Downtime can be a frequent issue amongst various PCs.
Many things require down time: Initiating, purchasing special equipment, gathering materials for talismongering or enchanting, actually enchanting, going to your day job, or even being captured will pull you out of the adventure.
Multiple characters can be a good way to get around this.
In this system, each player makes 2 characters. The characters all belong to the same team. The player decides who to play during each session, and the other character is considered "busy" and "unavailable" doing downtime activities.
This way a PC who gets captured need not sit out during his rescue, or if he has a time sensitive mission, another PC can get his down time to initiate while his alternate adventures. It is also a way to guarantee never to get a TPK as each PC will have a backup on hand.
Both characters will have to pay for their lifestyles seperately, and will gain mission money seperately (and should not share resources any more than other PCs do with each other). They may or may not gain karma equally depending on how your GM handles players who are not there that session.
This way, the game can continuously run, without being dragged out by excessive downtime. Just make sure each player earns enough to cover his lifestyle, or there may be trouble there.
