Cyberpunk Red - Session Three - "Death's in the Family"

A roleplay session in the world of Cyberpunk Red

This session was written up by our Gamesmaster Matt and formatted for my blog by me.

Previous 'Gigs'

Story Arc One

(0) Spydar's Web, (1) Big Trouble in Little China, (2) Eye-Spy, (2a) Raven.

The Players

Our players were all started at Rank 4

Garreth as Avery Hicks, Exec

and his Crew Member 'Jasmine'

Phil as 'Holliday' Nomad

Martyn as 'Klink', Medtech

Gamesmaster

Matt as everyone else.

Scene introductions and 'speaking to the players' bits are written in Blue to distinguish them from the roleplayed parts of the scenes.

Session Three: "Death's in the Family"

Introduction

It has been about a week since the shootout in the morgue.

Holliday, you have been contracted to transport some medical supplies to a nomad camp led by Emersyn Prylor, on the outskirts of Night City. The supplier is a Fixer, going by the name of Crew Sanchez who will be at at a meeting point within the old combat zone, noticeably close to the Crisis Medical Centre. The nomads have given you the agreed sum for the medical supplies of 2000eb.

Though the deal has already been made, you’re cautious about these sorts or trades and so you have called in your favour with Avery to have him there for any last minute changes that Sanchez tries to make. Additionally, Klink has also joined you, to lend his medical expertise in regards to the quality of the supplies. 

The Pick-up

The Old Combat Zone - Wasteland

The old combat zone is a burnt out wasteland. This was where the worst of the gangs fought for dominance over contested territory. Holliday sat behind the wheel of his rig keeping a careful eye on his surroundings as he went. He was painfully aware that this could go from a pick up to an ambush at the drop of a hat and he was adamant he wouldn’t be caught napping if it did. 

Klink sat glumly in the front passenger seat having been barred from ever talking to clients for the group in future after his less than polite dismissal of Kiroshi Optical’s representative Kado Haruka the week before. 

Avery sat in the back cradling his assault rifle. He made no pretence that he was less than happy to be dragged along into the combat zone but as a man of his word, he owed Holliday a favour and if there was a deal to be done, he would be the one to make sure it went to plan.

Crew Sanchez - Fixer, Old Combat Zone

Crew waited at the meeting point. He looked to be European in origin with tanned skin and a shaved head, wearing dark clothes under a brown overcoat with a pistol holstered at his side. He looked relaxed and confident standing next to a stack of boxes bearing medical logos. As Holliday pulled up, he waved in greeting.

Then Holliday took the lead, exiting the car first and approaching. Avery tried to look inconspicuous and relaxed but he was carefully observing their surroundings for any signs of a double cross. Klink brought up the rear, daydreaming about the grenades in his latest cyberware addition.

“Holliday?” asked Crew, as the three men approached.

“Yeah” Said Holliday “Weird place for a meeting point isn’t it? It’s not exactly safe.”

Medical Supplies - Crisis Med Centre

“Look, this gear was difficult to get hold of.” He said “Don’t worry, I’m not looking to renegotiate, we need to do this quick though.”

“Yeah, and about that, where did you get this stuff?” Said Holliday eyeing the labels on the boxes.

Crew gestured towards the hospital. “The Crisis med centre is right there! Draw your own conclusion, but do it fast. We don’t want to hang around here.”

Placated, the edgerunners paid up and began to help the fixer load the boxes onto the car. As they finished up, Avery could pick out the distant sound of an approaching vehicle. “I can hear a car coming in. We are going to have company.” He said.

Crew went pale. “Yeah you need to get out of here fast. Get moving.”

Old Combat Zone - Gang Vehicle

A car pulled into view. It was a battered looking but rugged pick-up truck adorned with graffiti and spikes and a large plow on the front. Gangers hung from the running boards and stood in the flatbed howling and shouting and firing their guns in the air, some held glowing road flares.

The three edgerunners leapt into the car. Holliday plugged directly into it and started the engine.

Automatic fire erupted from the neighbouring buildings and Crew retreated into the ruins, covering his escape. The gangers ignored it in favour of the thrill of the chase. Avery charged his rifle trying to look for an opportunity to take a shot while Klink prepared his grenade launcher.

Holliday hit the gas and the car roared away with the gang in hot pursuit. 

Holliday's Kombi

Slewing around the ruined streets, he risked a backwards glance to see that the other car was gaining. He could see the look of insanity in the eyes of the grinning lunatic hanging out of the passenger side window. He unslung his shotgun and started to wind down the window. “Hold on to something!” He said, slamming on the breaks and swerving wildly to the side.

The car shrieked to a halt in a cloud of tyre smoke allowing the pursing car to scream past. In the brief window of it passing by, he fired a snapshot that barely missed the passenger but distracted the driver. Taken by surprise by the unexpected manoeuvre, the gang car skidded out of control, clipped a pile of rubble and rolled into the carcass of another building which collapsed onto it.

GM's Note - For the gang cars vehicle control check, I rolled a 1 followed by a 10… so they actually rolled a 0. Guess they’re dead then.

Smiling grimly, Holliday slammed his car back into gear and turned off into another route. Sighing with relieve, Avery began to put his rifle back into his go-bag. Klink, with his face pressed up against the window looked back wistfully. “What a waste of cyberware.” He said.

The Aldecaldo Camp

Night City - Heywood District

Away out of the combat zone, they reached Heywood. This was a series of slums and tent cities that housed the refugees left homeless by the war. The route took them through the richer part of the district on the way to the eastern outskirts. Rich or poor didn’t matter as Heywood was a nightmare full of crime, poverty and disaster. The landscape was filled with beggars, muggers and worse. Fortunately, they needn’t stop there.

As they drove further from the city, the landscape became more desolate and empty. The red sky turned the sandy ground a dull pink. Holliday found this very familiar as he had spent most of his life out in the pleasant and peaceful outskirts. “I thought I’d got away from this shithole” muttered Avery to himself as they got further into the desert. Klink meanwhile gazed out of the window taking in the empty expansive views.

Smoke in the Distance

On the horizon, they could make out a pillar of smoke rising into the air. “Could that be a campfire?” Asked Avery.

“That’s a lot of smoke for a campfire.” Said Holliday. As they closed to within a mile, he tuned his radio into the nomad’s frequency and sent a call. “Emersyn, this is Holliday, we are about a mile out inbound on your location. There’s a lot of smoke, is everything ok?”

The radio stayed ominously quiet and the mood in the rig cooled. “Things might get rough. Could be we don’t have a buyer for this haul.” He said grimly.

Avery started to unpack his rifle again. Though he hadn’t been part of the family for a long time, he had no desire to see people he knew in trouble or worse. “We can always find a buyer for medical supplies, that doesn’t matter. We should look for your friends.”

Avery's Modified Assault Rifle

GM's Note - This was some excellent roleplay.

The rest of the journey was made in stoic silence. When they arrived at the rendezvous they found that the camp was deserted. There were vehicles on fire and obvious signs of a battle. Picking through the wreckage were a couple of other nomads that Holliday and Avery recognised as Jaecob and Medow Salome.

They were an older couple Holliday known most of his life. They were probably in their 50’s now but despite that still had the road-worn hardness and vigour that life out on the road often bestowed on people.

 

Holliday got out of the car and went to meet them. Avery followed, taking cover behind the armoured door and watching his back. “Holliday.” Said Jaecob in greeting.

The Raffen Shiv - Wasteland Gang

“Jaecob, Medow.” Said Holliday. “What happened out here?”

“We saw the smoke, it looked a bit much for a campfire. Looks like this place was hit.” Said Medow. “We’ve only just got here though, I couldn’t say what happened for sure, but you know better than most the sort of shit that happens out here.”

Holliday snarled in response “Could be the Raffen Shiv then?”

“Could be.” Said Medow “We know they’ve been in the area.”

Klink joined them from the car and the edgerunners spread out to look over the site. “How many were in the group?” Asked Avery.

“Seven” Said Jaecob. “Looks like they’ve lost everything if they’re still alive though. These combi’s are torched.”

Destroyed Aldecaldos Vehicle

“The camp was just fine last night when they gave me the job.” Holliday mused. “They must have been taken by surprise. Shiv must have come up on them late while they were around the campfire. Maybe eating or something. I doubt they had chance to put up much of a fight.”

“There’s blood here.” Said Klink searching around the fire. “A lot of it, whoever got hit is in a bad way.”

Silently, Holliday walked further out to the edge of the camp. “Two vehicles came in from the North West.” Said Holliday kneeling down. “There’s tracks here. Seems like they went out to the north east after.”

“Maybe they did a loop from somewhere out to the North. There’s probably a camp that way.” Said Medow. “If memory serves, there’s an old scrap yard that way. Typically the Shiv move around a lot but if they’re taking folks that might be somewhere to hole up.”

“We going after them?” Said Avery

.

Holliday looked to the Salome’s. “You able to help some if we go to get them back?”

“There’s only the two of us and frankly, we are past our prime. We’d be more hindrance than a help right now.” Said Jaecob. “We have got some gear for sale that might help though.”

Checking out the stock that the nomads had, Holliday bought a drum mag and some ammo for his shotgun and Avery did the same for his assault rifle. They took a contact number for Jaecob and set out in pursuit of the convoy.

The Scrapyard

Raffen Shiv - Scrapyard

Sure enough, the scrapyard seemed to have seen some recent activity. Parked up on a bluff a mile or two out, the three men plotted their approach. The Yard was surrounded by a high chainlink fence topped with barbed wire and signed as Aegis Salvage. 

They could see a variety of rotted, burned out or otherwise rusted scrap vehicles within the grounds including what appears to be old train carriages and even the carcass of a plain fuselage. “Plenty of cover” observed Holliday.

 

There was a large garage building at the back of the lot where presumably any scrap would be salvaged. “I guess they’re keeping prisoners in there.” Said Avery. “I dread to think of what goes on in that place.” They could see a number of figures in the yard patrolling around amongst the wreckage occasionally or otherwise standing around keeping watch. 

Raffen Shiv - Scrapyard Patrols

“There are quite a few guys down there.” Said Holliday “No vehicles though. They might get reinforcements before this is over.”

“Perhaps we go hard and fast then?” Said Klink.

“We could ram raid the gate, blitzkrieg it.” Said Holliday.

Reconnaissance of the Scrapyard 

Avery was far less eager to walk into the gunsights. “We could go in quiet.” He pointed out beyond the compound “It looks like the back of the scrapyard is backed up against a Cliffside. It doesn’t look like they’re watching an approach from that side.”

“We could do both plans.” Said Holliday. “You two sneak in from the north and when we go loud, I can ram the gates and split their attention.”

With the plan agreed, Holliday dropped Klink and Avery out in the desert behind the scrapyard and took a wide route back around to the front, parking up behind a rocky outcrop out of sight. He turned off his engine and sat patiently checking over his shotgun, waiting for the signal to go.

On the far side of the compound, Avery and Klink quietly padded down to the fence. A gutted aeroplane fuselage gave them great cover from the eyes of patrols inside the scrapyard. Getting close to the garage building, Avery kept watch while the Medtech cut a hole in the fence. 

Silenced SMG - On Loan to Klink...Again...

Together, they silently slipped inside and approached the doorway at the side of the building. Avery passed Klink his silenced SMG and then carefully pushed open the door.

Inside, they found themselves in a divided garage. Creeping closer, they could see a lone guard overseeing a cage. Inside, crammed together without even enough room to stand were five prisoners.

“Holliday is not going to like this.” Whispered Avery. He motioned to Klink to be ready and then with careful aim, shot the guard through the head. Klink darted out of cover to catch the falling body and rifled through its pockets to find a key for the cage.

“See if any of them can stand.” Said Avery. 

'Code' - Aldecaldos Nomads

Klink opened the cage and started assessing the injuries. An older man identified himself as Code. He was crouched over the form of an older woman. “This is Emersyn.” He said “She’s in bad shape. I think her leg’s broken.”

“I’ll do what I can.” Said Klink. “Can any of you fight? Grab the guns off that body and take cover.”

With Code taking the lead with the freed nomads and Emersyn being cared for by one of the other women, Klink crept quietly after Avery as he ventured down into the basement of the building. The stairs led to a corridor which opened into a room. At one end was a furnace, at the other three figures crowded around a table. A man in a surgical apron appeared to be working on something on the table while two women talked nearby. One was a pixie haired outrider while the other had the look of a soldier with heavier armour and helmet.

Very Heavy Pistol - Silenced

Utilising the element of surprise, Avery drew his pistol and fired two quick shots at the two closest figures, striking the leather clad woman in the throat and ringing the helmet of the solo. Despite the surprise, the three sprang into action calling for back up. Klink opened fire with his borrowed SMG raking more fire into the nomad before the two edgerunners retreated back up the corridor dodging the return fire.

Outside the compound, Holliday watched as the gate guards suddenly tensed and hurriedly turned towards the garage. He gunned the engine roaring out of hiding and bearing down on the unaware the gangers. They turned in surprise as he smashed through the barrier unable to move out of the way. The impact gave the nomad whiplash, but as the sensation of bodies breaking under his tyres faded away, he leaped out of the car ready to meet the remaining guards head on. 

Holliday's 'Crusher' Shotgun

Two of the patrolling gangers had ran into the garage and he could hear the sound of automatic fire from within. A round bounced off his armourjack reminding him that there were still guards in the yard. He slid across the bonnet of his rig and levelled his shotgun at the man shooting at him.

Back in the basement, the two gang members followed Avery and Klink back up the corridor firing as they came. The two edgerunners covered each other as they went cutting their pursuers down with a volley of automatic fire and precision headshots. The third ganger emerged with a shotgun, firing at Klink. The wily Medtech spun out of the way and fired back with his SMG emptying it into the ganger’s chest. Avery gunned him down with his pistol. 

Raffen Shiv - Medtech, 'Surgeon'

The basement was silent but he could hear the sounds of fighting from above. “See if you can stabilise that one. I think Holliday will want a chat with him.” He said. “I’m going to go help the nomads.”

As Avery left, Klink stabilised the mortally wounded surgeon and cuffed him. Leaving the bleeding man bound and unconscious, the Medtech explored the rest of the basement.

It was, for want of a better word, a surgery. There was a body glassy eyed and staring on the operating table. The body of another man was slumped in the corner of the room. It was obvious that the gang were harvesting organs for sale but it disturbed Klink that there appeared to have been effort to remove layers of muscle too. He had heard horror stories about the Raffen Shiv before, it seemed some of it might be true. This was a bit much, even for Klink.

GM's Note - This description seemed to actually hit the mark with the players. They were all suitably horrified.

Another dead Raffen Shiv...

Steeling himself, he radioed Avery “How are things looking up there? Do you need help?”

“No, I think we are good, how’s our patient?” Said Avery.

“It’s rough down here. Looks like they were operating on the nomads, harvesting them for organs. The two down here are dead.” Said Klink grimly.

“Fuck.” Avery in disgust, making a mental note to try and prepare Holliday. Upstairs, the nomads had managed to bring down one of the gangers from outside. He could see the nomads crouched down by the dividing wall while the remaining Shiv ganger tried to circle around for line of sight. Emerging from the stairwell, Avery took aim and put a round through the man’s eye. Sharing a glance of encouragement with Code and headed back down to the basement.

Raffen Shiv - Organ Harvesting Tools

He walked past the waiting Medtech and into the makeshift surgery. The young man on the table looked barely more than a child. He had more than a passing resemblance to Emersyn Prylor and Avery vaguely recognised him as her oldest son Kibi. A cold emptiness came over him. The corporate world was cutthroat and often required a degree of emotional separation but the shock of the basement butchery overwhelmed his normal resilience. Any thought of sparing the surviving Shiv the worst of Holliday’s wrath left him. He looked back over at Klink. “I’m going to go check on Holliday. It’s probably best if he gets a pre-warning of this.” Taking his SMG back, he strode back up into the scrapyard.

Holliday skirted around an old and rusted train carriage, bypassing the cover the gangers had taken behind an old car. He blasted away with his shotgun, closing the distance. A cold focus had descended over him and he ducked and dodged the hail of bullets thrown at him as he went. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Avery spray automatic fire at the two gangers in cover, who scurried over the wrecked car in panic. 

Holliday Disposes of Another Raffen Shiv...

As they broke cover, he shot the first one dead and closed in on the final terrified Shiv ganger, who fired blindly at him. Giving the man a disparaging look, the nomad rushed in grabbed him and threw a earth shattering body shot with his cybernetically enhanced strength. The blow pulped the unfortunate ganger’s ribs and organs leaving him wheezing and coughing up blood. The nomad dropped him to the floor to bleed out in the dust.

As he walked over to the garage, he saw Avery come to meet him. The exec looked less calm and calculated than usual. “Brace yourself.” Said Avery “It’s a bit grim in there.”

“Did we lose any?” Said Holliday

Avery paused. “Two. One looks like maybe Emersyn’s son. Klink has been treating the wounded.”

Raffen Shiv - Organ Harvesting Operation

Holliday entered the garage and walked down to the basement without making eye contact with the freed nomads. The metallic tang of blood and the burning scent of cordite filled the air down here. The Lights flickered a cold blue that reflected the bare concrete walls of the basement. It was cold, both in temperature and in atmosphere. He slowly walked up to the operating table. He took in what he saw. Memories flooded back to him as he recognised Kibi. The boy playing in the desert with his brother, the young man learning the ways of the road, the nomad with a bright future. He stood in silence for a while, his emotions warring within him. The rage built up, a white hot furnace that heated the blood ringing in his ears. He let it all out in a fit of anger and wrath smashing the surgery to pieces.

Upstairs, while Klink tended to the wounded, Avery spoke to Emersyn and Code. Emersyn had exuded a stoic fury throughout the fight, but now that it was over she seemed somehow diminished. “They killed my son!” She sobbed, breaking down.

Emersyn - Aldecaldos Nomads, Survivor

Code put his arm around her and started to explain what had happened. “They came up on us after dark. I don’t know how they got so close without us hearing the engines but suddenly they were just there. They took us completely by surprise. Halo and young Kibi were the quickest on the draw and tried to fight back but they were gunned down right in front of us.” He seemed to struggle to speak, as if saying the words out loud made it suddenly feel more real. “They bludgeoned the rest of us nearly to death. I didn’t expect to see the light of day. When I woke up we were all in this fucking box. ‘Cept Halo and Kibi that is. There’s a basement, I guess you’re seen it now. They took the bodies down there. I don’t dare go looking myself and Emersyn doesn’t need to see that. Could you please go and find her boy?”

“We’ll make sure he gets treated properly.” Assured Avery. He handed Code a burner phone. “Call Jaecob and Medow. They came looking for you, they’ll give you somewhere to stay and will help you rebuild.”

Raffen Shiv 'Medtech' - In Chains

Holliday emerged from the basement carrying the unconscious form of the Shiv Medtech. Avery went to intercept him. “The Salome’s will take care of Emersyn and her group, I’ve given them a phone and the contact details.” He looked uncomfortably at the unconscious man. “I have no problem with whatever you want to do to that guy, but I don’t have the stomach to watch you do it.”

“That’s ok.” Said Holliday. “You’ve done enough.” He called to Klink. “Can you give me a hand with this one?”

“Sure” said Klink, “Whatever you need.”

A short while later the ganger came round bound to the back of Holliday’s car. Holliday was squatting down in front of him. “You took from me today.” He began. “You took from people that didn’t deserve it. My skills are destructive.” He gestured to Klink standing nearby. “His, not so much. I ain’t gonna lie, you ain’t getting out of this, it’s not a matter of if you’ll die, it’s a matter of how long it’s going to take. I’m pretty sure Klink can keep you alive for exactly as long as I want you to be.” He patted the man on the cheek. “That don’t need to be so long if you tell me what I want to know straight away. I want to know if there are any others and where.”

The bound man was groggy and unfocused. He slurred his words “There are no others here.”

“Here?” Asked Holliday. “Where are they then?”

The Shiv chuckled evilly “Everywhere! We’re the Raffen Shiv! We go where we like.”

“You think you’re free?” said Holliday

“Yeah, we don’t do the dirty work of no corporate scum like you.”

Coming to the realisation that the man knew nothing, Holliday walked to the cab of his rig. “I’ll be back.” He said to Klink and the starting the engine, he drove out, dragging the wounded ganger behind him.

Avery, Klink and the nomads looted the bodies for whatever they could and piled them up in the garage. Klink burned the place to ground with an incendiary round from his grenade launcher. The Salome’s arrived before nightfall and picked up the nomads. The edgerunners agreed to come to a funeral for the two lost.

Epilogue

Emersyn - Aldecaldos Nomads

A few days later, the group reunited in the desert. The afternoon was fading to evening. The air had a chill in it but was clear and absent of the smog and dust of the city. The edgerunners had joined to show their respects. Even Avery, who had left the Aldecaldos a long time ago felt a kinship to those that had gathered, something that privately he felt comforting.

“Kibi would have liked it here.” Said Emersyn. “Open under the sky.”

Holliday handed her a role of eurobucks. “This is the pay you gave me for the job. I want you to have it, to help rebuild. I’m not taking no for an answer.”

“Thank you.” She said.

“I think you should stay with a bigger group for a while.” Said Holliday. “The Shiv are still out there, this isn’t the first time they’ve pulled something like this. There’s strength in numbers, at least until you’re recovered.”

“We’re going to stay with the Salome’s for a while.” Said Emersyn. “They’re good people. We need that right now.” She gestured towards the grave. “Will you say a few words?”

Holliday took a step forward, addressing the grave directly. “I never was good with words. You were a good kid, full o’ hope an’a bright future. You didn’t deserve this end but they tell me you went out like a true samurai. See you on the other side choomba.”

Quietly, peacefully, they went their separate ways into the falling night.

To Be Continued in "A Hot Minute"

GM's Round-up

I actually think I found my stride in this session after a few weeks of adapting to being a GM for the first time.

The players certainly seemed to get on board with some absolutely stellar roleplay and an excellent tactical approach to the rescue. It was a pleasure to see. I was especially taken by the character development in this story, delving deeper into the personalities and motivations of each character.

The next session will wrap up this first story arc. I have quite the trip planned!

Acknowledgement's

I've used pictures of real people to represent some of the characters and art for others so in no particular order Avery Hicks is Tom Ellis, Jasmine is Dichen Lachman, 'Holliday' is Wes Chatham, 'Klink' is Mackenzie Crook, Crew Sanchez is Antonio Banderas, 'Code' is Sam Elliot and Emersyn is Linda Hamilton.