Episode Guide for
Bubblegum Cartel
Episode Guide
Each weekend, the players assembled to play what has been designated as an episode. Each week, a recap of the most recent episode’s happenings was posted to allow those who have been missing for many or few episodes to get a feel for what they have missed. Unlike later campaigns, this group would often start at 3 PM on a Saturday, and end well after midnight. Hence, with the copious hours of gameplay, episode recaps have been split appropriately to cover the content of each evening.
Episode 1A
Date: November 7, 1998
Attendance: Andy, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary: JUL 14, 2034. Traveling abroad for several years might sound appealing to most people, but for Charles Gagnon and his consort Elizabeth Longe, seeing the sleek neon skyline of Neo-Paris was a welcome sight, even as their reasons for returning home were dour. Stéphane Gagnon, older brother to Charles, had been missing for seven weeks now, and no matter how many Euro-dollars had been paid out, no one had information. Being called home to take his brother’s place in the syndicate, Charles was called upon Pierre Gagnon (head of the Gagnon Syndicate and uncle to Charles) to fill the void of Stéphane’s absence in keeping with the family “business”. Greeted at the Charles de Gaulle Aeroport by his father Louis, Charles was warned that the “knives were out with several other syndicates seeing an opportunity to increase their control over Neo-Paris, and that fresh ideas were needed to prevent stagnation within the family. Dropped off at the Crazy Horse Cabaret and Casino, Charles made arrangements that his new business would also be his new home, finding room for Longe to have her own place to come and go as she pleased. Looking to bolster his own crew quickly, Charles reached out to old contacts, and obtained a boomer bodyguard named Jacques (who recently became semi-sentient), hired local merc Sean Patrick Killarney as a tactician, and tracked down Billy Gastone, giving the decker and offer he couldn’t refuse after he was caught using the Hypernet to download credits from the Crazy Horse. Word traveled quickly of the new Gagnon crew, and several other local syndicates paid their respects to the Crazy Horse including members of the Lombeí and Viète syndicates. Killarney’s frustration boiled over when tracking on some many dangerous targets visiting HQ did not seem to faze the other PCs, and Charles tasked him later to build a private armory using his contacts with the Irish Republican Army, and to create secret hardpoints in the Crazy Horse in case of any hazardous situations. Gastone reported on how easy is was to access Crazy Horse servers with his homemade I.C.E., and after making off with several more credits, plugged any holes he could find via the Hypernet. Longe went through the staff list, vetting (and “sampling”) employees of the Crazy Horse to safeguard Charles’s new home, and Longe’s instincts led to some quick fires. Jacquez wandered away to make a custom ordered vehicle at Talisman Motors, ensuring Charles would have an armored vehicle resilient enough to withstand any assassination attempts on his new boss’s life.
Combat: None.
Episode 1B
Date: November 7, 1998
Attendance: Andy, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary: JUL 16, 2034. It was clear from the get-go that Pierre Gagnon needed his nephew to hit the ground running, even though Charles was not one to sit idly by, and the next morning, the new owner of the Crazy Horse was greeted by Jean DuBois, an “associate” of the crime family. DuBois was quick to whisk Charles from his club, so much the rest of the party played catch-up not knowing where their boss was located. A combination of resources held by the remaining PCs allowed the party to track Charles as he was spirited around Neo-Paris for introductions to various personas DuBois posited as best not allowed to be seen connected to the Crazy Horse. The most notable was a mercenary named Val Talent, meeting Charles at The Recycling Club, but it was a feisty Longe who tired of cat-and-mouse games, who pushed the issue, entering the club where access was denied. Bemused by the party, DuBois promised one last stop: the estate of Justinian Capps, a mid-level operator in the Gagnon syndicate. An evening of dinner and drinks were had, and all seemed to end well, until DuBois mentioned this was to happen again the next evening. The PCs pressed for more details, but DuBois remained quiet on his reasons, and the following morning, the party resumed their normal activities, with Jacquez tracking on different boomer bodyguards were connected to Crazy Horse patrons and Gastone intercepting a decker attempting to skim eddies from the casino servers. That evening, the PCs met again at the Capps estate for food and frivolities, with Charles pressing an inebriated Capps on some of his personal views. The evening ended uneventfully with Charles calling DuBois to task about wasted time and what the endgame was for these dinners. DuBois confessed it was Pierre’s plotting for Charles to embrace the friendship of Capps and his crew, while DuBois ferreted out family suspicions Capps’s loyalties were fraying via other outside parties. Dinner plans were made for the next night at the Capps estate again, but DuBois ordered Charles and his crew to eliminate Capps and his party after the meal was served. Failing to connect with Pierre the next day, Charles hesitantly made plans with the PCs to follow DuBois’s order although there was doubt. The third evening went the same way as the first two, except with Longe’s cyber-tongue eviscerating Capps during a bedroom encounter, and the rest of the party engaging in a firefight with Capps’s henchmen, with Gaston providing I.C.E. to counter any surveillance. Disposing of the evidence, the party returned to the Crazy Horse to plot further.
Combat: Justinian Capps and his mistress with four bodyguards were murdered by the PCs.
Episode 2A
Date: November 14, 1998
Attendance: Andy, Carol, David, Gloria, J.D.
Summary: JUL 20, 2034. With the Capps crew eliminated, the Crazy Horse PCs continued to settle into their new roles in Neo-Paris looking to test their boundaries and expand their influence where possible. Longe sought to increase the quality of female employees by reaching out to connections in the underworld, finding women she felt she could work with, removing “obstacles” with the help of Jacquez. Elaine was the most intriguing target as she had her own business, but questions about her connection with the Church of Holy Fire brought questions. Charles sought to familiarize himself with the other syndicates in town, going so far as to invite the Brandenburg and Koloff members for a sit-down, while courting ESWAT officers to feel who might be financially plied. Worried about new of a rampaging boomer nearby, Charles conscripted Jacquez and Killarney to procure addition weapons from the latter’s paramilitary contacts for storage at the club and for installation in new boomer vehicles obtained by the former. Using his connection at Talisman Motors, the weapons were installed, but not without tipping off Interpol to syndicate activity. With Agent Benter snooping around workers at the Crazy Horse, the PCs deep dive into his personal life, finding vices to blackmail him and curb his investigation. While probing, Killarney learned of Benter’s connection to the Lombeí Syndicate and an upcoming arms auction by Beaumarchais featuring a collection of hardsuits imported from Japan. Reaching out to Simon Dezmond, Charles was able to find Lombeí planned to send their dauphin Francisco Viete himself to the vendue, and many of the PCs were tasked to track his activities while others were to take stock of Libram Books, a former property of Capps. Gastone would have loved to come along, but several cyberattacks kept him busy and his lamenting about his solo work for the Crazy Horse led to Jacquez installing the brainbox of a combat boomer into the onsite servers to act as a buffer for minor intrusion attempts. Cochise was stoic and his regimented demeanor clashed with Gastone’s more freewheeling outlook, but the NPC was a welcome system upgrade, as he implemented military grade updates to the firewall and alluding that Charles’s new worker Charlotte had former experience with the British Royal Logistics Corps. Cooler heads prevailed with some PCs wanting to get rid of her, and the focus returned to looking into way of attending Beaumarchais’s auction, finding out the location from a contact with the Irish Republican Army..
Combat: Several mercenaries from K.R.A.K. are killed when they ambush the auction.
Episode 2B
Date: November 14, 1998
Attendance: Andy, Carol, David, Gloria, J.D.
Summary: Sean Patrick Killarny runs into an older colleague at Charles de Gaulle Airport while waiting to transport a new decker into the employ of the Gagnon Syndicate. Beans Miller informs his friend of an illegal arms auction in town; something not sanctioned by any of the Neo-Paris underworld families. After speaking with Charles, the party looks more into the auction, finding that the Lombei Syndicate has been invited. The main item for sale is a lot of four Stingray hardsuits.
Combat: Several mercenaries from K.R.A.K. are killed when they ambush the auction.
Episode 3A
Date: November 21, 1998
Attendance: Andy, David, Gloria, J.D.
Summary: Jacques makes an acquaintance with a female pleasure boomer named Ariel during his dealings at Talisman Motors. Ariel speaks as if they know each other and mentions how she has become enlightened by a leader of a groups of boomers calling himself Lumiere. Later, a BU-12B combat boomer goes rogue through the streets of Neo-Pares leading the E.S.W.A.T. on a chase downtown. At the last minute, Ariel phones Jacques that the target is the Crazy Horse, giving the PCs time to prepare a counterattack.
Combat: The PCs take out a BU-12B combat boomer after setting up an ambush.
Episode 3B
Date: November 21, 1998
Attendance: Andy, David, Gloria, J.D.
Summary: Jacques makes an acquaintance with a female pleasure boomer named Ariel during his dealings at Talisman Motors. Ariel speaks as if they know each other and mentions how she has become enlightened by a leader of a groups of boomers calling himself Lumiere. Later, a BU-12B combat boomer goes rogue through the streets of Neo-Pares leading the E.S.W.A.T. on a chase downtown. At the last minute, Ariel phones Jacques that the target is the Crazy Horse, giving the PCs time to prepare a counterattack.
Combat: The PCs take out a BU-12B combat boomer after setting up an ambush.
Episode 4A
Date: November 28, 1998
Attendance: Carol, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary: The day after the battle at the Crazy Horse, Charles will learn all the Neo-Paris underworld families will have received an invitation to the Tower Club to speak with a new group in town, led by Lumiere. Pierre sends Charles and his crew who have proved themselves capable to handling any trouble that might appear. Lumiere’s representative, James Dolán, meets with the syndicates indicating they were behind the attack on the Crazy Horse. Lumiere is willing to compensate the Gagnon Syndicate twice the amount, but he asks for all the families to agree to a treaty of non-aggression while he operates in Neo-Paris.
Combat: None.
Episode 4B
Date: November 28, 1998
Attendance: Carol, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary: The day after the battle at the Crazy Horse, Charles will learn all the Neo-Paris underworld families will have received an invitation to the Tower Club to speak with a new group in town, led by Lumiere. Pierre sends Charles and his crew who have proved themselves capable to handling any trouble that might appear. Lumiere’s representative, James Dolán, meets with the syndicates indicating they were behind the attack on the Crazy Horse. Lumiere is willing to compensate the Gagnon Syndicate twice the amount, but he asks for all the families to agree to a treaty of non-aggression while he operates in Neo-Paris.
Combat: None.
Episode 5A
Date: December 5, 1998
Attendance: Andy, Carol, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary: Roxanne Baskerville from Network 91 contacts the PCs and independent contract to break into UBC and steal eight new pilot shows which will be premiering on the UBC network in the fall. Billy Gastone is brought in for his decker skills to eliminate any security issues for the crew to physically break into the UBC building to retrieve the datacards from a locked vault. A shootout with the security guards eventually helps the PCs gain access to the data cards, but not after some images are taken of their faces.
Combat: 8 security guards are killed when the party invades the UBC building.
Episode 5B
Date: December 5, 1998
Attendance: Andy, Carol, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary: Roxanne Baskerville from Network 91 contacts the PCs and independent contract to break into UBC and steal eight new pilot shows which will be premiering on the UBC network in the fall. Billy Gastone is brought in for his decker skills to eliminate any security issues for the crew to physically break into the UBC building to retrieve the datacards from a locked vault. A shootout with the security guards eventually helps the PCs gain access to the data cards, but not after some images are taken of their faces.
Combat: 8 security guards are killed when the party invades the UBC building.
Episode 6A
Date: December 12, 1998
Attendance: Andy, Carol, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary:
Combat:
Episode 6B
Date: December 12, 1998
Attendance: Andy, Carol, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary:
Combat:
Episode 7A
Date: December 19, 1998
Attendance: Andy, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary:
Combat:
Episode 7B
Date: December 19, 1998
Attendance: Andy, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary:
Combat:
Episode 8A
Date: January 2, 1999
Attendance: Carol, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary:
Combat:
Episode 8B
Date: January 2, 1999
Attendance: Carol, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary:
Combat:
Episode 9A
Date: January 9, 1999
Attendance: Andy, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary:
Combat:
Episode 9B
Date: January 9, 1999
Attendance: Andy, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary:
Combat:
Episode 10A
Date: January 16, 1999
Attendance: Carol, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary:
Combat:
Episode 10B
Date: January 16, 1999
Attendance: Carol, David, Gloria, J.D., Mark
Summary:
Combat: