The Laplace System
In short, the Laplace System is a semi-anonymous computer network through which runners and Johnsons meet and arrange jobs, and through which reputations are tracked. In long, it's a mystery that has baffled the world for over a decade.
In short, the Laplace System is a semi-anonymous computer network through which runners and Johnsons meet and arrange jobs, and through which reputations are tracked. In long, it's a mystery that has baffled the world for over a decade.
When a Johnson needs a runner, a message is posted to the Laplace System, likewise, when runners need a Johnson they can check the Laplace system to see if any runs are available. Runners and Johnsons also track each others reputations in this way through limited biographical files. The Laplace System itself handles the sorting, matching, and prioritization, and has come to be known as quite reliable. When a Johnson has particular runners or runner groups in mind for a mission, they typically receive those runners or suitable replacements if any are available. When runners wonder whether a particular Johnson has work, the Laplace System never steers them wrong.
In practice, this means that runners can always check their comps to find available runs, typically displayed as icons on an overview map of the area. Shadowrunners can often also determine one or more of the following: how much time is left to take the mission, its difficulty, and its priority level. The method of contacting the Johnson for mission details is also often listed. Typically this involves setting up a face-to-face meeting through Laplace chat, but is often just instructions to show up at a specific place and time, perhaps including details on how to recognize the Johnson.
Strangely runners will sometimes arrive and identify a Johnson, only to be told by that Johnson that no posting has been made, but that there is indeed work that needs to be done. Most simply chalk this up to Johnsons being coy about their illicit activity. Similarly, runners will also sometimes find what are called “Blank Label” runs, posted by no one, wherein no Johnson or mission information is provided, but a location or scrap of information is available. Runners know that the way to obtain these missions is essentially to go there and “poke around”.
Of course, some Johnsons still contact runners directly about jobs, and runners can still find runs by wandering about, interacting with people, or performing certain activities, but these missions, too, inevitably show up on Laplace.
Everyone who uses the Laplace System, that is, all shadowrunners and Johnsons, has a Laplace ID, typically their runner name. A Laplace ID allows access to the System and also serves as an identifier to others. What the system displays changes based on who is viewing it and when, and information can be quite limited. A typical runners profile includes perhaps one or more of: ethical score, competency, and archetype, or may even be entirely blank depending on who views it and when. Similar is true for Johnsons. Mission reports and headlines also show up through the system's Laplace Mail, reporting apparent successes or failures of missions; many users however receive these largely to partially garbled or redacted, conveniently hiding facts runners or even Johnsons need kept secret. The Laplace Mail is an invaluable tool for keeping up-to-date in the shadow community, but is notoriously glitchy in this way, in addition to being garbled, occasionally posting nonsensical, contradictory, or misdated information.
The Mystery
The mystery, really, is how the Laplace System does any of this. People can seek out the application and create Ids, but many never did. It's not uncommon for a runners' first interactions with the Laplace System to be when they receive, unbidden, an email with a message containing their Runner ID and a link to download the program. Likewise, some Johnsons claim that they never had a Laplace ID until the day runners showed up out of nowhere.
When the Laplace system first started functioning it took off gradually, only involving some runners, before eventually becoming ubiquitous. Many people were initially panicked at the system and its apparent level of knowledge, but over time its become simply a fact of life, and overt paranoia about Laplace is likely to be dismissed by colleagues and Johnsons alike. Despite massive efforts over the years, many in the beginning, and some ongoing, no megacorporation, government, or shadowrunner has been able to track down what the Laplace System is, who is behind it, or where it's located. Fortunately for the community, no one has found a reliable way to catch runners or Johnsons by using it either.
There are many different beliefs about the Laplace System, its nature, and its origins, though all are speculation. Most rational people assume that it must be run by someone somewhere, but haven't got much to go on beyond that. Others assume that it's just a bunch of garbage data on the matrix being used as the equivalent of an Ouija board, with people pushing at it and then seeing what they want to see. Legally speaking the Laplace System is a bunch of unsourced, unverifiable gobbledygook from the corners of the matrix, and isn't generally considered proof of anything.
Laplace Edges and Flaws
Edge: Lucky ID
Value: 4
You get more benefit from the Laplace Mail's reputation tracking. Your relevant deeds tend to be well-known to Johnsons and other runners, often out of proportion to what you've actually accomplished. This does not effect the Laplace Mail's tendency to keep secret personal or mission details that might damage you, but instead makes you look better to everyone. You get better, higher-paying, and more glamorous missions faster than most people, and compatible organizations and teams will be eager to have you aboard.
Flaw: Unlucky ID
Value: -3
You get a bum rap in the Laplace Mail. It could be bad luck, bad karma or maybe gremlins with a vendetta, but you come across poorly to other members of the community. Your failures seem more prominent, and your accomplishments are less so, sometimes being overlooked entirely. The Laplace Mail doesn't leak details that will get you cooked, but you do look worse to everyone. Johnsons typically assume the worst of your competence and treat you as such. You'll need to somehow join up with a really good team to get out of a rut of low-paying bottom of the barrel missions.
Obviously a character can't have both of these.
Laplace Edges and Flaws
Edge: Lucky ID
Value: 4
You get more benefit from the Laplace Mail's reputation tracking. Your relevant deeds tend to be well-known to Johnsons and other runners, often out of proportion to what you've actually accomplished. This does not effect the Laplace Mail's tendency to keep secret personal or mission details that might damage you, but instead makes you look better to everyone. You get better, higher-paying, and more glamorous missions faster than most people, and compatible organizations and teams will be eager to have you aboard.
Flaw: Unlucky ID
Value: -3
You get a bum rap in the Laplace Mail. It could be bad luck, bad karma or maybe gremlins with a vendetta, but you come across poorly to other members of the community. Your failures seem more prominent, and your accomplishments are less so, sometimes being overlooked entirely. The Laplace Mail doesn't leak details that will get you cooked, but you do look worse to everyone. Johnsons typically assume the worst of your competence and treat you as such. You'll need to somehow join up with a really good team to get out of a rut of low-paying bottom of the barrel missions.
Obviously a character can't have both of these.
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