Blackjack's People #107
Eastern Path
By Blackjack [Blackjack's Shadowrun Page: www.BlackjackSR.com] [BlackjackSRx@gmail.com] [@BlackjackSRx]

Posted: 2000-03-27

Sakka

Archetype: Human Former Yakuza Soldier

Yakuza defectors usually don’t live very long. Sakka is a rare exception. After Sakka saved the life of his former boss he was given permission to form his own clan. Rather than stay in the Yakuza organization, Sakka used the information he gained while working as a guard during cross Atlantic drug runs to acquire (with the blessings of his former boss) some of the routes. After meeting up with his friend Dimka, a gifted planner, organizer, and warrior, he consolidated the best of those routes - the ones which ran only the finest and most expensive drugs and BTLs - into one weekly route known as the Eastern Path. While not technically with the Yakuza any longer, Sakka can still call in Yakuza support when needed and often brings along a Yak boat or two for protection during his journeys.

Sakka is a rather cold man, heavily build and rather tall, with buzzed cut hair. His combative skills far outweigh his skills of logic and planning and at times it appears that he is nothing more than a figure-head leader of his group. Sakka’s real skills lie in his ability to hit opposing drug organizations right where it hurts, manipulating and hurting the right people in the chain of command necessary to bring the whole opposing group to their knees. He specializes in crossbows, swords, and other more primitive weaponry, though he’s not afraid to pick up an assault rifle if need be.

Dimka

Archetype: Human Former Mercenary

Tall, black, with hair dyed red and white, Dimka is the brains behind Sakka’s organization. She’s an extremely imposing woman, both physically and intellectually, and she has the uncanny ability to gain - and hold - the upper hand in negotiations from the moment the first word is spoken. Her secret is to keep people constantly on the defensive, forcing them to address her words while preventing them from coming up with their own ideas. He weapon of choice is Salvette Guardian, chromed and kept very visible in a hip holster. While negotiations and planning are her forte, she is also an accomplished fighter, having spent many years in a number African mercenary units. With the Eastern Path operation secured, she has recently begun planning a revised route that also includes Africa and South America, her ultimate goal being that of creating a globe-circling route.

Takasume

Archetype: Dwarf Chemist

Takasume hooked up with Eastern Path as a way to get out of metahuman-oppresive Japan. His sole job in the organization is to make sure the drugs being run are 100% free of impurities. Essentially, he’s the quality control guy.

Takasume never does drugs himself, generally keeps to himself, and usually hangs out below deck of Eastern Path’s boat, the Tsunami. In his rather plush cabin he has a variety of complicated - and extremely expensive - drug analysis equipment. The only time Takasume leaves the ship or enters combat situations is when Sakka believes he may be needed to test goods before they’re moved to the boat. Both Dimka and Sakka take great care to make sure nothing happens to Takasume, as it would be very expensive and risky to replace someone so reliable and experienced.

Tsunami

Archetype: Human Rigger

Tsunami keeps his main boat (also named ‘Tsunami’) in excellent condition and has mechanic and marine garage contacts throughout the world who provide him with a save haven to make repairs. The boat itself is a heavily modified Harland & Wolff Classique which, counting all modifications, is worth over 35 million nuyen. Most of this money went towards military - sometimes even experimental - grade sensors, ECM, ECCM, and weapons gear. Four of the cabins have been replaced with state of the art extended range anti-air and anti-sea missile weapons, giving Tsunami the ability to blow most threats away before they have a chance to get even close to the ship. The only time the ship is really at threat is when it’s at port, which is why the ship is usually kept out at sea and all coastal shipments are made by courier boats (closely monitored by the Tsunami’s long range sensors and weapons). Rumor has it you can fire a military grade AVM at the Tsunami from a meager 100 meters away and the missile will still miss the ship completely due to the abundance of electronic protection. Since, without this boat, Eastern Path wouldn’t exist, a significant amount of the organization’s profit goes towards upgrading and maintaining it.

Salanis

Archetype: Elf (Night One) Mage

Salanis is probably one of the most frightening magical oriented individuals most runners will ever encounter (not that they’ll get close enough to actually see her). Her swirled black and white skin color and mystical eyes only add to the exotic and powerful aura that flows from Salanis’s being. She has devoted every moment of her life to studying sorcery and spends weeks on end shut inside her unlit cabin playing blood curdling music and practicing her arts. Using a pair of fiber-optic goggles she has a spherical view around the Tsunami, giving her the ability to defend the ship as well as a small army of normal magicians. Her level of initiation is through the roof and she can cast even the most powerful spells with barely a thought. Scary girl.