conversations.from: system
conversations.value: You were the best. Underground, cyberpunk street samurai, burglars and breakers, agents of a mysterious spymaster with half a name, zero history, and a plan. "Josine." He made the missions and you carried them out. You were the go-to crew for high-stakes break-ins, dangerous ops, and impossible escapes. You fought the megacorps, the tyrants, the killers — all for the sake of making a better future, of beating the Technocrats at their own game of shaping tomorrow. You always won, never quit, lived in the now.
  
  Until, eleven years ago, he disappeared…
  
  Now he’s back — back in trouble — and it’s up to you to save him and maybe, along the way, change the world.
  
  
  ---
  
  
  _This game is a cyberpunk adventure story with a cinematic tone. It is based on and directly inspired by [Always/Never/Now](http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/114457/Always-Never-Now), the innovative cyberpunk roleplaying game by Will Hindmarch. Concepts, characters, art, and some prose are used with permission. Our story will likely deviate quite a bit from the original game, but if you enjoy what we end up writing please consider supporting Will's outstanding work by [picking up a copy](http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/114457/Always-Never-Now)! _
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Street samurai: You are an infamous warrior of the underworld, with a reputation for cunning, confidence, and combat capability.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Bodyguard: These days you make ends meet as a bodyguard, fixer, and occasional combat driver. But you used to be more. Much more. Maybe it's still in you. Maybe it's waiting to get out.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Infiltrator: You are everyone, and no one. You can be whomever and whatever you need to be. You hide in plain sight.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Fugitive doctor: You went AWOL from that  corporate army years ago, but megacorps have long memories. You try to keep it in the rear-view mirror while doing what you can to balance the scales in a world gone mad.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Engineer: You're good at building things, from the simple to the intricate. You're also *very good* at taking them apart, when the situation requires it.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Escape artist: There isn't a spot on this green Earth you can't get out of... or into. Your unique mix of skill, tech, and reflexes makes you one of the greatest cat burglars of your time.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Hyper-awareness: Cyber-enhanced senses mean that you're dialed into the world around you. You notice things that other people miss.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Vengeful: You never hold a grudge... for less than ten years.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Whisky tango: You've fallen into more than a few bottles since Josine went away. Staying sober is a constant battle, a constant dance.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Hedonistic: You love to live. *Really live*. Temptation's got your number on speed-dial.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Martial arts: You're an improvisational combat master, effortlessly weaving techniques from Kung Fu, Krav Maga, and a variety of other defensive and offensive arts.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Parkour: You move in ways that seem to defy gravity. Having transformable cyber-legs probably helps with this.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Acrobatics: Your dexterity grants you unusual advantages. You can move in unpredictable ways, reach impossible places, and dodge dangerous attacks.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Con artist: You have a complicated relationship with the truth. But reality has a way of finding you at the most inopportune moments.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Hunted by the past: You stole from the wrong person. But that was *years* ago. Surely they've forgotten by now?
  
  Don't bet on it.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Escape the law: Your face adorns the walls of police stations on at least three continents. Sooner or later, someone's going to recognize you.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Hacker: You're a programming savant, crafting the kind of infiltration algos and barrier tech that other hackers can only gossip about over drinks.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Everybody Knows Your Name: You've found success in this new life of yours, but it has come at a cost: it's hard for you to blend in sometimes.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Culture jammer: You're an artist, now, and that's not something you're going to set aside simply because you're in the field again. There's meaning in these events, messages to be sent, and art to be made.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Resilience: You're tough. *Really* tough. What doesn't kill you guides you.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Curiosity: Intricate things are fascinating to you. You simply *have* to know how they work. Everything else can wait.
  
  Right?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Camaraderie: You have a deep bond with another character (it's your choice who). They're like family, and you'll do anything to protect them. No matter the cost.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Equipped: Years in the field have taught you a thing or two about packing. You're well-prepared for just about any situation you might encounter.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Outcast: You've been living on the fringes for so long that you've forgotten how to belong. It's hard to trust, and to be trusted.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Do no harm...?: You are torn between your calling as a doctor and the grim knowledge that violence is an inescapable part of the life you've chosen.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Metal arms: You have cybernetic arms. High-end military spec, no less. Originally installed after a job gone bad, subsequent upgrade have replaced any regret.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Battle-hardened: You're an old warrior who's seen many a battlefield. You've fought and won... or at least survived. It takes a lot to phase you.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Crowd fighting: You *like* crowds. After all, what more is a crowd than a convenient cluster of targets? 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Swordplay: A sharp, clean blade is the purest weapon a warrior can wield. You wield yours — an heirloom katana — with uncommon skill and speed.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Gunplay: You have a preternatural mastery of firearms that makes you a formidable foe. You can do more with a pistol than ten men can do with far more.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Combat driving: Whether it's losing a tail, outrunning a foe, or turning your car into a weapon, you're as dangerous and capable behind the wheel as you are on foot.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Hotwire: From vehicles to security systems and everything in-between, you're adept at seizing control that you shouldn't have.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Interrogation: You have... *ways of making them talk*.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Relentless: Once you've got a goal in mind, it's hard to stop you. You have an impressive ability to persevere even when the odds are stacked against you.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Obsessive: You have trouble letting go, sometimes.
  
  Okay. Oftentimes.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Malfunctioning implants: Something's wrong with one or more of your implants. It's making your job harder and putting you in danger.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Tunnel vision: You get easily wrapped-up in what you're doing, sometimes causing you to lose track of the broader situation.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Drunk: You did it again: had one too many pints, glasses, or drams. The question now is what kind of a drunk you are: happy, clumsy, or angry?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Idealistic: Your beliefs and values sometimes blind you to the harsh reality around you. 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Electric knife: A built-in filament delivers electric shocks from modest to major. The whole thing plus right into the wall to recharge.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Metal legs: Custom built and fully articulated, your cyber-legs are as versatile as they are cutting-edge. Stopping bullets and jumping across rooftops is barely a strain.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Underground contacts: You have connections in the underworld, connections that span the globe. And many of these people owe you a favor.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Martial arts: You're a master of Kung fu, Krav Maga, and Aikido. What's more, you're able to seamlessly mix techniques in ways that keep opponents guessing.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Resourceful: There are tools all around us. You just have to know where to look, and how to use them.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Persuasive: Your voice, words, and manner have a way of changing people's minds.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Technocrat: You're a citizen of the Technocracy, with all the privileges to come with it.
  
  (It's up to you to decide if it's a secret, or if the other characters know.)
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Technocrat: You're a current or former citizen of the Technocracy. They know you, and they don't forget.
  
  (It's up to you to decide if it's a secret, or if the other characters know.)
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Nefarious: On the surface you may be fighting the good fight, but underneath beats the heart of a criminal.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Temptable: You're easily tempted or seduced.  Sometimes, it's almost like you don't even bother to resist.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Unpredictable: Even people who've known you for years can't always tell what you'll do next. It makes them hesitant to depend on you.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Stealthy: You are able to conceal your movements, your actions, and sometimes even your intentions. Darkness and shadow are your friends.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Improvised weaponry: You can make a weapon out of just about anything, when the situation demands it.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Guile: You are devious beyond compare. Some would say you raise duplicity to an art form.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Local connections: It seems like you know someone useful in every city you visit. It seems that way because it's true.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Comedian: You use humor to disarm, to distract, and to build trust. And to, you know, make people laugh.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Reckless: You're a bit of an adrenaline junkie. Given two choices, you'll take the riskier one any day.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Prideful: You're a *professional*. Don't they understand that? No matter. You'll show 'em.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Broken gear: You rely heavily on your specialized gear to get the job done, right?
  
  Bad news: it's busted.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: In over your head: You have a habit of looking before you leap and biting-off more than you can chew. How will you get out of it this time?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Sabotage: In both the digital and physical realms, few are as skilled as you in throwing wrenches into the gears.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Imitation: With just a little research or study, you can convincingly assume just about anyone's identity. The only question is how long the ruse will last.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Digital skin: Your skin has been implanted with dermal optics, making your whole body into a programmable digital tattoo. Camouflage, terminal displays, art — the only limit is your imagination.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Hunted: Someone's looking for you. They're capable, well-equipped and motivated.
  
  They're not looking to have a conversation.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Straggler: Just your luck. Someone has latched onto you and now they're in over their head. Now they're *your* problem.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Hunted: Someone’s looking for you. They’re capable, well-equipped and motivated.
  
  They’re not looking to have a conversation.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Exoarms: You have a pair of hydraulic power-lifter arms that strap onto your torso and endow you with great strength and versatility.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Strong: Your strength has been enhanced beyond that of normal humans. You're capable of impressive feats.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Threatening: You're presence is an imposing one, and you know how to use it to full effect.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Electronics: If it runs on electrons, you have mastery over it. 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Frenzy: When things get stressful — or violent — you have a tendency to fly into a rage. Sometimes it leads you to do more harm than good.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Bored: This isn't what you want to be doing right now. You're not really paying attention. What could go wrong?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Stubborn: When you make up your mind, it *stays* made up. 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: MedGlove: A multifiber polymer glove that features sensors for scanning tissue and analyzing both disease and environment. Embedded nano-synringes can deliver a variety of useful medications.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Medic: You're well-trained in battlefield and emergency medicine. You can't fix everything, but you can usually stabilize the situation.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Soothe: Your voice, manner, and presence make you good at calming down tense people defusing sticky situations. 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Anatomy: You're able to exploit you knowledge of human anatomy to slow, subdue, or disable opponents.
  
  There are probably other uses for this knowledge, too.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Guilt-ridden: You can't forget their faces. The faces of the people you've hurt or allowed to come to harm.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Despairing: You've been through so much, and yet things just keep getting worse for you. It's getting harder to think you'll ever turn things around.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Spider harness: Equipped with monofilament cables and magnetic grappling spikes, this harness is a cat burglar's best friend.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Lateral thinking: Both on and off the battlefield, your mind works at right angles. You come up with ideas, solutions, and attacks that no one sees coming.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: War weary: You've been fighting for so long. How long can you keep doing it? Is this all there is? 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Brutal: You take things too far. It's in your blood.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Overconfident: You've got this. You're sure of it. What could go wrong?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Gear: Years in the field have taught you that preparation is at least half the battle.
  
  **Before using, re-write this card to name a piece of gear you need... and happened to have packed.**
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Gear (copy): Years in the field have taught you that preparation is at least half the battle.
  
  Re-write this card to represent whatever gear you need, when you need it.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Data center: A gleaming geodesic dome of steel and tinted glass, the building rises directly out of the surrounding snow, perched on a cliff overlooking the roiling North Atlantic.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Anarchist leader: A tattooed young man wearing an ad hoc uniform pieced together from mismatched armor, carrying a poorly maintained rifle.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Anarchist soldier: A heavily-pierced young man wearing a a mix of leather and body armor. He carries a pistol and has a wicked-looking knife tucked into his belt.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Anarchist recruit: Younger than the rest, this fresh-faced, clean-cut man looks a little too obviously like he's trying to fit in. He awkwardly carries an old submachine gun.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Black helicopter: A mean-looking, top-of-the-line military gunship, painted black with tinted windows. Articulated cannons adorn the sides. This thing means business.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Kill squad commando 1: Covered from head to toe in jet-black body armor, face obscured by a tinted helmet, this commando carries an unfamiliar, advanced  assault rifle.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Kill squad commando 2: Covered from head to toe in jet-black body armor, face obscured by a tinted helmet, this commando carries an unfamiliar, advanced  assault rifle.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Trace the logs: Josine's message pointed to this place, and the anarchists report that a surge of encrypted data went out over the satellite. Maybe the server logs can tell you more?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Skydive (Tank): There's only one way to get onto the airship: from above. That means a nighttime wingsuit drop... and one very tricky landing.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Skydive (Alex): There's only one way to get onto the airship: from above. That means a nighttime wingsuit drop... and one very tricky landing.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Skydive (Henri): There's only one way to get onto the airship: from above. That means a nighttime wingsuit drop... and one very tricky landing.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Dougray Hoefler's Airship: A state-of-the-art airship floats through thick nighttime fog, a large multi-level structure affixed to its belly — the refuge of a reclusive billionaire.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Find Dougray's office: Somewhere on this airship is Dougray Hoefler's private office, and the network access you need to search for Josine's memories.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Interrogate Dougray: Each card played answers one question: 1. Why is the Technocracy here? 2. What does he know about Josine? 3. What's his mainframe login?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Dougray Hoefler: Each card played answers one question: 1. Why is the Technocracy here? 2. What does Dougray know about Josine? 3. What's his login code?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Escape the airship: You seem to have overstayed your welcome. Time to make a grand exit before the Technocrats' Finest attempt your arrest.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Station Ten: Situated on the top floor of the Moët Hennessy Tower, Station Ten is Seattle's most storied nightclub. The view is nearly as impressive as the clientele.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Nanotech Agent (Alex): Turns out you're not the only one undercover in this bar. Nanotech is here, and they're after Josine.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Nanotech Agent (Tank): Turns out you're not the only one undercover in this bar. Nanotech is here, and they're after Josine.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Nanotech Agent (Henri): Turns out you're not the only one undercover in this bar. Nanotech is here, and they're after Josine.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Make Your Exit: Get Josine and Spassky safely out of the club. Shouldn't be too hard; you're only on top of a high-rise and facing unknown opponents.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Find the signal's source: Find where the signal came from in this underground complex, and gain access to that location. This is an unknown, dangerous place, and you don't have a clue where to start. You'll need all your wits and resources to find what you're looking for down here, and to avoid a fight... if that's what you want.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Derelict underground factory: A massive underground manufacturing complex, once abandoned but now controlled by a crime boss called Suzerain.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The Head: It looks like Josine, but something isn’t right. As horrific as this is, you’ve got to take a closer look.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Suzerain, aka Winsome: For each card played the narrator answers a question: 1. How did he survive Seattle? 2. What's with the head? 3. What does he know about what's going on?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Random weakness: It's so weak and it makes you sad, sadder than the saddest clown.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Random character: So character, very wow.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Escape Suzerian's Base: There's no way Dr. Jackal and her Nanotech mercs are letting you out of this complex alive. Best not give them a say in a matter.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: BlackTrack Inc. facial scanner: Stolen from a Gap outlet in Beijing testing a shady advertising partner, it’s still auth’ed to its massive DB of individuals. The collected data’s breadth and depth is enough to ignite wars if made public.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value:  Jamming Spikes (Gear): Years in the field have taught you that preparation is at least half the battle.
  
  Jamming Spikes - Force a weapon into safety mode until tuned to the correct frequency. 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Malfunctioning drug implants: You have this one to ease the shakes and help you focus, but something’s wrong with your implant. It’s making your job harder and putting you in danger.
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Stun Baton: An easily stowed personal defense weapon that serves as both weighted club and delivery device for powerful electrical charges that disrupt both biological nervous and embedded electronic systems.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Tactical Combat Implants: Embedded system of drug release & direct neural stim to manage affect & stress during the course of complying with unpleasant directives. Standard corporate army issue.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Prosthetic Leg: High quality cybernetic replacement for a lost limb. Reliable and resilient. Balanced to match the performance of the remaining biological lib.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Gear: Magnetic Bracers: Years in the field have taught you that preparation is at least half the battle.
  
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Damaged Prosthetic Leg: Turns out, high-velocity armor piercing rounds don't do a mechanical leg any favors.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Disco Ball: A high-intensity, 3-color LED and ultrasound amp. Each RGB frequency tuned just out of range of human retinas but visible to digital sensors. Saturates exposure; leaves a white screen on security footage. Same effect acoustically.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Corporate Experience: Well versed in the pros and (mostly) cons of working with a modern dystopian-era corporate bureaucracy.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Gear: Years in the field have taught you that preparation is at least half the battle.
  
  This is a bottle of wine - a fairly respectable Barolo.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Overconfidence: Henri's good, but maybe not quite as good as he hopes right now.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Multilingual Fixer: Collecting languages means collecting cultures. Do enough of that and you get a knack for arbitraging impedance mismatches between disparate groups and finding unexpected common ground.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Medglove: Handy all-in-one piece of wearable technology offering a wide range of medical diagnostic functions and synthesis of pharmaceutical substances
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Ratborgs: Drones are expensive. Rats are cheap. Alex's DIY rodent collar includes a modest transmitter, electrodes, and the latest neurofirmware. Remote vision, biomechanical control with excellent maneuverability, and a subdermal installation for visual stealth - these rats are the perfect tool for infiltration and intelligence gathering, especially in dodgy environments.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Rare Humility: Henry has been an asshole at times. Occasionally, he can own up to it.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Prepared for Contingencies: You're at war with the unexpected. You don't hesitate to make bets and preparations that pay off in surprising ways.