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====== Entanglements ======
^ Go Back to the [[start]] |
  * **heat 0-3** 
    * 1-3 [[#Crew Trouble]] or [[#The Usual Suspects]]
    * 4/5 [[#Rivals]] or [[#AI Badness]]
    * 6 [[#Called Favour]]
  * **heat 4/5** 
    * 1-3 [[#Crew Trouble]] or [[#Questioning]]
    * 4/5 [[#Reprisals]] or [[#AI Badness]]
    * 6 [[#Show of Force]]
  * ** heat 6+**
    * 1-3 [[#Flipped]] or [[#Interrogation]]
    * 4/5 [[#Orbital Notice]] or [[#Show of Force]]
    * 6 [[#Arrest]]
 

Your crew of cyberpunks didn’t just spring into existence tonight. You have a complex history
of favours, commitments, debts, and promises that got you where you are today. To reflect
this, after each run, you roll dice to find out which entanglement comes calling. An
entanglement might be a rival crew looking to throw their weight around (and demanding
some credits), a corporate enforcer making a case against your crew (but ready for a bribe),
or even the attention of a rabid cyberpsycho.

After payoff and heat are determined, the GM generates an entanglement for the crew
using the lists below. Find the column that matches the crew’s current heat level. Then roll
a number of dice equal to their [[wanted level]] , and use the result of the roll to select which
sort of entanglement manifests. If wanted level is zero, roll two dice and keep the lowest
result. 

Bring the entanglement into play immediately, or hold off until an appropriate moment.
Some groups like to roll entanglements “in the open” so everyone knows what’s about to
hit them. Other groups prefer the roll to be secret, so the entanglement is a surprise when
it happens. Either way is fine. For example, if you get the Interrogation entanglement, you
might wait until a PC indulges their vice, then say Arasaka picked them up when they
were distracted by its pleasures.

Entanglements manifest fully before the PCs have a chance to avoid them. When an
entanglement comes into play, describe the situation after the entanglement has
manifested. The PCs deal with it from that point—they can’t intercept it and defuse it
before it happens. The purpose of the mechanic is to abstract a lot of the complex stuff
happening in the backgrounds of the characters’ lives in order to generate trouble for
them. Entanglements are the cost of doing business in the underworld—a good crew
learns to roll with the punches and pick their battles.

Entanglements can also arise directly from events in play. If the Solo gets arrested, for
example, then the GM might follow the directions in the Arrest entanglement.

The entanglements are detailed below and on the following pages. Each has a list of
potential ways for the PCs to be rid of it. If you want the entanglements to be a momentary
problem for the crew, stick to the suggested methods to resolve them, and move on to
the next part of downtime. If you want to dive in and explore the entanglement in detail,
set the scene and play out the event in full, following the actions and consequences where
they lead. 

GMs: “Authorities” means the Cops, corpsec, or even sanctioned militas and hired
enforcers—depending on where the entanglement strikes and which faction is most likely
to serve it.

===== Arrest =====

Authorities have acquired a warrant for your arrest. They send a detail to bring you in (a team
at least equal in scale to your wanted level ). Pay them off with money equal to your wanted
level +3, hand someone over for arrest (this clears your heat ), or try to evade capture.

//Something metal bangs on your window air conditioning unit. 

“Alright then! Come
on out and let’s go quietly now!” 

It sounds like the bald sergeant. When you peek
out, you see a detail of about twenty officers poised to exit a van, all geared up for
a raid. The Sergeant tells them to hold, then mumbles under his breath, so only you
inside can hear: 

“Or perhaps I have the wrong address?” He clears his throat and waits
for credsticks to appear.//
===== Called Favour =====

A higher status faction, one of your fixers, or someone to whom you owe a debt asks you for
a favour. If it’s a fixer, agree to do it or forfeit 1 rep . If it’s a faction, agree to do it, forfeit 1
rep per status of the friendly faction, or lose reputation with them. If you don’t have a fixer, +3
faction status, or owe any debts, you avoid entanglements right now.
===== Crew trouble =====

One of your cohort groups (or other cohorts) causes trouble due to their flaw(s). You can
lose face (forfeit rep), make an example of one of the crew members,
or face reprisals from the wronged party.
===== Orbital notice =====

A high status orbital resident or off-worlder approaches the crew with a dark offer. Accept their bargain, hide until it loses interest (forfeit 3 rep), or deal with it another way.
===== Flipped =====

One of the PCs’ rivals arranges for one of your contacts, patrons, clients, or a group of your
customers to switch allegiances due to the heat on you. They’re loyal to another faction
now.
===== Interrogation =====

Authorities round up one of the PCs to question them about the crew’s crimes. Where
did they manage to corner you? Either pay them off with money, or they beat you up
and you tell them what they want to know (+3 heat . You can resist each
of those consequences separately.

Most players really hate it when their character gets captured! Explain that it’s
completely normal for a cyberpunk in the shadows to get hemmed up like this. You spend
time in and out of situations like this, getting questioned and harassed by those in
power. It’s not the end of the world. But now that you’re here in the interrogation
room, what kind of person are you? Do you talk? Do you stand up to them? Do you
make a deal?
===== Questioning =====

Authorities grab an NPC member of your crew or one of the crew’s contacts, to question
them about your crimes. Who do they think is most vulnerable? Make a fortune roll to see
how much they talk (1-3: +2 heat , 4/5: +1 heat ), or pay off the authorities with money.

Roll 2d for a normal person to see how well they keep quiet. If they’re an experienced
underworld type or some kind of tough, give them 3d or 4d instead. If they’re soft or
if they have some loyalty to these authorities, give them 1d or 0d.
===== Reprisals =====

An enemy faction makes a move against you (or a friend, contact, or vice purveyor). Pay
them (1 rep and money) as an apology, allow them to mess with
you or yours, or fight back and show them who’s boss.
===== Rivals =====

A neutral faction throws their weight around. They threaten you, a friend, a contact, or
one of your vice purveyors. Forfeit (1 rep or money), or stand up to
them and lose status with them.
===== Show of force =====

A faction with whom you have a negative status makes a play against your holdings. Give
them 1 claim or go to war/become hunted (drop to -3 status). 

===== AI Badness =====

An AI is drawn to you. Acquire the services of a specialist to attempt
to destroy or redirect it, or deal with it yourself.

They can hire an NPC by using the acquire asset downtime activity. 
===== The Usual Suspects =====

Authorities grab someone in the periphery of your crew. One player volunteers a friend
or vice purveyor as the person most likely to be taken. Make a fortune roll to find out if
they resist questioning (1-3: +2 heat, 4/5: damage), or pay them off with money.