Chrysler-Nissan Patrol 1s driven by Evo's security, and the Harley Scorpion ridden by Charles. Of the three, the Scorpion would have the best chance of escaping. Too bad the package is in the van.
Car chases take some work in writing. In a visual medium, like television or movies, it's enough to show the vehicles taking turns, their tires squealing as the coefficient of friction is almost overcome. With the written word, the scene changes, becoming more about the reactions by the people involved instead of the adrenaline of a vehicle ramming another with chase music playing. Adding to the complexity is Treehugger becoming one with the van. While her body is still in the driver's seat, her consciousness is in the van's main computer. Riggers are cybernetically enhanced to meld their reactions to a vehicle's system, from engine to steering to even the radio. If the van takes a hit, Treehugger feels it as if it happened to her body. Needless to say, this would get weird to write. Fortunately, I also had Oz and Numbers, requiring me to place the "camera" inside the van instead of inside the van's computer.
Part of the planning for a car chase is figuring out where the chase is. I had used placeholders at the time of writing, Wilshire and Smith. When I wrote Crossover, a Subject 13 novel, I picked Washington and Main, hoping that they'd exist in Cleveland. The hope worked out far better than I expected then; that very intersection was close enough to the main action that it made sense to keep it. With Wilshire and Smith, though, I didn't have such luck. First, having placed Evo in Renton, I had to rearrange the map. Today, Renton, Washington, is a satellite city of Seattle, having its own industries, including an Boeing assembly plant and Wizards of the Coast. It also acts as a bedroom community for people who commute to Seattle and back. Naturally, I needed to raze that housing to drop Evo in somewhere. The intersections mentioned do exist; they just don't have a corporate enclave or a red-light district office near them.
Numbers' crack about becoming the Chase of the Week comes from today's televised police chases. It's a simple search on YouTube to find media footage of car chases in California. It wouldn't be beyond the realm of conception that media outlets in the 2070s would feature the top five car chases of the week along the lines of today's sports channels showing the top five plays of the week. In the future, the revolution won't be televised, but the top ten embarrassing mistakes by revolutionaries will be.
Chapter 21 was short. The chase had to last long enough to provide a proper climax without boring the reader with minutiae, near-misses, and improbable stunts. The point was made, Evo was not letting their rep be taken, and the crew got one last chance to show off.
Tomorrow, the delivery.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, Lost in Translation's August news round up.
Saturday, over at MuseHack, Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
22 Aug 2014
By the Numbers - Chapter 21
Johnson Road, Next Two Exits
(Language warning in effect)
2348 hours
Oswald let his spells fade, revealing himself, Numbers, and the bag holding their extractee. He wiped sweat off his brow. "Never doing that again. Numbers, how's the package?"
Numbers looked in the bag. "Still out."
Treehugger noticed flashing lights in her rear view mirror. "Guys, trouble."
(Language warning in effect)
Shadowrun © 2013 The Topps Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Shadowrun and Matrix are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of The Topps Company, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. Catalyst Game Labs and the Catalyst Game Labs logo are trademarks of InMediaRes Productions, LLC.Friday, April 23, 2071
2348 hours
Oswald let his spells fade, revealing himself, Numbers, and the bag holding their extractee. He wiped sweat off his brow. "Never doing that again. Numbers, how's the package?"
Numbers looked in the bag. "Still out."
Treehugger noticed flashing lights in her rear view mirror. "Guys, trouble."
21 Aug 2014
By the Numbers Chapter 20 - Commentary
Welcome back! As always, please read the chapter first. I'll be referring to it anyway.
In chapter 19, we saw Numbers and Oswald's portion of the run, the extraction of Ms Evo from her place of employment. It wasn't a voluntary extraction. This chapter looks at the other half of the run, the getaway.
The chapter's title is from an older song, "Breaking Up is Hard to Do". Apologies for that earworm. It sums up the situation well. Most shadowruns in-game have the problem of getting out. Usually, the team of PCs has finally set off an alarm, alerting security. Security's response depends on the value of the facility, the value of the work done at the facility, and the value of the employees. A team of runners breaking into a nondescript warehouse to retrieve a copy of a bill of lading might only get Knight Errant out with a ten minute response time. At the other extreme, Mitsuhama's Zero Zones, where nothing gets in and nothing gets out, have security that is highly motivated and equipped with the best gear around, including armed drones, mages with bound elementals, and guards in heavy armour toting assault cannons. With Evo, the security is there, but the area is residential. Employees tend to have poor morale when guards in armour patrol the hallways and demand papers in every corridor.
Treehugger and Charles are the exit strategy for the run. The elf wanna-be is the getaway driver, like most riggers are. Without a team to drive away with, though, all she can do is wait for the signal. Treehugger is a little antsy; part of it comes from the cyberware she has. Neural control over a vehicle combined with a love for the rush of speed means it's hard for her to sit down when needed. To contrast, Charles has extensive experience in just waiting. Bodyguard work tends to be reactive, though a good team of runners will do some work to find out where potential problems are and remove them before they become kinetic.
The exit plan depends on bureaucracy and paperwork. With her step-van disguised as a courier's van, Treehugger can flash fake IDs at the guards while wearing a uniform that strengthens the ruse. In a world where business is global and corporations never sleep, a late night courier run doesn't look odd. With corporate espionage around, though, security still needs to be prudent. But it's not the guards Treehugger has to fool. They're looking for the proper codes. The loading dock supervisor is the one who can spoil the run. Treehugger's goal is to appear to be another corporate cog. A human with pointed ears might be noticed, thus she's tucked the tips into her hair and into her cap.
Charles, in the meantime, gets to be the point of contact for everyone. Treehugger should be busy with the workers in the loading dock; answering a call will raise suspicion. If Charles is tracked, he's mobile enough with his motorcyle to find a new location while remaining in contact with Numbers and Oz.
The ruse can only last so long. There's either a package or there isn't. Treehugger's conversation with Charles lets her get the update to him while still acting as if she's talking to her dispatch. Treehugger's main role is rigger, as mentioned above and in previous commentaries. She is also a decent hand with computers. Not necessarily to the same degree as Numbers, the hacker, but Treehugger can fake data enough to fool the casual observer. The buzz on her commlink worked to her advantage; she received data, just not the data the supervisor expected. There will be a report filed by supervisor about the missing package, but by the time someone thinks to check it, Ms Evo should be in downtown Berlin.
I had a troll supervisor on the loading dock to remind readers that trolls are more than just street muscle. Trolls are in most walks of life, being absent from executive and most upper management levels. The supervisor here worked his way up to his position. Again, yet another incidental character with a backstory. It's a fun way to populate a story, but it does take a bit of time to work out while writing. In the outline, I just make note that the guy in charge is a troll, with no other notes. Between the time when the outline was written and when the scene was, some thought had occurred about why the troll was there.
The Tim's on Aberdeen doesn't exist. The coffee shop's name comes from Tim Horton's, a Canadian coffee and doughnut chain that has more stores than Starbucks does in Soviet Canuckistan. There are indeed places where there's a Timmie's across the road from a Timmie's. It's a busy road. Tim's is home to Canadian comfort food, especially in the winter. I just couldn't envision a future without Tim Horton's. It's too ubiquitous to just disappear. My little addition to the setting. Beats having the team go to the Stuffer Shack; involving an Aztech subsidiary would add yet another layer of complexity late in the story.
Tomorrow, Evo really doesn't want to let its representative go.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, Disney's Aladdin and a farewell to Robin Williams.
Saturday, over at MuseHack, a look at adapting myth and legend.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
In chapter 19, we saw Numbers and Oswald's portion of the run, the extraction of Ms Evo from her place of employment. It wasn't a voluntary extraction. This chapter looks at the other half of the run, the getaway.
The chapter's title is from an older song, "Breaking Up is Hard to Do". Apologies for that earworm. It sums up the situation well. Most shadowruns in-game have the problem of getting out. Usually, the team of PCs has finally set off an alarm, alerting security. Security's response depends on the value of the facility, the value of the work done at the facility, and the value of the employees. A team of runners breaking into a nondescript warehouse to retrieve a copy of a bill of lading might only get Knight Errant out with a ten minute response time. At the other extreme, Mitsuhama's Zero Zones, where nothing gets in and nothing gets out, have security that is highly motivated and equipped with the best gear around, including armed drones, mages with bound elementals, and guards in heavy armour toting assault cannons. With Evo, the security is there, but the area is residential. Employees tend to have poor morale when guards in armour patrol the hallways and demand papers in every corridor.
Treehugger and Charles are the exit strategy for the run. The elf wanna-be is the getaway driver, like most riggers are. Without a team to drive away with, though, all she can do is wait for the signal. Treehugger is a little antsy; part of it comes from the cyberware she has. Neural control over a vehicle combined with a love for the rush of speed means it's hard for her to sit down when needed. To contrast, Charles has extensive experience in just waiting. Bodyguard work tends to be reactive, though a good team of runners will do some work to find out where potential problems are and remove them before they become kinetic.
The exit plan depends on bureaucracy and paperwork. With her step-van disguised as a courier's van, Treehugger can flash fake IDs at the guards while wearing a uniform that strengthens the ruse. In a world where business is global and corporations never sleep, a late night courier run doesn't look odd. With corporate espionage around, though, security still needs to be prudent. But it's not the guards Treehugger has to fool. They're looking for the proper codes. The loading dock supervisor is the one who can spoil the run. Treehugger's goal is to appear to be another corporate cog. A human with pointed ears might be noticed, thus she's tucked the tips into her hair and into her cap.
Charles, in the meantime, gets to be the point of contact for everyone. Treehugger should be busy with the workers in the loading dock; answering a call will raise suspicion. If Charles is tracked, he's mobile enough with his motorcyle to find a new location while remaining in contact with Numbers and Oz.
The ruse can only last so long. There's either a package or there isn't. Treehugger's conversation with Charles lets her get the update to him while still acting as if she's talking to her dispatch. Treehugger's main role is rigger, as mentioned above and in previous commentaries. She is also a decent hand with computers. Not necessarily to the same degree as Numbers, the hacker, but Treehugger can fake data enough to fool the casual observer. The buzz on her commlink worked to her advantage; she received data, just not the data the supervisor expected. There will be a report filed by supervisor about the missing package, but by the time someone thinks to check it, Ms Evo should be in downtown Berlin.
I had a troll supervisor on the loading dock to remind readers that trolls are more than just street muscle. Trolls are in most walks of life, being absent from executive and most upper management levels. The supervisor here worked his way up to his position. Again, yet another incidental character with a backstory. It's a fun way to populate a story, but it does take a bit of time to work out while writing. In the outline, I just make note that the guy in charge is a troll, with no other notes. Between the time when the outline was written and when the scene was, some thought had occurred about why the troll was there.
The Tim's on Aberdeen doesn't exist. The coffee shop's name comes from Tim Horton's, a Canadian coffee and doughnut chain that has more stores than Starbucks does in Soviet Canuckistan. There are indeed places where there's a Timmie's across the road from a Timmie's. It's a busy road. Tim's is home to Canadian comfort food, especially in the winter. I just couldn't envision a future without Tim Horton's. It's too ubiquitous to just disappear. My little addition to the setting. Beats having the team go to the Stuffer Shack; involving an Aztech subsidiary would add yet another layer of complexity late in the story.
Tomorrow, Evo really doesn't want to let its representative go.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, Disney's Aladdin and a farewell to Robin Williams.
Saturday, over at MuseHack, a look at adapting myth and legend.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.
15 Aug 2014
By the Numbers - Chapter 20
Breaking Out is Hard to Do
(Language warning in effect)
2335 hours
Treehugger paced along the length of her step-van. On her umpteenth lap to the van's rear, she stopped. "You know, Charles, you could look more concerned."
(Language warning in effect)
Shadowrun © 2013 The Topps Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Shadowrun and Matrix are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of The Topps Company, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. Catalyst Game Labs and the Catalyst Game Labs logo are trademarks of InMediaRes Productions, LLC.Friday, April 23, 2071
2335 hours
Treehugger paced along the length of her step-van. On her umpteenth lap to the van's rear, she stopped. "You know, Charles, you could look more concerned."
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