Zheung Bao Shun, A.K.A. “The Ninja”

   Here we have another new Shadowrun character: since the player is still having some trouble finishing up, I’ve taken what he had finished up over at his blog and done some final touching up. Some historical development, and additional notes, are still in order even if he decides to use most of this writeup – but hopefully this will help him out a bit.

   Bao Shun is an aspected healing mage who went a little heavy on the cyber. He is not the greatest mage out there and certainly not the best street samurai – but he is frighteningly competent at a wide range of things.

   Basic Setup: Resources 30 (3 MNY Resources, 68 KNY Initial Funds), Magic 18 (Hermetic Life Mage. Limited use of Sorcery/Healing spells only, Conjuration/spontaneous darkness spirits only, and Enchantment/health-related foci only. 35 Karma, initial Karma Pool 1), Attributes 16 (26 Points), Race 0 (Normal Human), and Skills -2 (25 Points). Total: 62 Points.

   Darkness Spirits have the powers of Accident, Concealment, Confusion, Darksight, Fear, Illusion, Influence, and Materialization. They usually take rather twisted and ominous forms, such as “Goblins” or “Demons”.

   Edges: Overspent on Basic Expenditures (2), Bonus Dice/+1 die when casting spells or conjuring with ceremonial preparation (Common, Minor, 2). Reduced Target Numbers (-4 on Sorcery target numbers while casting health spells with 15 minutes of ceremonial preparation; Uncommon, Minor, 4), Mana Focus (3), Longevity (greatly extended natural lifespan, 1), Geneware (Innate Mnemonic Enhancer II that reduces spell Karma costs [+1d on memory-related intelligence tests, +2 on language tests, may default to intelligence at only +3 for knowledge skill checks, -2 to a minimum of 1 on the Karma costs for learning spells and skills, .4 BI], Reflex Recorder/+1d to Stealth/Sneaking [.1 BI] [2 for ,5 BI +2 for reducing spell karma costs, net 4], Reduced BI [to 0, 1], Reduces Spell Karma Costs [2]), State of the art (reduces availability ratings by 6, has access to betaware, 2), and Cybertolerance (reduce cyberware essence costs by 20%, 3). Total of +22.

   These have been notably modified from the original design:

• The Reduced Target Number modifier has been changed from Major to Minor effects, halving the cost. Why? Because – if the character has time to ritually cast a health spell – it’s unlikely to be a major thing. Healing just takes time, and for anything else he can simply try again anyway.
• I’ve eliminated the Arcane Affinity/Symbolic Darkness because it doesn’t fit the definition of the Edge. I think that what the player was looking for was a Bonus Die, so that’s what I’ve put in.
• I’ve replaced the Bonus Force Points with the Geneware edge, since it suits what the player had in mind – conserving Karma as far as learning spells and skills goes – very well indeed.

   Flaws: On File with the Yakuza (moderate influence, -2) and Shiawase (moderate influence, -2), History (-4#), Bad Karma (needs double the usual Karma to increase his karma pool, -5), Allergy / Pollen (-1), Membership (founding member of “The Ninja” (Provides physical backup, use of facilities, and equipment. Difficulties include enemies, being on file with them, reporting, assorted duties, and dues, net -2), Psychological Quirk/Obsession with his Way of the Ninja (a ninja is mysterious, professional, efficient, stealthy, resourceful, mysterious, and does not kill for free, Common, Mild, -2), Psychological Quirk/Regards contracts as sacred (Common, Moderate, -3#), Miser (-3), and Addiction/Danger (-3). Total of -22 (-10, -7 Exempt Flaws, -10/2).

   Disadvantage points over 10 are normally halved, but those marked with an # are exempt from this.

   These have also been modified: I added the “Regards Contracts as Sacred” both because it seems to fit and to get a few extra points for that Geneware modification and upgraded Addiction / Danger to -3 (Very Common, Mild) because opportunities to indulge such an addiction by putting yourself in danger are very common for a player-character.

 

Basic Statistics:

   Basic Attributes: Body 6/9, Willpower 6/9, Quickness 6, Intelligence 6/8, Strength 1, and Charisma 1. Note that many of these are likely to be modified by spells, which may also modify the dice pools noted below.

   Special Attributes: Reaction (Q+I)/2 = 6 (9), Reaction = 6+1d6 (9+4d6), Magic 6 (after Initiations), Essence 4.09, Body Index 0

Dice Pool	Source	Dice
Astral	(I+W+C)/2	6
Magic	(I+W+M)/3	7
Combat	(Q+I+W)/2	11
Hacking	(MPCP+Int)/3	2
Karma	Experience	1
Task	Ware Based	3
Skillsoft	Ware Based	6

 

Active Skills (25), Knowledges (+30).

Sorcery(spell casting)	5(7)		Spell Theory (Casting)	2(4)
Conjuration	4		Conjuring Theory	1
Biotech	6		Biology	3
Stealth	6		Psychology of Perception	3
Enchantment	3			0
			Health Spell Design	6
“Pointless Skills” (9)			Spell/Spirit/Body interaction	6
Horticulture	6		Biomedical Engineering	4
Cooking	3		Yakuza Organizations	2
Languages (9)			Assassins of the American west	3
Ninjaese v327	1		Corporate Magical Researchers	3
Chinese	4		Astral Security Systems	3
Read/Write Chinese	2		Physical Security Systems	3
Japanese	2
Read/Write Japanese	1
English	2
Read/Write English	1

   Karma Expenditures: (35 Initial + 10 Purchased):

• Level two Initiate (25):
  • Level 1: Magic Rating Protection (reduces effective magic rating by 2 when making magic loss checks), Attunement (+1 Magic Rating), Maintaining (may maintain a spell without penalty).
  • Level 2: Astral Sight, Attunement (+1 Magic Rating), Maintaining (may maintain another spell without penalties).
• I’ve dropped the Quickening for now because it costs Karma – and Mr Ninja won’t have any to spare for awhile. On the other hand, this version can sustain two spells without penalty and can lock in up to six more by anchoring magic points into them – although the last three would have to be cast at lower and lower forces. That usually isn’t worth doing unless they’re all-or-nothing spells.

   Spells (20 Karma. All initial spells -2 for enhanced memory, most -1 for Fetish Required [indicated by an “*”]).

Spell	Force	Target	Drain
Heal	4	10-Ess	(F/2)Wound Level
Increase Cybered Body	4*	Body	(F/2)+2 M
Increase Cybered Willpower	4*	Willpower	(F/2)+2 M
Increase Cybered Quickness	4*	Quickness	(F/2)+2 M
Increase Cybered Intelligence	4*	Intelligence	(F/2)+2 M
Increase Cybered Strength	4*	Strength	(F/2)+2 M
Increase Charisma	4*	Charisma	(F/2)+1 M
Decrease Cybered Body	4*	10-Ess	(F/2)+2 S
Increase Reflexes III	4*	Reaction	(F/2+3 D
Oxygenate	4	4	(F/2)+2 L
Nutrition	4	10-Ess	(F/2) L
Dentistry	4*	10-Ess	(F/2)+1 L
Flesh Shaping	4	10-Ess	(F/2)+2 M
DeepSleep	4*	4	(F/2)+1 L
Forget	4	Willpower	(F/2)+4 S

 

   I’ve dropped the Exclusive Casting, since it would keep you from casting one of these spells while sustaining anything else – which doesn’t seem to be what you had in mind. I’ve also dropped “Fast” (since I’m not sure what it was supposed to be). On the other hand, you’ve also picked up DeepSleep and Forget, both of which could easily come in handy.

Cyberware

• CyberTorso, +2.5 Body, Cyberaccepts 3 Essence. 1.5 Essence, 120 KNY
  • Holdout-II, Screened versus instrumental detection, sealed (contains his optronic deck), abdominal. 8 KNY, 0.2 Essence (in Cybertorso).
• CyberSkull, +.5 Body, Cyberaccepts 1.5 essence. 0.75 Essence, 75 KNY
  • Coldwire I/Pain Centers (Reduces wound penalties by two levels while active, but user cannot feel pain). 2 KNY, .1 Essence (in Cyberskull)
  • Datajack with Direct Neural Interface and Knowsoft Link. 2 KNY, 0.3 Essence (in Cyberskull)
  • Transducer-8, 16 KNY, 0.8 Ess (in Cyberskull)
  • Cybereyes (.2) with integral I/O Link (.1) and Camera (.4). 12 KNY, .2 Essence (in Cyberskull, save for .02 added to Skull for convenience).
• Mark-40 Skillwires-6, 600 KNY, 1.2 Essence. 10% (.12) in CyberSkull, 30% (.36) in Cybertorso. Net .72 Essence.

   Base Costs: Cybertorso 1.5 Essence (hosts .56), Cyberskull .77 Essence (hosts 1.50), Skillwires .72 Essence. Total: 2.99 Essence, 827 KNY. Alphaware and Cybertolerance changes this base to 1.91 Essence and 1654 KNY.

Basic Optronic Deck Pocket Computer (In Holdout):

• Chips: Memory/Processing x3 (3000 MP, 300 KNY), Support I/O (-), Inertial Positioning System (2 Chips, 5 KNY), 4x Chipjack Expert Drivers (6 Chips, 30 KNY).
• Loaded Programs:
  • Biocontrol-9/3 Specific Functions: Iron Will (+3 Will, +6 versus interrogation and mental control), Painkiller (reduce effective levels of wounds by 9 boxes), Superman (enhances the user’s physical attributes by a total of +1 per 2 levels as he/she selects. This can be maintained for up to (Body) minutes per day with reasonable safety – but overdoing it does one box of damage per minute or part thereof. The user must resist 5M fatigue when he or she “comes down”). 324 MP, 162 KNY
  • Mentat Mentat V (+2 Int, +3 Task Pool) 125 MP, 13 KNY.
  • Skills Packages (all at Rating-3). Grand Total: 1000 MP and 105 KNY.
    • Combat: Blades, Staves, Knives, Throwing, and Projectile Weapons,
    • Physical: Agility, Endurance, Slight of Hand, and Strength.
    • Technical: Computer, Demolitions, Electronics, Investigation, Mechanics, and Survival.
    • Social: Etiquette, Fast Talk, Interrogation, Intimidation, Leadership, Negotiation, Performance, and Psychology.
    • Vehicle: Bike, Car, Fixed-Wing Air, Hover, Motorboat, Rotor, Submersible, and Vectored Thrust.
    • Knowledges: Chemistry, Cryptography, Physics, Seattle Lore, and Structural Engineering.
    • Languages: French, German, Italian, Inuit, Russian, and Spanish.
  • Databases: Encyclopedia Britanica and World Atlas (20 MP), Detailed Maps of Seattle with Water, Sewers, and available floor plans (5 MP),
• Net Memory Used: 1450 MP.
• Net Cost of System and Programs: 615 KNY.

   Now, it would be nice to have all those programs up to rating-6, but it would cost another 315 KNY and quadruple the memory requirements, since rating-6 is four times as expensive as rating-3. Not quite practical yet – and with the Expert Drivers our Ninja can do pretty well anyway. We’ll see how much money is left later on – but at the moment it doesn’t look like it’s going to be much anyway.

Combat Basics:

• Armor: Secure Jacket (5/3), Secure Ultravest (3/2), and Armored Cap +1/+1. Net 7/5. This has no penalty while he has his Quickness boosted to 9+, but below that it will start causing problems.
• Primary Weapons
  • Narcoject Dart Pistol: 6D Stun, 8 Shot Clip.
  • Dikoted Ninken Force-8 expendable spell focus: (STR+3)S, Reach 1, Weight 1. Base cost of 1 KNY, +7 KNY Dikoting +12 KNY Enchantment = 20 KNY.

   This weapon is a short sword with one normal blade and one saw blade. Original ninken were made for cutting into buildings, floorboards then assassinating the occupants with but a single tool. So is this one. It is mostly made to pierce wards and other astral barriers. As an active focus it is dual natured and can attack astral barriers and other astral things. It only is expended if used to cast a spell, but can be activated multiple times making it dual natured and prepared to use.

   That’s a cute idea, and a character could do pretty much the same thing with a normal spell, so why not?

Other Expenditures:

   Basic Equipment: Secure Jacket, Ultravest, and Armored Cap (1.5 KNY), Narcoject Pistol and 100 Darts (5 KNY), Tool kits for Chemistry and Metalworking (2 KNY), Goggles (50x Magnification, Low-Light, Thermal, and Flare Protection, 5 KNY), Micro-Camcorder (2.5 KNY), Micro-Recorder (R6, 3 KNY), Signal Locator (R10, 2 KNY), White Noise Generator (R10, 15 KNY), 50m Rope and Grapnel (.3 KNY), Respirator/Pressure Regulator (.75 KNY), Pocket Secretary (2 KNY), and a Survival Kit (.1 KNY). 3x Antidote-8 Slap Patches (1.2 KNY), 2x Trauma Patches (1 KNY), 10x Stimulant-6 Patches (1.5 KNY), Basic Docwagon Contract (5 K), six months prepaid low lifestyle safehouse (6 KNY), one month medium lifestyle (5 KNY), and 10 Health Spell Fetishes (5 KNY). Total: 65 KNY.

   Gear Total: 2354 KNY.

Special Purchases

• Ten Spell Points (250 KNY): See Spells, earlier.
• Patron (50 KNY)
• Connections (25 KNY)
• Income: 6 KNY/Month (150 KNY with complications: this is his ninja teaching stipend).
• Grab Bag/Ninja Gear (150 KNY). This normally covers things like shuriken, swords, poisons, monowire, smoke pellets, more modern surveillance and counter-surveillance gear, and basic medical supplies. 25KNY in ninja weapons with a loss allowance of 1d6 +3 KNY.
• Six Extra Contacts (First two free, total 8, 30 KNY)

   Grand Total: 655 KNY on special purchases, total 3009 KNY. Well, we can pretty reasonably assume that 9 KNY worth of basic gear was paid for out of his starting cash – or is simply from his ninja gear grab bag. Close enough.

Known Contacts So Far:

   “Shurasen” (truename unknown) is a free darkness spirit. “He” was originally summoned by a fellow researcher that worked with “The Ninja”. They were making an attempt to save time (and to save on ritual elements) by passing control of the spirit back and forth between them to replenish favors. Shurasen lasted for several months like that. Both researchers made extra effort to make the spirit comfortable because they recognized the fact that eventually one of them would fail – and it might go free. This unfortunately made Shurasen (it chose that name for itself when asked for something to call it after a few weeks of being passed back and forth) somewhat strange even before he became free. When it broke free due to The Ninja’s lapse in concentration, it left and disapeared for a few years. Both mages coauthored a paper on the subject of spirit juggling risks and benifits and nearly forgot about it.

   Shurasen likes to collect secrets, but does not sell them for anything but “better” secrets. It tends to value things that are known by as few people as possible over more useful information. It keeps tabs on magical research and objects of magical power. It likes to arrange magical services but hardly ever preforms any itself for any cost not best described as highly inflated. It also buys and sells anything related to magical power including magical power itself (if it can get a hold of a seller and discover a way to actually do that). The Ninja met Shurasen again while preparing for a spell in a cave somewhere outside of Seattle. Shurasen offered to help for a completely ridiculous fee. He paid it just to get a chance to find out what happened after it became free. They soon developed a decent working relationship.

   Shurasen has a base/shop somewhere in the barrens, but it is annoyingly hard to find possibly due to a concealment power over the door or some other means. Wondering around a specific block will usually result in it revealing its self if you have been introduced before. It has a pocket secretary somewhere that it can be reached from as well. Aside from being intentionally mysterious, it is generally a strict business being with a fairly overinflated notion of what it would charge for taking ANY personal risk. Shurasen will never stick its head out for anyone and expects the same from anyone it deals with. It applies this strategy to its business dealings and its retention of customers. This has given it a reputation for dependability and reliable service.

 

Personal History

• 2001 November 13 Boa Shun was born in china and had a mostly unremarkable childhood. He was one of the first children to be discovered with magical talent. He trained hard to become the best healer he could become until his country and life fell apart around him. Right when he hit prime drafting age, China started its civil wars.
• 2019-2024 Spent a few years as a combat medic among other things…
• 2025 Eventually faked his own death after his village massacred…
• 2025-2033 Street doc in Japan…
• 2027 got married and had a daughter. (No, I am NOT naming family members for anyone. This is up to the player)
• 2028-2038 Work for Yakuza for a while for the money and security…
• 2031 Got cybered using Yakuza contacts after a few hot operations found their way into his office.
• 2033 Eventually become small time assassin…
• 2035 Wife finds out and kicks him out for endangering their daughter. He refuses to argue the point…
• 2035 Sent to America (San Francisco)…where he took up the name “The Ninja”…
• 2036 Discovered others using same name…
• 2037 The Shanghai Incident. Bao Shun meets Kimiko.
• 2037 Founded “The Ninja” and went freelance, but still works for the Yak’s at a discount… Imperial Japanese forces seize San Francisco.
• 2039 Started an off and on relationship with a Yakuza rising star, Raku Daodoji. She refuses to let it become serious so as to not interfere with work on her “career”.
• 2044 after a bad run nearly killed him, he tried to retire to a life of magic research and got cyberware upgraded by employers…
• 2045 Relationship with Raku heats up again, and heads toward marriage.
• 2045 Instrumental in the creation of “Shurasen”
• 2046 Went back to the shadows after he figured out that he could not stand living without the constant thrill of running, but avoided assassination missions for the most part…
• 2047 Raku calls off the wedding after several postponements.
• 2048-2049 Kimiko retires and Bao Shun hears about it.
• 2053 Went on vacation in Seattle and met Kimiko again. Decided to entertain himself by messing with her appartment. She took way longer than expected to notice him…

   The player is planning to fill in more details later; he needs to get some information from the player of Kimiko Nelson for tie-ins – such as where they met and what happened…