5150 New Beginnings - Brawling at the Bar

 

Sven

Month 2:

Pay the Man: Since I didn’t increase in rep/skills, I won’t list the stats. At the start of the month, you need to pay the bills with DRD (decreasing rep d6). Since Sven lives in low-income housing, doesn’t have a ship or vehicles, and has no band members, he gets 0 DRD.

 

Involuntary Encounter: It’s that time again! I roll a d6 and get 4, another job offer. I guess word is spreading about Sven’s work. Looks like a Joe - Service is hiring me to find something. At this point, I go to my GMA Sci Fi Deck and figure out what it might be. I look at the list of belongings and see what’s missing. I choose “illegal tech” from the card. The base wage is only 1 IRD (increasing rep d6) but, Sven is a nice guy, so accepts the job.

Sven was sitting on a stool at his favorite dive, a ramen noodle shop just down the street from his apartment. A woman sat down next to him, and ordered up some ramen as well. “I’ll take what he’s having,” she said, nodding at Sven.

“Good choice, little sister” said Sven as he glanced at the woman. It looked as though she had just gotten off work from some business. She was dressed in a neat clothing, well, as neat as someone from Lower Hope could afford.

“Actually, I’m not here for the noodles. I heard you’re one of those merc types. You looking for work?” She said casually.

Sven nodded. "Always. Only way out of this armpit of a place.” He continued to eat his noodles.

“Well, I recently had someone take something from my apartment. I think we share the same one, eh? I’ve seen you before.”

Sven didn’t remember seeing her before but he didn’t really pay attention to other tenants. He shrugged “I guess so. What’s the job you got?”

The lady moved in a little closer, speaking in a hushed tone. “That’s the thing, what I lost wasn’t entirely legal, so to speak. See, I lost my hacked data pad, which had some, how should I put this, interesting dirt on certain higher ups in the corporation I work for. I was going to use it as blackmail to get into a higher position.”

“Right, do you suspect who it might be?”

She sighed, “my boyfriend. He lives in Midland Terrace. Do you think you can track him down?”

The man finished up his ramen and stood up. “Yeah, I suppose, little sister.” After an exchange of information and pictures of the woman’s boyfriend, he set off to get to work.

Now for the hard part, finding the boyfriend! I look at the find encounter rules and roll a 1/2d6 and score a 3, so 2 PEFs (possible enemy forces). Not likely to find him on this encounter but we’ll see. I see what the target building is by drawing a card from the 5150 City Deck and it’s a restaurant. I won’t go into too much detail on the PEFs outside and in, unless I find the boyfriend or else, it’ll be a rocket post!

Transit Encounter 1: At this point, I take the transit, which is 2 stops away from Midland Terrace. I roll a 3, so no transit encounter.

Stepping off the transit system unmolested, Sven approaches the restaurant.

PEF Entering: I run into a police officer outside the building. I interact with him and we both pass 2d6. The officer ignores me. Must not look suspicious enough.

Sven notices a cop outside the restaurant but he doesn’t take notice as he’s talking on his radio.

PEF 1: This resolved as 2 Joe – Laborers, one is packing a BAP-2 but the leader is unarmed. I interact, my 5 pep skill to his 2. I pass 2d6 and he passes 1d6, I get 1 IRD. Now, in order to find out a clue about this boyfriend, I need to further interact and pass 1d6 to his 0d6. I gained a clue and another IRD. I then roll a d6 for the total clues I have and, miraculously, these two point me to the boyfriend! What luck Sven has.

Approaching two men eating, Sven looms over the table. “Have you seen this guy?” he says, showing them the data pad picture.

The guy looks at the picture and thinks for a bit.  “Well ain’t it your lucky day, mate. That’s 'im right there” the man said, pointing a finger to a guy in the corner relaxing with a beer.

Sven smirked, he was lucky this day. “Thanks, boys. Let me pay for your meal.” He tossed some credits on the table as he walked over to the man in the corner.

Next, according to the find encounter, I resolve one more PEF, the boyfriend. I also roll on the find table and see that I’m doing a raid encounter. It could get ugly! He’s an exotic and he’s not alone. Well, it turns out he’s a police officer accompanied by another officer. They are packing some heat, the boyfriend has a pistol and the other a more dangerous automatic weapon (A-3).

Now, I don’t see any reason to start shooting up the place (or be shot to pieces!), so I decide to use the “bar fight” rules. I figure, since the cop has a buddy, I’ll see if she joins in the fight. I figure it’s likely and on a 1 to 4, they’ll join in. I roll a 3, so yeah, they’re gonna help. I set up the battle board and the fight is ready! The two officers are rep 4.

Action table time! I have the advantage and we pass the same, I go first. Now, the interesting thing about a bar fight is you can grab items, bottles and chairs, that count as melee weapons. Sven is active and I roll 2d6 to see if I can get an item and it’s an 8, I grab a bottle.

Sven approaches the two drinking beers. “Your girlfriend sends her regards!” Sven quickly gets to work, grabbing an empty bottle from the table.

I charge the boyfriend in an attempt to make it a quick fight. The bottle gives Sven an extra +1d6 in melee, so I roll 3d6 on the poor guy. Box cars and a 1! I only pass 1d6 and the boyfriend passes 1d6 as well. We both drop 1 point of rep, 4 vs 3. I still have the bottle and we pass the same again, dropping our reps further, 3 vs 2. Again, we pass 1d6 each, 2 vs 1! This time, I pass 1d6 to his 0d6. He goes OOF (out of the fight). Now, what about his companion? I go to the “I’m Outa Here” table, which is special for bar fights, and she passes 1d6. She rolls again and pass 2d6 and stays.

Now she charges Sven with a bottle. This could be bad! Sven’s bottle is no more so I only roll 2d6 and pass 2d6 to her 2d6, tie and that lowers both our reps by 1, 4 vs 3 rep. The next round I pass 2d6 to her 0d6! I don’t score doubles on my passing dice, so I don’t bash her brains out. Even these crooked cops could get me in trouble! So, as I understand it, since this was just one turn, the police are not called.

Sven quickly charges the man, catching him off guard. After a struggle, Sven finally knocks the guy through the window. He turns to the girl and makes a “come get some” gesture, and she complies! She swings the bottle she was drinking at the man’s head but he dodges. They lock into combat and, after a brief tussle, she goes to the ground unconscious. Sven, wipes his brow and makes his way outside. Searching the boyfriend, sure enough he finds the stolen data pad. Shaking his head, Sven says to himself “she needs to make better choices in men.”

Exiting PEF: Upon exiting the building, I resolve a PEF. It’s another exotic, a fellow Mercenary, and he’s the top entry. Time to interact. I pass 2d6 and he passes 1d6. He gives me 1 IRD. Further interaction? Why not! We both pass the same or did we? I employ the “Extraordinary Effort,” which allows you to roll an extra d6 on a table of your choosing once per encounter. I roll a 4 and add that to my 2d6 passed and therefore pass 1d6 more than the merc! I could recruit him or take a job but I’m good going solo for now so just take the IRD. I usually forget about the extraordinary effort but this time I didn’t. I just hope I don’t need it on the transit system on the way home!

“Sven, is that you!” a man’s voice said. “Good to see you!”

Sven turned and recognized the man. “Hey, Raghu. How’s it going?

“Good, just chillin’ out here when this guy came flying through the window.” Raghu shook his head.

“Yeah? That was my handy work. Hate to cut this short but, that guy that flew out the window was also a job I’m working. Be seeing ya, Rag.”

The man named Raghu chuckled, “I’m not surprised. See ya around, bro.”

Transit Encounter: I roll another 3, so no encounter going home.

Leaving the transit system, Sven made his way back to the ramen shop and took a seat on his usual stool. He sent a message to the woman to come pick up her data pad. About 10 minutes later, the woman arrived. After a brief encounter, she transferred the credits to Sven and was on her way.

Closing Remarks: Another fun adventure! You really never know who you will meet. I was surprised the boyfriend was a cop but that’s the way the dice roll. Maybe he was collecting evidence against her or was going to sell it back to the company? I do like how you have to resolve a PEF outside the building twice. Just interacting with people outside. Sure, it could erupt into gunfire but it’s a nice way to build up IRD. I also really like the bar fight rules!

Speaking of IRD, I have 7. I decide to increase my “pep” skill again and I roll a 6, so increase my pep to 6, the highest it can be. Next, I’ll focus on Savvy. This also brings my Lifetime Rep to 14.

Hope you enjoyed this Sven journal entry!