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In an alternate version of the Lunaverse Trixie is roped into the world of professional criminals called "shadowrunners" by an old college acquaintance, Lyra Heartstrings. What could go wrong?
Written as part of Fizzy Orange's April writing event, which is all about crossovers.
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Interesting fic, I noticed some spelling errors but I really liked the background details and the world building done through the dialogue and descriptions.
Neat.
I've never played Shadowrun (the PnP RPG or the video game), but I have seen Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell, (the show and movies both), so I imagine those are good primers.
Awesome! I think you've set up Equestria's version of the Sixth World very nicely.
Interesting choice of team roles. Is Lyra a physical adept? Cheerilee is the obvious choice for a face. Raindrops as the sammie is a bit creepy - I get the impression she isn't doing very well on the Essence stakes. Ditzy Doo is best decker, and I love the idea of her checking up on Dinky online.
(I started with Second Edition, in case you can't tell!)
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Thank you. Had fun trying to get the proper 'cyberpunk' feel to the setting while still keeping it Lunaverse.
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Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell are good examples of the cyberpunk genre Shadowrun takes a lot of its flavor from. Shadowrun just also has magic and a plethora of fantasy tropes mixed into it. Makes for interesting background stuff to work out how to plug into the Lunaverse setting.
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Impressed you got Lyra's role pegged; I didn't think I dropped any real hints to it. The team roles felt natural enough to me, especially Raindrops as the cybered-up street samurai; figured it was a good mirror for her normal anger issues in the normal Lunaverse. Yeah, Ditzy pretty much has Dinky's school's system thoroughly hacked and keeps watch on her little muffin; kinda playing up that in this universe she's a tad more paranoid than her normal self.
Funny thing; Second Edition Shadowrun was the first pnp game book I ever bought. However I could never convince my friends at the time to play the game; they thought the idea of pnp games was too weird. So I ended up playing DnD at a local game store in the mall. However the group I made friends with there were hardcore DnD players and wouldn't give Shadowrun the time of day. Wouldn't be until many, many years later that I'd ever get to play Shadowrun; with my current gaming group, with the 4th Edition rules. Bought 2nd Edition...didn't play until 4th. Go figure.
This is wonderful.
Shadowrun is my second favourite RPG setting and you've murged it into the Lunaverse so well, I can't wait for more chapters.
I agree that 2nd ed was better then 4th (Riggers and Deckers for ever!), FASA seemed to have a much better grip on the feel of the game, most of Catalysts stuff has felt rather soulless to me although I think their improving over time.
The only thing that seems missing is that Lyra should have introduced herself as Ms Johnson, you can't have a run without a Johnson.
I'm interested in how Luna fits into the universe, she seems like she should be a Dunkelzhan equivalent but she seems to have been described more like Lofwry. Also are there other races around in your hybrid world? Diamond dogs as Trolls? Mules as Orcs? Dragons?
I like this. It's well-written and, while it seems to lean more heavily towards Shadowrun than it does pony, the Shadowrun feel is fairly genuine.
Also, on the concept of gaming in general, go look up Roll20 if you aren't already aware of it. I think you'll be impressed.
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I did like the older editions overall feel as opposed to 4th, but I'd also say 4th edition did some pretty interesting things with the technology; especially AR, which is what I'm going with for this story.
Ah, technically Lyra's not the Johnson, just bringing Trixie onto her team, which has the job from from a Mrs. Johnson already (using Mrs, as it sounds more formal).
Heh, the alicorns do take up the place of the Shadowrun dragons in my mind, which is weird considering MLP already has dragons, but hey, alicorns are the more potent and mysterious beings. I do plan on other races taking on the Shadowrun meta-types; primarily minotaurs = trolls, griffins = elves, diamond dogs = dwarves, and donkeys/mules = orcs. Also the Awakening has increased the overall intelligence of most animals, giving full sapience to certain races like manticores.
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I'll check this Roll20 out, always interested in new game systems.
SHADOWRUN!?!?
My jimmies are pleased.
Word.
(I love all the slang in this).
Is that Lightning Dust, Gilda, and Iron Will?
'Cause that's an awesome team-up right there. Now I kinda' want to see an actual MLP episode that's a team-up of those three.
'Course, Iron Will wasn't an antagonist the way Gilda and Dusty were...ah well.
fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/063/5/4/iron_will_approves_this_message_by_kyute_kitsune-d4rpqyj.png
Nice introduction to your protagonists personalities, Ditzy is just a bit more creepy in your version that the standard L-verse.
So Carrot Top has a combat drone called Rabbit Buster, I want to see that, alas poor Angel Bunny. And the Carrotmobile is a cool name.
Shadowrun sessions seem to have a normal format: -
1) 15 minutes introduction
2) 3 hours planning
3) 10 seconds for the plan to be FUBAR
4) 1 hour of wild improvisation
So far you seem to have skipped from point 1 to point 3.
And drawing things on the mage while their astral, that never gets old.
The expression "No plan ever survives contact with the enemy" comes to mind. In fact, I always prepare for Plan Z, no matter what genre the game is: fight it out. Whether it involves shooting everything with guns or grenades or fireballs or custard pies, you'll want that ace up your sleeve when the objective changes to "get out alive".
One GM I had was notorious for disrupting every carefully put-together plan we ever made (because, in his own words, "where's the fun if everything just goes exactly like you want it?") by changing things, putting in extra enemies, having the enemies know our plans, and on one occasion deciding that one of the PCs had made a stupid rookie mistake even though he hadn't. (Specifically, taking his mask off inside a hostile compound with cameras.) Eventually we decided to not waste time on plans that never helped, and just charged everything screaming and guns/swords/spells blazing. He got the point. Eventually.
But I digress. Story's good. Characters looking interesting. Raindrops feels very much like the player who picks something big, tough and dumb so they can be an asocial jerk and bully other characters while staying In Character. (Yeah, dealt with a few like that too. Somehow they think that pushing others around and wrecking their possessions is acceptable, but as soon as they get a fireball to the face, they're the victim...) Cheerilee continues to show why she's ten times more Laughter than Pinkie Pie, and Trixie earns her keep. Lyra's showing quite a bit of responsibility and, ah, Loyalty to her team, which I assume is wholly intentional. Also, since Iron Will is on scene, I hope you'll expand on his and Cheerilee's past. That could be pretty interesting.
I'm particularly enjoying Lyra as the physical adept. I like the way she moves.
The banter between all of the characters is good fun, too. Raindrop's concern is pretty reasonable, I think - as she is right now, Trixie is a liability. She did just fine with the ward net and the spirit, though, so that's good. I knew her astral form was going to be ridiculous - this is the Great and Powerful Trixie, after all!
I think I would have aborted the run once Iron Will's team showed up, but I lean towards caution in plans in that regard. If they can still pull this off, I'll be impressed. I definitely didn't expect to see those three together! I was on a Shadowrun team with a minotaur PC once, it was good fun.
Say, I know this story isn't super-high on your priority list, but with Shadowrun Returns coming out in just a few days, I was wondering if you or anyone you know might be interested in trying to convert this story into a mod for the game?
Probably not, because I know it would be a huge amount of extra work, but I just had to bring up the possibility.
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Well, I have pre-ordered the game, and am pretty excited about it. Don't know how feasible converting this story into a module would be because I don't know what the limits on the toolset will be. Be a neat project to try out, but admittedly you're right, my priorities are all over the place right now and while I fully intend to see this story finished (among all the others I work on), it'll probably be awhile.
You don't often see cyberpunk material in this fandom. I demand more
In my head there is a scene with Iron Will standing amidst flaming wreckage, taking in a deep breath, and saying "I love the smell of burning oil in the morning. Smells like victory."
Money, dear mare!
By the way, what exactly does this mean?
Bon Bon? Aw...
Octavia! What are you doing here?
Hmm. So she's been brainwashed. Or more likely just had her memory rewritten. Man, I've never played Shadowrun but I have watched Ghost in the Shell, the original movie plus both seasons of Stand Alone Complex. It's enough to make me neve want a cyber-brain...not that that would exactly help in a world with mind controll magic on top of it.
Is it? Are they even here for the same thing?
Yay, this updated.
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The sixth world is the name for the age of magic Shadowrun is set in. In Shadowrun the level of magic goes up and down over time, I don't remember exactly how they set it up but I think the current magic less age is the fifth world and Earthdawn was the previous age of magic the fourth world before that is ancient prehistory and the time when dragons ruled the world (Like they don't now a days, I'm looking at you Lofwry).
Looks like Octys got some spells on her keeping control but it may not entirely be brainwashing, she could be being sent fake letters from Lyra and Bon Bon, As for her being a Owl Sharman, it sort of works although I could see her more as one of the European totem worshipers, there's probably a music based on somewhere.
Tripping Trixie is best Trixie. Carrot Top's flying medkit's a handy tool to have about, where can I got one?
So, Iron Will's heavily cybered and Glida's probably a physical adept if she can dodge bullets, not sure what Lightning is, could just be normal or maybe another phys ad.
Ha! I was wondering if Cheerilee's knowing Iron Will was going to come up, and I'm glad it did.
Side note...I really hope you write your own stuff, too, and don't just spend time on the Lunaverse. You are far too talented an author to be slumming here
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Thank you for saying so, though I hardly consider it slumming; its a pleasure to write these fics, and the Lunaverse is cool.
Wow, action packed or what!
Adept Lyra is pretty scary, I hope you manages to find Bon Bon.
Nice use of the Flim Flam brothers as a Rigger / Decker team, I didn't see that coming (although I should have remembered the VTOL)
Rabbit Buster was fun although Angel must be practically a cyberzombie if Carrot Top needs that beast to keep him out.
Eagerly awaiting the next part.
Or were themselves a top-quality spellworker...
Ha!
Yeah, that's what I figured.
I know Shadowrun got there first, but this also kind of reminds be of the backstory to Crimson Skies. Except replace "corporations" with "states" and "Awakening" with "Prohibition." Oh, and no computers, just airplanes and zeppelins.
Speaking of which, I'm not sure if I've commented on it before, but the fact that Equestria was already a magical world before the Awakening must have produced some...unique...events and interpretations. At least they were partially girded and prepared for it, moreso than Shadowrun's Earth, anyway.
Changelings!
Or maybe Parasprites!
Paralings!
Changesprites!
I dunno.
I thought the exposition was pretty neat! I'm a big fan of alternate histories. It'll be really cool to see how the team deals with the followers.
A few spelling mistakes
Amateur
Awesomeness
Plus, yay for L-verse shipping. Not something you normally see in Shadowun, yeah your Sam can kill a dozen men with her pinkie finger, but ours has better hair!
Huh, I sort of figured Corona would be running a corp, I bet Puscience and Fisher (Ares equivalent?) are though
Interesting look on the Awakening and its effect on Equestria,
Well the great ghost dance wasn't quite as dramatic as it was in Shadowrun, if only by a bit.
And insect spirits still to come, tell me they're Changelings?
Can't quite buy technology going from early industrial to futuristic in about forty to fifty years though.
Ah, dear Raindrops has issues, and the wired reflexes probably don't help either, don't tell me she has a move by wire system installed? Those will really mess you up.
So something happened to Snails? Awakened from the sound of it, a Shaman
An insect Shaman, oh god!
Insect Spirits!!!!!
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Crimson Skies, man, that name brings back some fond memories.
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Happy to hear the exposition was entertaining.
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Though I don't think I've mentioned it in story, I'm more or less setting the timeline for this AU a few months prior to LDLN in the Lunaverse, so Corona hasn't broken out yet. And definitely, Fisher and Puissance would be heavy hitters among the corporations. I figure that's where most the modern 'Night Court' characters would be in this world.
I'll agree its kind of a stretch, and I thought that even as I wrote it, but I kind of wanted to keep with the same span of time for the Shadowrun world's version of the Awakening. I just chalk it up to the fact that, when properly motivated, ponies can do some borderline impossible stuff. That, and already having a basis in magic to aid in technological development probably helped speed things along.
Not sure I recall what a move by wire system is; in my mind she's got a high end wired reflexes. She is pretty much suffering from a low essence rating and some serious stress and anger issues revolving around...
...this.
Guess I make it pretty obvious didn't I?
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Personally I'd go with the Tech being much more Magi-tech than Shadowrun's is but it's your setting to play with as you want.
Move by wire was a high end version of wired reflexes from third ed, rather than just boosting your reactions it more or less put your whole nervous system under computer control. Your body was almost perminetly having an epileptic fit and the system steered your twitching in the right direction, when it worked right you moved unbelievably smoothly, something went wrong... no fun at all.
If I remember the mark three version used more than 6 essense so it was either Cyberzombies only or you had to get Alpha, beta or delta ware versions, cost over 1 million as well.
The insects might be changelings.
Yes!!!! Love it. A couple of minor typos here and there, but only one really funny one:
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I do miss some interesting typos, don't I? Got it fixed.
Yup. Changelings. And jeeze, it didn't even occur to me that Chrysalis might have an "in" with Snails before this story.
I'm going to file that in my "interesting" mental folder, and not just for this story.
I love the little references that crossovers like this allow. Kind of almost especially if I don't get them at first.
Nice. I like the spiced up changelings.
Hmm. It occurs to me that, as changelings are shapeshifters, things like pumping their heads full of bullets might not actually kill them.
ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL.
I love it when imagine spots aren't as instantaneous as we're sometimes led to believe.
“Now I'll have to wait for him to snap out of it with some weird comment.”
I get that board game reference.
As I suspected from last chapter bad news for Snails. Interesting idea combining bug spirits and Changelings I just assumes changings were be the equivalent of flesh forms, at least is seems like Snails fate might not be as bad as most shadowrun insect shaman, given you can apparently un-bug (debug?) them.
Interesting idea that Octavia might be able to activate the elements via music rather than be embodying one of their traits
And Luna sheepishness about having lost the elements while on a bender
"Well I might have traded the element of loyalty for a case of wine... What! It was really good wine!"
Just came across this story for the first time. I used to live for each new Shadowrun book back in the day. Never could get my group into RPG'ing it though (it was always straight D&D, oh but NOW it's steampunk pathfinder).
I am greatly looking forward to devouring your story as soon as possible.
I LOL'd, or whatever the kids these days are saying.
On the bright side, I imagine that as long as a pony has 'essence' left to save, it's probably easier to de-Borgify them in this setting than in normal Shadowrun.
(Secretly Luna is trying to quickly wrap up a game of scrabble she's been playing against herself in her head for the past few days)
For some reason I can only think of one thing, given how the way changelings have been characterized in this story is making me think of Mass Effect 2 for some reason...
ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL.
Strabismus is Magic, at least in the Lunaverse (or actually in the MLP fandom in general, really). In reality the human mind can't really comprehend both eyes not looking the same way, so people with strabismus don't really tend to have any wider vision than anyone else; their "extra" range ends up being somewhat blinded.
But that's okay, I like how we've worked it in the fandom.
I think I've mentioned it in this story already, but it bears repeating: the Internet and virtual reality and hacking and such would be WAY more interesting if it actually worked the way that the 80s and 90s tried to convince us it did: TRON, New Adventures of Johnny Quest, half of all animes...unfortunately these days we all know too much about computers and I'm just left wondering why the programmers for the changeling base would even program a visual for an evil tree taking a tray of muffins.
So you hope, anyway...
It was really neat to see computer code translated into visual metaphors, heh. I think you really showed off Ditzy's badass side in this.
I wonder if anything will come of Lyra's Princess comment...
Wow Raindrops power armour sound sick, although it seems like she on her way to Cyberzombie hood, Luna wouldn't do that but it somepony else offered her extra power to save her brother she'd make the sacrifice. I can't wait for Raindrops to go up against Chrysalis, magic's nice but flamethrowers and rocket launchers are what get the job done.
Nice imagery on the Matrix run although I expected the system to have more insectoid imagery rather than snakes, I guess that would be to obvious.
I hope Trixie's cloak has at least some spells anchored on it, armour would be nice.
I always wanted to play a shadowrun game but can never find a pdf of one.
And Trixie just answered her own question.
Good, solid team here: Samurai, Decker, Rigger, Face and Lyra ... hmmm ... Lyra studied at MAST, but has implants ... I'm thinking she's a combat mage (could be a burned-out mage who still has her unicorn telekinesis, I suppose, but she doesn't have that feel to me). Now we just need to see what Trixie brings to the mix.
Ah, Lyra is a PhysAd (with a few implants), that works too.
You're right, Lyra, theoretically they could have nothing to do with your run. But since all Shadowrunners are the special children of Murphy, we know better
Stoned Trixie is best Trixie
And oh lordy, magic to enforce obedience, magic (and probably mundane trickery) to make her think everything is fine with her friends ... someone is taking major steps to keep Octy controlled.
(And Bon Bon is probably in the same boat, wherever she is ...)
Oh lordy .... Changelings + Inset Spirits <shudders> This world is in some deep drek ...
When I finally get some mood and time to read again am I surely going to take a look at this! I have been skimming all of the books of both 4th and 5th edition for a project of mine, and would not mind seeing what you can do with the verse!
Save your bullets and never take a job from a dragon!