Shadowrun #25 - Rat Shaman And Dark Blade

1. Kistune and the Jagged Nails Club, Rat Shaman And Dark Blade

Items

Leaves, (Dr. Maplethorpe's number)

Keywords

Anders, Kitsune

Enemies

*1 Karma point equals 8 Experience (EXP) points

Defeating the Rust Stilettos has made quite a name for Jake among the elite Shadowrunner groups. If you explored earlier, you may have run into a crowded club where the bouncer told you to improve your reputation a bit if you wanted to come in. Your latest victory may have been just the thing.

The Jagged Nails club can be found by heading SW from the marketplace. Proceed SW through the intersection, then turn NW and head onto the next screen. You should pass by the hotel on your right and come to the club entrance. Talk to the bouncer on the left, who has heard of your recent deeds, and he will let you enter for 50 nuyen.

A Fox?

You would think the club would be a little more crowded based on all the hoopla. There are as many bartenders as patrons. This actually works in your favor here as it makes it less confusing to get information. The bartender on the right (Cecil) tells you that *KITSUNE* is performing on stage and uses this club as a cover to pick up on good jobs. The two other men at the bar are Shadowrunners. Steelflight, on the left, is the best decker and probably best overall Shadowrunner in the game. He is very pricey, however. Next to him is Spatter, who is somewhat of a mercenary-mage hybrid. Spatter is fairly average overall, so there's no compelling reason to hire him.

One interesting thing to do is ask Cecil about *STREET DOC*. He asks for 100 nuyen to find the number. What he does next depends on your version of the game. In the "Chop Shop" version, he says "never mind, she's too good for you anyway." He does keep your 100 nuyen, however. In the "morgue guys" version, he gives you the phone number for Dr. Maplethorpe. Dialing that number puts you in touch with his secretary, but there's no real use for her. She will tell you the location of the office, so maybe that was the intent of adding it here.

The target of your visit is Kitsune, who is performing on stage. To speak with her, stand next to the video phone and try to target her. You may miss a few times or get "too far away" errors, but keep trying until you get the option to Talk. Once selected, she will teleport down to the floor and speak with you.

Kitsune reveals herself as the shape-shifting fox who revived Jake after he was gunned down at the beginning of the game. You can hire her as a Shadowrunner, but she is quite difficult to keep alive — save your nuyen. Ask her about *Dog* and she will give you the LEAVES. She also mentions that the Dog will guide you in your destiny, so now is a good time to revisit him.

Another point about game versions: Kistune's dialogue is more sexually explicit in the "Chop Shop" version. For example, when asked about *Kitsune* she says "never snuggled down with a fox? Wanna try?" Some of her other responses are similarly flirtatious. This language was toned down in the "morgue guys" version, likely at Nintendo's request.

Dog Spirit Revisited

Exit the Jagged Nails club and head SW down to the Docks again. Enter the Dog Spirit is warehouse (second door on the third screen). If the Dog Spirit still gives you the message about bringing three items, you missed a pick-up along the way. The items he is referring to are:

• Man: Magic Fetish
• Creature: Dog Collar
• Earth: Leaves

The Leaves were just picked up from Kitsune at the Jagged Nails club. The Dog Collar is found by releasing the dog from the fountain area in front of the morgue in Tenth Street. The Magic Fetish is picked up by healing the injured shaman in the Tenth Street cemetery.

Once you have these items, he will teach you the HEAL spell (this also sets your Magic attribute to level 1, so it can now be raised). This will open the dialogue box. Talk to him and he will ask you to destroy the *RAT* Shaman, who dwells at a place where souls rest. The Dog Spirit will not speak with you again until this foe is defeated.

Before proceeding, you should take some time boost your newly acquired Heal spell and Magic attribute. You should raise Heal to level 3-4 and the Magic attribute to level 5-6. This can be quite time consuming, as there are not many good places to power-up at this point in the game. The area around the docks is probably the best that you can do. The second screen, in particular, usually has at least 2 enemies. The Orcs are your best bet, as they give either 2 or 3 experience points each time. In fact, you may want to just move between the harbor screen and second screen and only target the Orcs and Mage that appear near the bottom. This allows you to earn karma very quickly (2-3 points per minute), assuming you do not pick up the nuyen.

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2. Rat Shaman's Lair, Rat Shaman And Dark Blade

Items

none

Keywords

Jester Spirit

Enemies

*1 Karma point equals 8 Experience (EXP) points

The Rat Shaman's Lair is hidden at a place where souls rest. The location is obviously a graveyard. If you did some exploring in the Downtown area, you probably passed by a graveyard just behind the Drake building (and just south of the marketplace). Head back to the marketplace, which is the area to the southeast of the Daley Station concourse. Head to the southernmost part of the marketplace. To the left of the main exit, you will spot a small walkway. Follow it and you will come out at a bronze gate leading into a graveyard. The gate, which was closed before, has now been mysteriously opened.

The Lair

The Rat Shaman lives in sewers underneath the Downtown area. This residence is filthy and infested with Giant Rats. There are two types or rats here: ones that bite and ones that shoot small pellets. The latter are much more dangerous. With both types of rats, you should enter each screen slowly and only alert one at a time. Battling numerous rats at once, especially the shooting rats, is very dangerous. Be ready to make quick use of the Heal spell if your life gets low (which will probably happen at least a couple of times).

The lair is composed of five rooms. You enter into the first room from the cemetery. From here, there is a NW route, which leads to screen 2 and a dead- end, as well as a NE route. The NE route leads to screen 3, which has exits to the NW (leads to screen 4 and another dead-end) and SE. This last SE exit leads to the Rat Shaman's room.

While you only need to pass through two screens before reaching the Rat Shaman, you should clear them all out since the rats are an excellent source of karma. The first screen and beginning of the second screen house the easier "biting" rats. All other rats will shoot at you, so be careful.

Rat Shaman

The Rat Shaman fight can be pretty tricky if you aren't well prepared. By this point, you should have at least upgraded your weapon and armor to the Shotgun and Mesh Jacket. Once you enter the Rat Shaman's room, do not move in too far. Make sure you edge forward slightly until you trigger the Giant Rats, then finish them off before proceeding. Stay against the left side wall and you can avoid activating the Shaman. If you are careful, you may even be able to sneak up on the rats and target them before they activate. This is ideal. Try to take care of all the Giant Rats in this way, as they will stun you while trying to attack the Rat Shaman.

Once the rats are gone, it is time to deal with the Rat Shaman. You will notice that he moves in a fixed square pattern his platform. He moves quickly, so there is a chance you will lose target. Try to position yourself so that his entire path of motion is on the screen, but stand as far back as you can (the bottommost staircase makes a good position). His powerball spells take time to travel, so the closer you are, the faster you will take damage. Just maintain target lock and fire as quickly as you can. He will cast Freeze on you occasionally, but there is nothing you can do. The Rat Shaman is also vulnerable to Grenades, but you will need to time them (throw just after he stops moving). With Body at level 10 or so, along with the Heal spell, you should be fine.

If you are having a lot of trouble, you can try hiring a cheap Shadowrunner to use as a meat shield, absorbing blows from the Rat Shaman and giving you a chance to attack. The two best ones for this job are Orifice and Hamfist. do not hire them until after you have cleared out the other sewer sections, however, as they will have a lot of trouble surviving the Giant Rats.

When the Rat Shaman is killed, a spirit emerges from his body and reveals himself to be the *JESTER SPIRIT*. He says that Jake must learn his true name before seeing him next. After he disappears, check the Rat Shaman's body and you will find 3,000 nuyen. If you have not yet purchased the Boosted Reflexes, put this money towards that.

The Loyal Kitsune

If you have Kistune in your party after the Rat Shaman dies, she starts a conversation with you and offers to stick around. At this point, she will remain with you permanently instead of leaving after a set number of battles like other Shadowrunners do. This permanent accompaniment only lasts so long as Kitsune remains alive. If killed while with you, Kitsune will return to the Jagged Nails club. If hired again, she will only stay with you for a set number of battles, as normal.

Keeping Kitsune alive can be quite a challenge. If you do have any long term plans, at least give her the Leather Jacket (if you did not sell it). The one point in defense will actually make a big difference.

Back to the Dog

Exit the sewers and head back to the Dog Spirit at the Docks. He is very pleased that you have defeated his mortal enemy and agrees to help you. He lets you know that if you recite the Spirit is true name, you can bind him to your will. Unfortunately, he offers no other help on what to do next.

After the conversation, the Dog Spirit will teach you the POWERBALL spell if you have the Paperweight and Ghoul Bone (both can be picked up in Tenth Street). The Powerball is a quick projectile that several of the enemies use against you (like the mages by the Docks). It is not a very useful spell given its MP cost (specifics on damage and MP cost are in the "Magic" section of the Appendix). If you have any desire to use it at all, raise it a few levels first. At level 1, the Powerball is not even as strong as the Shotgun.

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3. Dark Blade Mansion, Rat Shaman And Dark Blade

Items

DF_DB-Jester, Strobes, (Dark Blade Phone Number)

Keywords

Bremerton, Dark Blade, Laughlyn, Nirwanda, Strobes, Vampires

Enemies

*1 Karma point equals 8 Experience (EXP) points

it is time to collect some information on the Jester Spirit. The Dog Spirit is not very helpful, but maybe Kitsune can offer some advice. As a rule of thumb, the Dog Spirit and Kitsune are both good places to turn to if you cannot figure out what to do next.

Opening The Gate

Gaining access to the Dark Blade mansion is probably one of the most confusing parts of the game. Head back to the Jagged Nails club and speak with Kitsune. Ask her about *Jester Spirit* and she speculates that someone at *DARK BLADE* knows its location. Oddly, if you ask Kitsune about Dark Blade now she has no response. However, if you hire her and ask her while she is in your party, she teaches you the *VAMPIRES* keyword. You can also learn the *Vampires* keyword by asking the bartender (on the left side) about *Dark Blade*.

Once you have learned those two words, ask the other bartender (Cecil, on the right side) about *Vampires*. He tells you about a time a vampire was in the club and the *STROBES* sent him into convulsions. He says the old strobe lights are still around somewhere. Ask the other bartender (left side) about *Strobes* and he will offer to lend them to you. You will now have the STROBES in your inventory.

Now things get a little confusing. The gates to the Dark Blade mansion (located SE of the marketplace) are still closed. The person you need to seek out next is the owner of the Talismans Shop in Old Town. This is probably the only reason you can learn the shop's phone number. If you have the phone number, you can call from the video phone in the Jagged Nails club (also a clue). If you do not have it, OR if you did not buy the Stake from that shop previously, head back to Old Town. The conversation is the same with the Talismans Shop owner whether in person or over the phone.

When speaking with the Shaman, ask about *Dark Blade* and you are given the DARK BLADE PHONE NUMBER, along with a warning that the leader is evil. Dial the new phone number and Johan will answer. Remember the Magic Fetish you picked up earlier, with the bat engraving? The bat is a clue that it is connected the vampires that presumably occupy the Dark Blade mansion. Ask Johan about *Magic Fetish* and he tells you to stop by. The gate will now be opened when you visit.

• Kitsune at the Jagged Nails. Ask about *Jester Spirit*. Learn or Receive *Dark Blade*
• Club Manager (left) at the Jagged Nails. Ask about *Dark Blade*. Learn or Receive *Vampires*
• Club Manager (right) at the Jagged Nails. Ask about *Vampires*. Learn or Receive *Strobes*
• Club Manager (left) at the Jagged Nails. Ask about *Strobes*. Learn or Receive Strobes (item)
• Indian Shaman at the Talismans Shop. Ask about *Dark Blade*. Learn or Receive Dark Blade Phone No.
• Johan (Dark Blade) at the Video Phone. Ask about *Magic Fetish*. Learn or Receive Opens Dark Blade gate

Once the gate is opened, head over to the Dark Blade mansion. You can find it by heading SE from Daley Station and SE again from the marketplace.

Hidden Weapon Shop

While not really hidden, some players have a difficult time finding this weapon shop. To get there, head to the far right side of the Dark Blade courtyard, past the front door. Head down the small alley and you will have found it.

Most weapons are not available during this first visit. The two notable pieces of equipment are the Shotgun and Uzi. The Shotgun is the same as the one available in Old Town, except is only costs 12,000 nuyen here. The Uzi is a new weapon, but it is quite pricey at 30,000 nuyen. See the next section for more on buying the Uzi.

You should return to this weapon shop frequently, particularly if you defeat a boss enemy or clear a major section. The shop owner will replace many of the currently unavailable items.

The Great Uzi Debate

There has been a lot of debate over the years about whether or not the Uzi is worth the upgrade. First, the stats. The Uzi has an attack power of 8 (same as the Shotgun) and an accuracy rating of 3 (one higher than the Shotgun). As a guideline, one point in a weapon's accuracy is equal to a single point in the Firearms skill. The Uzi also has the benefit of having an automatic trigger. This means that it will fire at maximum rate by holding down the A-button. All other guns have manual triggers that require you to repeatedly tap the A-button.

Cost aside, the Uzi is a clearly superior weapon to the Shotgun. While the maximum damage is the same, you should kill enemies faster due to more shots hitting (accuracy) and firing at a quicker rate (automatic trigger). It is technically possible to match the firing rate of the Uzi using other weapons if you have a turbo controller. Short of that, it is impossible to get in as many shots by tapping the A-button. Therefore, the Uzi should wrack up damage a lot quicker than the Shotgun.

The crux of the debate is over the price tag of the Uzi: is it worth 30,000 nuyen? Well, that may depend at least partly on your financial situation. If you have 30,000 nuyen but have not yet purchased the Boosted Reflexes, it is definitely NOT worth it -- upgrade the reflexes instead. If you are well short of 30,000 and would need to spend a long time earning money, it is probably NOT worth it once again. And, if you are already past the Bremerton stage, it is probably NOT worth it either.

The Uzi is a very hard sell at 30,000 nuyen. The only time the upgrade would make sense is if you have decked out all your other gear and have the nuyen to spare, which is unlikely at this point if you have been progressing through the game normally. However, if you do have the money and you want to make the game a bit easier, splurge on the Uzi. It will make a nice difference in the next two areas. Once better weapons are available later, sell the Uzi back. You will still recoup 15,000 nuyen of your original purchase. The Uzi is best thought of as a luxury purchase; a "nice to have" rather than an "absolutely must have."

Deliver The Fetish

There is a mage at the entrance of the Dark Blade mansion who you can talk to. He is uninterested in any word except *Magic Fetish*. If you try to go to another room without mentioning that to him, he will alert security and you will be attacked. He will do the same if you shoot him before mentioning the Magic Fetish. Once you mention the fetish, he asks you to go to the room on the left where Vladimir is expecting you. Note that if you have a Shadowrunner in your party, s/he will immediately begin attacking the mage. This automatically alerts security in the rest of the mansion.

In the next room, you can give the Magic Fetish to Vladimir if you choose. You can also keep the fetish and just start blasting Vlad, which will cause him to turn into a vampire and flee.

So, why would you ever give up the fetish when you can just waste these freaks from the outset? Well, one advantage is that you can have a friendly conversation with Vladimir after handing over the magic item. When asked about *Jester Spirit*, he will teach you the *BREMERTON* keyword. This keyword is a trigger that allows you to access the next area. If you do not get the keyword now, you will need to wait until the end of the mansion. The one reason you may want to go ahead to Bremerton (other than curiosity) is that you get the items to learn three new spells while you are there, which may come in handy in this stage. Still, this is probably not needed. it is up to you if you want to "aid the enemy" by turning over the fetish. Your choice makes little difference in the long term, as the Magic Fetish has no further use.

The computers in this room can also be hacked. The top computer allows you to break into the Dark Blade bank account. You only need to transfer data from the top datastore to gain access. Once you log out, you will have found 10,000 nuyen. Very nice find. The bottom computer holds the DF_DB-JESTER file. You only need to transfer data from the rightmost datastore to obtain it. This file explains the collaboration between Vladimir and the Jester, as well as hinting that Nirwanda is not the Jester's real name. Keep this in mind.

Once you exit the screen with Vladimir, the fun begins. Enemies now attack you in all rooms. Each room has a mix of Samurai Warriors and Cruel Men. The Samurai Warriors are more dangerous, so take them out first. In the room to the right of the main hall, you can find a MESH JACKET on the dead body of one of the Samurai Warriors. This item is identical to the one you can buy in Old Town statistically, except that no weapon shop will repurchase it. This is odd, but you can still make money by equipping the tainted Jacket and selling the one you bought. This has no adverse effect.

In that same room you can find a BRONZE KEY on the bookcase. Pick this up, as it will be needed shortly. Head back to the main hallway, then straight ahead through the NE door. Turn left in the next room and you will come to the kitchen. After dispatching the enemies, head to the top of the screen, then follow the right-hand wall behind the brick separation. This will take you to a locked bronze gate, which can be opened using the Bronze Key you recently picked up.

Catacombs

The kitchen stairs lead to the catacombs, a festering dungeon of unending Ghouls. The Ghouls emerge from the ground repeatedly and run quickly to attack you. They have a very high attack, so do whatever it takes to avoid getting overwhelmed. You can use these Ghouls to your advantage (see next section), but they are very deadly foes. Proceed SW to the end of the hallway. In the next room, head SE. You will have the option of going into a room on the right or heading down a stairwell. The room on the right just leads to a dead end (and lots of Ghouls), so head down the stairs.

Ultimate Power-Up Location

The catacombs are possibly the best power-up location in the game. You can earn massive amounts of karma here in a very quick time due to the limitless supply of Ghouls. They key is positioning yourself not to take damage. The safest place to stand is behind one of the coffins near the bottom of the screen. Stand directly behind the southernmost tip of the coffin and the Ghouls should not be able to reach you. The coffins will block their way. From here, you can safely pick off the Ghouls at a quick rate. it is possible to earn 8-10 karma or more per minute.

Some players have strategies that involve putting a rubber band on the controller and continuously killing Ghouls for hours without having to sit in front of the screen. This is a possible strategy, but it is risky, as a stray Ghoul can wander down and make short work of you. It would suck to lose a hundred or so karma this way. You can achieve a similar effect by hiring Shadowrunners. You probably need a party of two or three, but having an entourage of Shadowrunners will allow you to earn karma without doing anything. Well, except monitoring them to make sure a Ghoul does not slip by. If you are going to go this route, I recommend Hamfist, Orifice, and Norbert. These are not the best three Shadowrunners, but this party is very cost effective and gets the job done nicely.

You should put most of the karma you earn into Magic, which seems to take ages to raise. If you can get Body and Magic in the 10-13 range, you should be in excellent position to handle the next couple of stages.

Vampire Chamber

As soon as you enter the Vampire room, run slightly back up the stairs and flush against the wall. This will prevent the 4 Ghouls from running right up to you. You are relatively safe from here, so pick off the Ghouls as quickly as you can. Once defeated, run into the room before the Vampire tries to walk up the stairs towards you.

No matter what weapon you use, the Vampire cannot be damaged. The key to defeating him is to recall the story that the bartender told you in the Jagged Nails club. Pull out the Strobes and let them shine. The Vampire will become dazed and will stop attacking you. Interestingly, once the Vampire is blinded, any Ghouls on the screen will disappear (you do not get karma for killing them if this happens).

Now is the chance to relive all the Dracula movies and drive the stake right into his chest. Once stabbed, Vladimir becomes cooperative in a hurry. Ask him about *Jester Spirit* and he tells you the true name is *NIRWANDA* and he is located at *Bremerton*. Since you know he's lying, let him have it with the Stake again. This time, when asked about *Jester Spirit*, he tells you the name is *LAUGHLYN*. Now, you can spare the Vampire's life, but what would be the point? Nail him with the Stake for a third time and he will be done. The chap leaves 5,000 nuyen when killed. With a new enemy and the keyword to defeat him, it is time to find Bremerton.

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