Virtual Insanity

The runners are invited to a special Virtual Reality bar to meet with a Johnson. The invite even includes a tip on how to style their Persona to best fit in. 'Entering' the bar, the runners are met by a caterpillar-like entity with antlers, introducing itself as Eugene, their Johnson. Eugene explains to the runners that it needs help humiliating a prank hacker in a game tournament.
The tournament is 'Ultraviolent Fortnight IV', which is a 2-week tournament involving sieging a castle while also having to deal with monster attacks. Eugene wants the runners to take out KaneSlayer777 on the final day of the siege, preferably when he is inside the throne room. Until then, they must prepare their treachery. It will pay them 250 nuyen a day, doubled on success.

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Eugene

Metatype

Patrol IC

Gender

Udan

Birth Year

2066

Awakened/Ware

Metasapient AI

Type

Writing Advisor

Personality

Needlessly helpful

Eugene is the primary Patrol IC of the Planesmithy Host, a place where users go to design fictional worlds. Eugene is styled as an Udan, which is what the Agents look like, so it can blend in more easily. As a result, it also received a lot of help requests. Through providing advice, usually far from helpful, Eugene somehow developed intelligence and became a full-flexed AI.
Recently, a hacker targeted Planesmithy and set loose a viral program that significantly disrupted the local Agents. While the damage was restored with minimal downtime, Eugene is pissed that its compatriots were hurt. It tracked down KaneSlayer777, the user responsible, and now has plotted revenge in a way that will best hurt the guy: By humiliating him in front of his peers, at the height of his glory.

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The Run

Ultraviolent Fortnight IV takes place in an Ultraviolet Host. In short, a matrix server that provides such realistic VR, that it is impossible to distinguish from reality. In fact, real-life skills, even magic, will actually work in the game. The game is pretty much pay-to-win, with some playing as mere footsoldiers and servants, whereas the rich folks buy their way into fancy-gear high positions.
KaneSlayer777 will be one of the Commanders sieging the fort, the highest position that still allows one to fight personally and obtain glory through one's own hands. The siege is designed to last two weeks, while both sides also face monster attacks and need to gather resources somehow. On the final day, the walls will be breached with siege weapons.

Johnson

Eugene

Job Type

Wetwork

Opposition

Virtual werewolves, vampires, and rich douchebags

Base Rewards

¥7,000
6 Karma

Word on the street

"Ultraviolent is back?! Oh yeah, it's always great to watch. At least one rich jerkweed will humiliate himself at some point. Schadenfreude ftw!"

"He hurt my friends, so I will hurt him. Take him down at the height of his power."

"Pfff, money talks. All we folks can do is fight for scraps. Try to stick to a rich guy, and save his arse if he needs saving, or loot his corpse if he is beyond saving."

"No man can stand against me! Even the mighty Kane would fall before me! Death to all! Burn this entire place to the ground!"

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The Complications

The first problem is that the runners need to figure out which commander is KaneSlayer777. Fortunately he is a loudmouth, so it will be easy to find him on the battlefield. Next, they must prepare better gear for themselves and make enough of a name for themselves that they can get close to Kane. And deal with werewolf attacks, of course.
Somehow, on the fifth day, a group manages to breach the walls. The fort gets swarmed and its defending players are routed. To not end the tournament prematurely, the organizers update the final goal. Now the attackers must defend the fort, while also having to deal with vampire infiltrators. This makes it harder to backstab KaneSlayer777 in combat.

The Aftermath

KaneSlayer777 ragequits the game and bombards the tournament with bad reviews. He even tries hacking it, which turns out a bad idea. Eugene warned the local IC of KaneSlayer777's dirty tricks and they were eager to use this info to take him down.
The runners not only get paid, but they also receive a personal message of gratitude from the Tournament organizers. They tell the runners they would love to see them around next time, to be a thorn in the side of the rich folks and help make the game more entertaining. The team also receives a free year subscription to the normal VR mode of the game, so they can practice but also just enjoy themselves.