#32 Rebuilding

Hey all! We're still playing through cirion's Antumbra Saga campaign as 1nv4d3r, a fool-punching ork shadowrunner.

Previously, on Before the Shadow:

We started the campaign with 1nv4d3r saving the people and holdings of Antumbra, a Seattle nightclub run by music artist and producer Kali on behalf of megacorp Mitsuhama.

Mitsuhama hired our fool-puncher to investigate the Aztechnology corporation in San Francisco. While we were there, an assassin stole the data we wanted.

Our search led us to the devotees of Norton IX, the (disputed) absolute ruler of California. Norton became our ally and we uncovered the assassin - a troll extremist named Shavarus, who teamed up with the elves of Tir Tairngire to strike back against the city's oppressive ruler, Saito. We stopped him but spared his life so that he could reverse his original plan to destroy the city's water supply.

This module started with our shadowrunner on the run from unwanted publicity. Kali recruited him to gather allies and supplies and protect Northern California from an impending invasion by Tir Tairngire and their megacorp allies.

In our last mission, we'd just rescued a dour elf with dreadlocks named Elorn from some Native Californian insurgents, only to have them return the favour by invading our base, their intent to hijack our its communications antennae and spread their alt-right propaganda across the airwaves. Instead, we spread a message of unified resistance against Tir.

Now, back to the base.

I still get the feeling we could use more supplies.

More than a feeling. This room looks almost empty. At least we get an extra point of strength and 2000 more nuyen for our trouble.

The dancehall/armory is next.

Man, it looks good to see everything back in order. Let's go talk to our Commander.

We know Femshep, now here's Elfshep.

Finally! Some good news! Most of my playthroughs end up with more people and fewer supplies but if we're lucky, we might be able to even them out this time.

Amelia and Hrafna have nothing for us, so we head straight to Dorbi.

She's normally chatty, but our ork seems to be lacking for dialogue today. Interesting that she's focused on 'building a reputation' though. Almost... political, one might say.

We say goodbye, she responds with a cheerful 'see ya!' - and then we accost our newest friend... ally... whatever Elorn is.

Interrogation time!

Awkward, eh? Awkward is our speciality!

And that's his least abrasive response, so - yikes.

So what you're saying is - that everyone is as grim and fatalistic as you are.

That's hard to believe.

That's easier to believe at least.

No wonder he's so good. I don't use Elorn much for mechanical reasons but he really is the best marksman in the first campaign, not counting drones.

Certainly seems to be a natural at it. We tell him to take care.

We can't afford the good cyberware, so we head on over to the other side of the base.

Norton is holding court with an elf in a tight, black miniskirt and long, heeled boots.

Okay then.

He's a little distracted, so we retreat to the command centre and Hailey.

...who considers herself too cool to look us in the eye.

This is pretty sad. And if you know the setting's continuity, it's only going to get worse.

Saito won't be leaving for a long time. As for our old enemy -

Suddenly we feel extra-glad that we didn't side with him, though this raises questions about whether we should've killed him off. Of course, that would've left the water unpurified.

We bid our favourite hacker farewell.

Stop.

Kali time.

Loading screen should be -

Um. Why would he? We embarrassed him.

So Saito is more likely to intervene if we don't do a good job at preparing. Speaking of which-

Ha! Your approval means nothing to me!

(and-by-nothing-I-mean-everything-marry-me-plz)

It's comforting for what it is. The opportunities that lie beyond the final battle. But we have to get through it first.

It's telling how few options we have left. This really is the last mission before the end.

We tell the Emperor and Elorn to get ready.

And off we go.