Getting the Goods

by Sean Naughton
Dogberry's Place

How players can get to the stuff they need. and how gm's can stay calm while thinking about the places where the players get the stuff...

The Problem

Finding things that they need has always been a problem for my players.
They say "I want to go to the nearest bike dealership and buy a Yamaha Rapier."
I say, "Gotta' SIN?"
They say "No." and
I say "Tough beans, muchacho."
This is always a big frustration for me and the players because it slows down game play. So they use their street etiquette skill to try and find a place. Then the exchange goes something like this.
Player: 5 successes. Where is it?
Me: Uhhhh...well...it's kinda...well, you know...
Player: You don't know, huh?
Me: Dammit.
So, I made up this list of illegal and quasi-legal individuals, locations and organizations that PCs can obtain specific types of gear and illuminate the need for GMs to make things up off the cuff.
These organizations can also be used for an idea for a run/campaign for a GM. The information presented here shouldn't be readily available to players/PCs. They should still make the proper etiquette tests and have the right connections to find the place.

The Places

The Flea Market

Almost everything the runners could want in an area that is almost futile for police to raid. Of course, convenience doesn't come cheap. The stuff here costs about 50% more then it would in a "legit" establishment. Here you can find guns, ammo, accessories, grenades, drugs, BTL chips, civilian vehicles, Shadowrunners, clothing, armor, and some other really weird shit difficult to find anywhere else. Rarely, you can find heavy stuff like assault cannons, missiles, and military vehicles. The Flea Market is frequently raided by Lone Star in a futile attempt to apprehend the peddlers of the likely stolen merchandise. They only catch about 10-20 people during each raid and can usually only have circumstantial evidence, but shop at your own risk.

Eddie the Fish

The premiere fixer for all of the Seattle area. If you need it, it's likely Eddie or one of his associates will have it, or can get it. But it'll cost 'ya. Eddie "owns" most of the fixers in Seattle and uses these connections to bring his clients top notch gear and information that's been checked, double checked and certified with a cherry on top (that still doesn't make all his info completely true, but more reliable then most). All this efficacy comes at a price. A hefty one. His gear and info cost approximately 75% more then most other fixers in the sprawl and he's VERY difficult to locate quickly. When you need some good info, and you're too busy to look for it yourself, get a hold of Eddie and he can get what you need.

GM's note: Only through luck can the runners be able to reach him on the first try. A target number of 6 or higher is recommended for the etiquette test if Eddie is a regular contact. If he isn't a regular then a target number of 10 or greater is recommended.

Toys 'R Us (Puyallup branch)

"I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toy's R' Us kid. There's a million toys at Toys R' Us that I can play with." That's not too far from the truth sad to say. The Puyallup Toys R' Us branch has come under some unscrupulous management within the last year. It is now owned by an unknown Dealer who calls himself "Mr. X". He uses the toy store as his base of operations in the Seattle area. His clientele contacts him before hand through his representative at Toys R' Us and discusses what they want. Then the client walks out of the room, goes to the video game section of the store and purchases a copy of Doom XXI (or some other product specified by Mr. X's representative). When the arranged pickup date arrives, the client exchanges the game with the man behind the return desk and says, "This game sucks." They will then be led to a back room where the exchange will be made. Very simple.

Bilbo's House of Ill Repute

It's just what the name says. It's a place where people can get drunk and get laid for about 50-100¥ a night (depending on the type of services they want). The interior is quite extravagant compared to it's exterior, but that isn't saying much. Clientele can also obtain various drugs and BTLs here. But these things might not interest some runners. The real intriguing thing about Bilbo's is that Bilbo is a wonderful source of information about whatever city he happens to be in. Many of his clients are corps or other important people who want to get down and dirty with some street scum for a night or two. He slips a little truth serum in some of his drinks and bugs his "staff" with top-of-the-line visual and audio recording cyberware to take pictures and record conversations between the corporate types and their "hired hands" (no pun intended). He uses some of this information to blackmail his customers and some he saves to sell to the highest bidder. Yes, this is fairly expensive also.

The Hanger

Riggers, your parking troubles are over! Located deep in the Redmond barrens there was a huge warehouse that has been converted to an even bigger parking garage/aircraft hanger. Using top grade security measures and relying on his customers to provide physical security, Mr. John Welcorn runs and maintains his own parking service for quasi-legal people like runners to park their vans, cars, boats, helicopters and airplanes, almost no questions asked. There are two catches though. First is the astronomical prices for parking. Second is the contract signed by the client. In the contract, the client states that he/she will provide 24 hours worth of physical security to 'The Hanger' per month of space rental. That's right the runners are now security guards, guarding the Hanger against the scum of the earth. In return, the runners get the parking space they paid for and paid access to a highly advanced vehicle repair facility. The Hanger also has a "runway" that can accommodate STOL planes.

El Dios

Spanish for "The Gods", this particular establishment looks like a tiny crack in the wall building from the outside. but once you're lead down it's narrow hallway and through several secret passages (blindfolded of course), you find yourself surrounded by walls and shelves full of espionage and clandestine equipment. On the low tech end of things, there are simple micro-cams and micro-recorders. On the high tech end of the wall, there are devices such as remote control cockroaches that transmit video and sound (ala Fifth Element...I think.) and any other kind of high tech device the GM deems really cool. There are also services like makeup and mask molding, tailored disguises, and even espionage related cyberware (ex. hearing amp) and plastic surgery.

The Glow

The Glow is an underground organization that secretly rescues Cyberzombies from their parent corporations and maintains these tortured souls with medication and magic. They are unofficially called "The Glow". Unbeknownst to the Cyberzombies that find sanctuary in The Glow's underground walls, it is in reality just a high budget chop shop that is after Delta grade cyberware. They keep their "clients" alive long enough to earn their trust and maintain a good reputation. When the Cyberzombies die (which they all eventually do). They get chopped up and sold in the shadows. After all, Delta grade cyberware is in high demand on the streets.
 

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