The Shadowrun Supplemental #17 - Shadowrun.us

The CutthroatsWhy would the Yakuza be mingling with a typical Sprawl Gang?MATRIX GANGSThe digital landscapes of the Matrix are a haven forpirates, crackers, virtual thugs, and data mavens.Martial Arts StylesMore ways to beat people up than you canshake a rattan stick at!PLUS:A LITTLE LEARNING,DAMAGE CONTROL,SWIFTONE SPEAKSAND THE DEBUT OF DATASTEAL!

Editorial VerbiageOrigins Award Nomination!For the second year in a row, The ShadowrunSupplemental has been nominated for an OriginsAward in the category of Best Amateur Game Periodical!We’re very proud to be nominated again, so thank youto all the people involved in the nomination process.If you think The Shadowrun Supplemental is the best,please vote for us!Editorial VerbiageAdam Jury [ adamj@dumpshock.com ]What happens when the two primary editors of TheShadowrun Supplemental both get parts in an upcomingShadowrun book? They sure as heck don’t get muchediting finished! What happens when a car crashes intoan editor's house, doing enough damage to force her to livein a hotel for a month? She sure doesn’t get a lot of editingfinished! What happens when the other editor takes on alast minute assignment for another gaming company? Hesure as heck doesn’t get a lot of layout finished!That was the theme for this issue; as soon as we startedto make some good progress, something else came up andstopped it. Which is our explanation for why it’s so late,something that I really hope to avoid in the future. Thegood news is that over the last few months we’ve hadchance to pick and choose some other articles from ourbacklog, and we’re a little bit more organized than in thepast. Not as organized as I hoped to be, but more organizedthan this time last year.You may have noticed a slight change in theorganization of this magazine and official FanPro LLCShadowrun products. Much of the material has beendivided into two sections, one for pure in-characterinformation, the second for game information such ascharacter and gear statistics, rules and “the truth”—distilled briefly from the in-character material—sogamemasters have an easy reference that they know isfactual without the possibly misleading shadowtalk.This is the model that we’re trying to follow fromnow on. Some articles do not need this treatment—forexample, an article with new rules (Such as ShadowrunD8 from TSS-13, or Seven Samurai from TSS-15) but noin-character information doesn’t need a seperate GameInformation section—it’s all game information! Likewise,a short in-character article like the Soy Processing Unitsfrom TSS-16 doesn’t need a Game Information section ifthere are no major rules or game information.This new style is a slight change from the waythings were previously organized, and it makes writingShadowrun material slightly different from before. Insome ways it makes it a bit more difficult, because thegame information needs to be a bit more defined than thein character text—however, this gives you a strong baseto write the in-character material from. That’s the order Isuggest when writing material in the new style: start withyour outline, then move onto the game information, thenonce the game information is more or less finished, workon the in-character material. You’ll probably have to revisesome of the game information when you’re finished withthe in-character section, because the in-character text oftenprompts new ideas and interesting twists. Writing in thisorder helps ensure that you know where you're going withthe in-character material, and helps prevent meanderingdigressions that don't add anything truly useful.We encourage all authors to use the new format whensubmitting works—it will increase your chances of beingfeatured in the magazine!TheTheShadowrunShadowrun SupplementalSupplemental2 issue # 17 Issue # 17

Submission GuidelinesOur submission guidelines are also available on theweb at http://tss.dumpshock.com/guidelines.htmlGeneral GuidelinesThe following guidelines apply for both writtenand artistic submissions. All submissions andsubmission inquiries should be sent by email totss@dumpshock.com1. All submissions should relate to Shadowrun in someway. Submissions that fit more generally in the ‘cyberpunk’genre may also be accepted, but submissions that areoriented toward other cyberpunk genre roleplaying gamesare probably better submitted to a magazine or websitedevoted to them. We prefer that submissions are ‘original’to The Shadowrun Supplemental–that is, that they haven’tseen widespread distribution on another website already.We’re flexible, though—if an article has been posted to amessage board or mailing list so you can gather feedbackon it, that’s generally fine. When in doubt, ask us!2. You must be the legal owner of the work to submitsomething, and you remain responsible for your work.3. You retain all copyright to your material, but grantThe Shadowrun Supplemental the right to edit your workbefore publication, and perpetual online rights to publishyour work online and to edit/update it as necessary. Youmay republish any such material online, but we appreciateit if you give credit and provide a link to The ShadowrunSupplemental as the original place of publication.4. All submissions should include the author’s emailaddress and real name. Neither of them need to bepublished, but we need to have them. If you wish to haveyour email address suppressed or your work credited to ahandle, include that information in your email message.5. No payment or compensation is available(unfortunately) for authors or artists.6. All authors and artists should recieve an email within7 days about the status of the article. If you do not recievea reply within 14 days please send a follow-up email tous.Editorial VerbiageWritten Submissions1. All submissions should be sent by email - please put‘[SUBMISSION] Name of Submission’ in the subject line ofyour email. For example: ‘[SUBMISSION] Firearm Pricesthe Sensible Way’.2. Submissions should be either included in the body ofthe email message, or attached as a .RTF, .DOC, or .TXTfile. If you are unable to send a file in these formats, pleaseemail to ask for further instructions. If you have graphicsthat belong with the article - such as maps or characterillustrations, please see the Art Submission guidelines.3. Please keep formatting to your documents minimal—bold, italics, and simple tables are fine and is generally allthat’s necessary.4. If possible, please follow our Style Sheet, available athttp://tss.dumpshock.com/style.htmlArt Submissions1. All submissions should be sent by email - please put‘[ART SUBMISSION] Name of Submission’ in the subjectline of your email. For example: ‘[ART SUBMISSION]Restaurant Maps’.2. All forms of artwork are acceptable— hand drawn,computer generated, computer modified photographs,etc.3. Images should be in at least 300DPI format, 150minimum. .TIF format is preferred, but .GIF, .JPG, and.BMP are all acceptable. Please email to ask about otherformats.4. All graphics must include the artist’s signature orother defining mark.The WantlistSome semi-specific things that we would like tosee submitted for future issues of The ShadowrunSupplemental include:· The Cluttered Datastore — We're looking for gear of allkinds for this column!· Tai’s Magical Goodies — Our new/revived Magiccolumn, home for spells, adept powers, totems, and othermagical mayhem!· Organizations — gangs, smuggling teams, initiatorygroups, policlubs.· Adventures — short adventures, especially focusingon Year of the Comet events.Have Your SayJust as important as the people who create are the people who consume—so please, let us knowwhat you think of The Shadowrun Supplemental. There’s a small survey to fill out available athttp://tss.dumpshock.com/feedback_17.html, and you can always email the editorial team attss@dumpshock.com. Your feedback is always appreciated!Shadowrun, Matrix, and all related terms are copyrights of WizKids LLC (1989 to thepresent date.), All rights reserved. All names used without permission. This compilationof material is copyright ©2002 Adam JuryTheTheShadowrunShadowrun SupplementalSupplemental3 issue # 17 Issue # 17

The CutthroatsThe CutthroatsAlexandre van Chesten [ havoc@videotron.ca ]Internal Memo 125432-34BThree,It has been brought to my aention that the developinggroup calling themselves the Cuhroats could be a primecandidate to test the procedure we have talked about oflate. They are a more recent arrival in Puyallup, and assuch show promise. I have enclosed an analysis that hasbeen circulating around our Seale clans. Despite thelier of useless and bland addendums by our peons, theinformation should be sufficient to determine whether ornot support could be directed towards the Cuhroats’leadership so as to help them gain control of the area. Theirtactics seem brutal enough that our eventual takeover willbe seen in much beer light by the populace, and thereforemore welcome. I will be waiting for your response.-FourFocusFear, brutality,and overwhelmingforce; these are thethree key pointsforming the triangleof power that arethe Cutthroats.Large numbersmake up for what they individually lack—ability andintelligence. They rule by frightening others into givingthem what they want, and are not above making examplesof the weak or rebellious—thus their name. Their weaponsof choice are blades of any make, size and kind. They dolile dealing; their main financial gain comes from theperpetrated on their ever-expanding turf.Ö And that makes them different from the yaksbecause...?Ö SmudgeÖ This is a translated memo between two very highrankingpeople in the Yakuza ladder, and as far as Ican tell, they are talking about giving unofficial supportto a sprawl gang. This is nothing new, but the followingreport they did on the gang has enough depth thatI felt it should be posted here. The mean streets ofSeattle may be getting even meaner.Ö WolfThe Cutthroats are a recent arrival in Puyallup,favoring thug tactics and brutality over any subtlety andefficiency. Nonetheless, they are a force unto themselvesand could prove to be troublesome if not routed or tamedin time.² Forget taming. The organization has already beentainted far too much by so-called ‘tamed’ individualswho place their own agenda above and beyond thatof the clan or the House.² Kensei² Kensei-san. Four words: Wake the frag up.² NishikihebiÖ Sorry to bother y’all, but who’re these guys?Ö Redneck RampantÖ Like Wolf mentioned, these gentle fellows are Yakuzapersonnel - apparently this file passed through a fewclans and a few levels of the big ol’ hierarchy beforeending up here.Ö WavelengthThe Shadowrun Supplemental 4issue # 17The Shadowrun SupplementalÖ Finesse, my man. Finesse.Ö Sixth GearLeaderGash, a brash young human male, leads the Cuhroats.While his frail stature does not make him fit to be a gangleader, pure greed and malice more than make up for hisphysical inadequacies. His primary weapon is a multibarbedwhip. A tall head of hair dyed various shades ofblue and oen gelled and spiked heavily upwards is hismost noticeable physical feature. The strongest of his gangmembers are with him at all times, and he rarely venturesout of his headquarters.² Coward. He would not last long in any realconfrontation; his craving to inflict pain is obviously away for him to vent his frustrations.² Kensei² Eh, I’m tempted to think otherwise. He does keepguards about, and the confrontation begins with them,nya?² Nekojin² Not if you confront them with high-explosive chargesor a long-range rifle slug.² EnraiIssue # 17

LieutenantsThe Cuhroats have three lieutenants: Deathstrike,Jugular and The Pure Zen. They are not assigned anyparticular numbers; they simply have the authority togive members orders, short-term or long, and are free torecruit any cell not currently aached to another lieutenantand lead them off to any assignment they deem fiing.Unaached gangers usually roam free and, as long asthey bring the gang funds, Gash and the lieutenantsoen ignore them.Deathstrike is a troubling girl with long red hair,a body-hugging suit of black vinyl-like material and abreathing mask obscuring her face. She appears to bequite insane, as well as addicted to sniping—she carriesa rifle with her at all times, and seems to derive physicalpleasure from shooting at random targets (includingpeople) from a distance. Her usual tactic is to lead from adistance, leing others do the real dirty work. Out of allthe Cuhroat lieutenants, she’s the one least thirsty foractual up-close blood.² My kind of girl.² KyohoudoÖ Amen to that.Ö SMG GuyÖ Deathstrike? Who goes by the name Deathstrike? Howis that used in casual conversation? “Hey, ‘Deathstrike’,let’s go for a beer. And make sure ‘Pure Zen’ bringsmoney this time - I’m not frontin’ for his sorry hoopagain.”Ö CroweÖ Actually, most of the gang refers to her as ‘That CrazyBitch’. Out of her earshot, of course.Ö WavelengthJugular is an overly large troll with one horn broken offnear the base and shoulder-length hair obscuring most of hisface. He does not speak much, he does not think much, andmost of all he does not bathe much—what he does in droves,however, is apply his fists to people at high speed. True toCuhroat form, he has hand spurs on both sets of knuckles,and leads his detachment of lackeys via gestures and gruntsmost of the time. Few question his decisions; those whohave did not live to regret their disloyalty. Rumors pointto Jugular having been a successful gunsmith at one time,but lile fact backs this up.Ö I’ve seen him in action. Believe the rumors.Ö He Who Breathes ShallowÖ What kind of work could a humongous troll possiblydo? Gunsmithing’s fine work, and it doesn’t help whenyour index finger’s bigger than what you’re building.Ö GrindTheTheShadowrunShadowrun SupplementalSupplementalThe CutthroatsThe Pure Zen is an ork who obviously has seen toomany samurai movies. Normally bare-chested, he wearsthe traditional aikido split skirt, as well as two katanasheathed at the belt. Always serious, he seems to viewGash as his master, but whether he truly follows bushidoor Gash is hard to tell. He is an adept, a terror in closecombat. A handful of gangers stay around him at all timesnot as backup, but as apprentices.² He and I shall clash blades. I can see it.² KenseiGang RatingFollowing the usual evaluation schematics, theCuhroats appear to be on equal ground when comparedto most other groups and organizations in the area. Theyhave access to small arms at best, and usually rely oncuing implements of low quality. Expect to see theirmain forces use small blades, knives, spiked clubs, andsometimes low- to large-caliber pistols.² They may appear equal in small groups, but Iwouldn’t trust these odds - they have access to startlingamounts of backup, and numbers can evenall odds.² NishikihebiHead CountThe Cuhroats tend to stick together and act in largegroups; their numbers have been reported to be close toat least a hundred, but assuredly not over a hundred andtwenty-five members.Initiation RitualsThere are two initiation rituals to become a Cuhroat.Firstly, one must stand before Gash and suffer as manystrikes from his barbed whip as possible until the painis intolerable and the potential ganger yields. The morestrikes suffered, the higher the ganger’s status will be inthe gang. The blood-soaked and torn clothing becomes theganger’s uniform from now on; at least one strike must beweathered in order to become a Cuhroat.Ö And when Gash is particularly wary of an applicant(i.e. he’s scared he might overthrow him), he might justadd something to those barbs. Know manygangers who have toxin filters?Ö GrindÖ So how did the lieutenants get up there in the firstplace if Gash is such a wimp?Ö SmudgeÖ I think I can field this one - lieutenants can bepowerful, they just can’t be industrious. I doubt any ofthe trio mentioned here actually *want* to be at thehead of the gang. They seem happy with their position.Ö Lisa Diamond-Eyes5 issue # 17 Issue # 17

The newly-crowned Cuhroat is merely an apprenticeat this point. To become a full-fledged member, the gangermust turn a band of white cloth completely red with theblood of a victim. The band is to be worn somewhere onthe ganger’s body, and it seals his status as a Cuhroat.² It has come to my attention that this band is not onlya source of pride, it is a source of shame - shreddingthe band to some degree is a common way for aCutthroat to atone for mistakes. As most of us know,that can be exploited to great extents.² EnraiLieutenants are another maer; Gash chooses thempersonally from his horde. The test to become a Lieutenantis as of yet unknown, but probably involves repeatappearances of Gash’s whip.Ö With repeat appearances of applied chemistryto said whip. This would be a rather good use forhypnotherapeutic drugs, wouldn’t you think?Ö He Who Breathes ShallowÖ You’re overestimating Gash. Gangers don’t go tosuch great lengths, especially not gangers in the Puy.Ö GrindÖ I know the Cutthroats.Ö He Who Breathes ShallowÖ That reminds me. If this gang is so scroungingly poor,why are they so many? What do they get from gettingslashed up by a skinny white guy so they can beanother one in a hundred?Ö SmudgeÖ What else is there? At least they get to takeadvantage of any businesses that are ‘protected’ bythe Cutthroats, and they get some buddies to boot. It’seither that or be on the receiving end. And seeing ashow Gash rarely steps out of his ivory tower, he gets alot of notoriety factor due to the simple fact that he’soften heard, seldom seen. Some people want to beon the side that’s on top, and Gash is trying his best tomake his side look like it.Ö GrindUniformsIt is easy to identify a Cuhroat; they wear bloodstainedstreet clothing that has not washed for quite sometime. Full-fledged members wear a reddish-brown bandsomewhere on their body.SymbolThe Cuhroat symbol and sign of their power is ablade of some sort over a bloody gash, forming an ‘x’ withthe laer. Each gang member wears a patch or a drawingof this somewhere as well.TheTheShadowrunShadowrun SupplementalSupplementalThe Cutthroats² The Pure Zen has the insignia tattooed on his chest.Act accordingly.² KensaiTerritoryThe Cuhroats seem to have staked their claim to theeastern middle part of Puyallup, around the abandonedcentral train and subway station. The laer acts as theirheadquarters. Their territory spreads daily as they seekmore and more people to terrorize and rob for 'protection.'It is rumored that Gash has tapped into what’s le of thePuyallup phone grid from the station, and directs squadsof his gangers by calling pay phones close to theirwhereabouts.Ö If he tapped into the phone service (or what’s left ofit), then he’s got to have some serious decking muscle.Ö Redneck RampantÖ Or just a one-time affair. Wink.Ö WavelengthÖ Given the disrepair of Puyallup’s grid, carrier pigeonsare probably more reliable.Ö RatOperationsThe Cuhroats support themselves through thugwork and robbery. Nothing else.FoesThe Cuhroats oppose anyone and anything thatoccupies the territory into which they wish to expand.Most notably, they oppose the Crash Hammers, whose trollleader has reportedly started looking for outside help todispose of some of the Cuhroats, possibly Gash himself.Otherwise, the Cuhroats stand relatively unopposed intheir thuggery-driven expansion.² Leave the gangs to the gangs, and they shall takecare of themselves without our involvement.² Kaze no Hishu² But it’s so fun to get involved!² NekojinUniquenessThe Cuhroats are renown for sliing the throats ofthose who died opposing them or refused to pay whatthey wanted. These examples are le in the street, thehead sometimes completely separated from the body.Cuhroat squads aack without a discernible SOP orgoal; they simply loot and brutalize people on their turfinto paying them to go away.6 issue # 17 Issue # 17

Game InformationCast of CharactersAll characters should be given other skills, gear, andcyberware as appropriate for your campaign.GashB Q S C I W E M R2 3 2 4 4 4 6 - 3INIT: 3 + 1D6Dice Pools: Combat 5Karma Pool/Professional Rating: 2/2Active Skills: Edged Weapons 3, Etiquee 3, Interrogation2, Leadership 4, Unarmed Combat 2, Whips 4Knowledge Skills: Chemistry 3, Puyallup Area 4,Puyallup Gangs 3Gash is lile more than a thug, but a very competentone at that. He has a working knowledge of chemicals;enough to know which ones have what effects and howto apply them to his whip without geing high.DeathstrikeB Q S C I W E M R4 4 3 2 3 4 6 - 3INIT: 3 + 1D6Dice Pools: Combat 5Karma Pool/Professional Rating: 2/1Active Skills: Athletics 3, Edged Weapons 4, Etiquee 2,Interrogation 3, Leadership 2, Rifles 4, Unarmed Combat 3Knowledge Skills: Puyallup Area 5, Puyallup Gangs 3Deathstrike is indeed a certified nut with a Barre, buther ammo is running low and she’s not above ‘thinkingoutside the box’ (i.e., hiring people or cuing deals) toacquire more ammunition for it.JugularB Q S C I W E M R8 2 8 3 2 3 5.8 - 2INIT: 2 + 1D6Dice Pools: Combat 3Karma Pool/Professional Rating: 2/2Active Skills: Cyber-Implant Combat 3, Edged Weapons3, Etiquee 3, Heavy Weapons B/R 3, Negotiation 4, Pistols3, Pistols B/R 1, Rifles 2Knowledge Skills: Firearms Theory 3, Puyallup Area 3Cyberware: Spurs (2)Jugular is an accomplished gunsmith, and had hisown business until goblinization le him dunced anddimple-fingered. He only works on heavy weapons now,as anything lighter is too small for him to work on. He’scurrently toying with a minigun on “loan” from a yakuzacontact.The CutthroatsThe Pure ZenB Q S C I W E M R6 4 5 3 4 3 6 4 5 (7)INIT: 5 (7) + 1D6 (2D6)Dice Pools: Combat 5 (6)Karma Pool/Professional Rating: 2/2Active Skills: Athletics 4, Edged Weapons 4 (Katana 6),Etiquee 3, Instruction 2, Unarmed Combat 4Knowledge Skills: Bushido 3, Haiku 3, Puyallup Area 4Adept Powers: Blind Fighting, Combat Sense 1, Freefall2, Improved Reflexes 1, Smashing BlowAn adept devoted to combat with two swords, ThePure Zen has a pair of very low-powered foci blades ofhis own. He’s fanatical, speaks in haiku, wears Japanesegarb, and his real name is Ezekiel Walthertorsh. Amongsthis possessions are taered copies of Shogun, Amaterasufor Dummies, The Collected Wrien Works of MegumiHayashibara, and The Life and Teachings of Daruma.He has lost two magic points due to injuries sufferedin turf wars.Head CountThe Cuhroats number 110, with that value dependingon the rollover. They’re on equal footing with startingrunners in terms of power, as their numbers make upfor their individual lack of skill and experience. Most arearmed with melee weapons, but they also have accessto pistols, as well as shotguns and hand-held automaticweapons if the Yakuza backing comes through.Phone GridThe public phone grid around their territory has beenhacked into and turned to their use; the state of things inPuyallup has made the phone company not care at all whathappens to a few wires. The new center node for the linesis in the gangers’ HQ in the old train/subway station, andit’s connected to at least one physical phone line out ofevery two in the sector.The YakuzaThe actual extent of the financial backing dependson what the GM wants to do with his campaign. TheYakuza plan to use the Cuhroats to terrorize an area ofthe city, then take that territory over from them, lookinglike heroes. They could also be using the Cuhroats forsomething more mundane—grooming them to test somesort of new drug, equipment, or implant.TheTheShadowrunShadowrun SupplementalSupplemental7 issue # 17 Issue # 17

Matrix gangsby Adam Jury[ adamj@dumpshock.com ]Part of my contribution to the Target: Matrixsourcebook included a section on Matrix gangs. The finalversion of the book featured a different set of gangs, whichtook a slightly different look on the state of Matrix gangsin the Sixth World. For the complete Matrix gangs writeup,see p. 102, Target Matrix.Crimson CrewNot to be mistaken for a branch of Crimson Crush,the Crew is a bunch of ruffians with barely adequate gear.Most of them are located in the Boston area, and actuallyspend the majority of their time hawking pirated chips tostudents and shady re-sellers in the Rox and other shadowyareas of Beantown. The few other members located aroundthe UCAS spend their time shunting the software to the“burners” in Boston. Crimson Crew don’t actually crackany of this software themselves, and are really nothingmore than a bunch of leeches on the system.RadickalzThe Radickalz are a tight-knit group of crackers whowork primarily on cracking and releasing productivitysoftware. Since splitting from the crumbling group AllXSseveral years ago, they’re no higher than a third-tiergang because cracking is the only activity they partakein. The Radickalz maintain a working relationship withseveral other gangs who distribute their software, bothover the Matrix and on chip to unwary consumers.They’ve also exposed some embarrassing backdoors andother “features” in products from leading corporations– including that little exploit in RCS-FastData that letanyone with the right passcodes intercept all your faxesand document transfers.Broadway OliveNamed for an intersection near the AztechnologyPyramid where the two founders allegedly met in themiddle of the 50’s, Broadway Olive has carved out animpressive reputation and expanded throughout the lasthalf dozen years to become one of the movers and shakersin the shadow Matrix. Starting from a small nucleus of richkids in downtown Seattle, they’ve expanded at a steadypace, adding four or five members each year to now sitat about 35 members spread throughout the UCAS with afew more overseas. Broadway Olive specializes in the goodold-fashioned datasteal, and in doing shadow “research.”It’s not unusual to see files turn up on Shadowland weekly,painstakingly researched and authored by a member ormembers of the group.“The Corner Of” is Broadway Olive’s public node onthe Matrix, tangentially linked to the Denver Data Haven– once info hits The Corner it’s ferreted to the haven forgood. The node houses the complete public “works” ofBroadway Olive, cross referenced and updated whennecessary, as well as the necessary information to get incontact with members (through multiple blind relays).Some members of Broadway Olive are more than willingto perform “custom” research, for a tidy fee, while othermembers prefer to work on their own projects for the thrillof exploration and exposure, not for monetary gain.The two founders maintain tight control overBroadway Olive, aided by a council of three other veteranmembers. Important decisions regarding the future ofthe group, including admission of new members, arefirst debated amongst the founders and council, andthen presented to the rest of the group for some internaldiscussion and a vote.The Shadowrun Supplemental 8issue # 17The Shadowrun SupplementalIssue # 17

Foes: The Radickalz do not get along with the remainsof AllXS.Uniqueness: The Radickalz have pulled off someimpressive cracks in their time, but a few individualmembers let ego get in the way of improving theirskills.Broadway OliveGang Focus: Broadway Oliveis a datasteal and researchmachine.Leaders: Denny and Boylston, namedfor a street and avenue near the Broadwayand Olive intersection.Gang Rating: SuperiorHead Count: 35-40Initiation Rituals: None as such, but extremetalent in both system penetration and data organizationmust be present in all recruits. All new members have astrict month-long trial period in which they can be deniedfull entry to the group at any time.Uniforms: None.Symbol: Red and black text over an intersection likecross.Territory: Broadway Olive operates a public Matrixnode named “The Corner Of,” but maintains a lowprofile otherwise. Physically, they’re scattered across theplanet.Operations: Datasteals, organization and research arewhat the Olive deals in, whether for personal gratificationor by contract.Foes: Broadway Olive’s main foes are systemsadministrators. They quickly crush any other Matrixgang foolish enough to steal their work.Uniqueness: Renowned for their attention to detail,Broadway Olive are frequent contacts for fixers and otherinformation brokers.Matrix GangsIrrational Systems, Inc.Gang Focus: No particular focus, but whatever ISI tries todo it does well. Each division is an autonomous unit andhas its own quirks and rituals.Leader: The Head Council does not have a particularleader—it is remarkably democratic and self-regulating.The three founders are Robertson, a CAS-based troll; Tranc,a Seattleite of unknown race; and Charlatan,elven, residing in an unknown geographicallocation.Gang Rating: SuperiorHead Count: 100-125Initiation Rituals: Individualdivisions ensure that members areup to snuff in their chosen specialty.Uniforms: The stylized ISI logo appearsprominently on all member's icons.Symbol: A stylized ISI, usually white on black.Territory: Known to terrorize various public Matrixservices, with no long-term public territory.Operations: ISI has well-developed operations in everyfacet of existence for a Matrix gang.Foes: Almost everyone wants a piece of the ISI pie, sothey butt heads with almost every other Matrix gang onoccasion, and have serious grudges with gangs that theyview as being not serious enough.Uniqueness: One of the larger Matrix gangs, ISI standsout in the crowd but their size makes individual membershard to pin down.TheTheShadowrunShadowrun SupplementalSupplemental10 issue # 17 Issue # 17

Additional Martial ArtsSeveral years ago, I found an online supplement thatadded specific martial arts to Shadowrun. After playingwith and refining them, my group and I had added,subtracted and basically massacred the original rules to thepoint that there were little of them left in our day-to-daygameplay. The main thing that we changed was the styles.They were great, but after playing each once or twice, wewanted more. Included in this article are several of thosestyles that have been altered to work with the AdvancedMelee Combat rules from p. 85, Cannon Companion.The New StylesThe new styles included in this supplement are Choy-Li-Fut Kung Fu, Fan Tzi Pai Kung Fu, Feng Ying KuenKung Fu, Fu Ying Kuen Kung Fu, Hao Pai Kung Fu, HouYing Kuen Kung Fu, Judo, Short-hand Kung Fu, LoongYing Kuen Kung Fu, 8 Step Praying Mantis Kung Fu,Tsui Pa Hsien Kung Fu and Wing Chun. They broadenthe base of styles that the Cannon Companion covers byadding more eccentric styles of combat from all over theglobe. Several styles are forms of Kung Fu (primarily theanimal styles); they expand upon the simple ‘hard/soft’distinction in the original rules.Choy-Li-Fut Kung FuCreated in 1838 as one of many offshoots of Shao-Lin Kung Fu. The form is very aggressive, concentratingon long hand techniques like roundhouse and overhandswings. A Choy-Li-Fut master, when confronted with afight, will immediately attack, plunging right into themiddle of any group of opponents. Using the circularparry, she will fend off any attacks while lashing out witha flurry of hand strikes, snap kicks and back sweeps.Advantages: Choy-Li-Fut martial artists receive +2 powerto all Whirling and Multi-Strike maneuvers.Disadvantages: Characters using Choy-Li-Fut receive -2dice to the Subduing Combat and Called Shot options.Maneuvers: Blind Fighting, Focus Strength, Full Offense,Ground Fighting, Kick Attack, Kip-up, Multi-Strike,Vicious Blow, WhirlingFan Tzi Pai Kung Fu(The Boxing of the Eagle)One of the several animal styles of Chinese Kung Fu,the Eagle style is swift and unforgiving.Advantages: Characters using Eagle Style Kung Fu receive+1 reach when using the Full Offense maneuver.Disadvantages: Fan Tzi Pai martial artists suffer a -3 tothe power of all Called Shots.Maneuvers: Focus Strength, Full Offense, GroundFighting, Herding, Kick Attack, Kip-up, Multi-Strike,Vicious Blow, WhirlingThe Shadowrun Supplemental 11issue # 17The Shadowrun SupplementalAdditional Martial Arts Stylesby Eric Polovich [ thepolo@adelphia.net ]Feng Ying Kuen Kung Fu(The Style of the Phoenix)One of the several animal styles of Chinese Kung Fu,the phoenix is a symbol of joy and rebirth. The Phoenixstyle is one that combines both hard and soft techniques.Advantages: Characters using the Style of the Phoenixmay negate 1 point of opponent's reach.Disadvantages: Characters using the Style of the Phoenixsuffer -1 die to the Knockdown Attack and ChargingAttack options.Maneuvers: Blind Fighting, Focus Will, Full Offense,Ground Fighting, Kick Attack, Kip-up, Multi-Strike,WhirlingFu Ying Kuen Kung Fu(The Style of the Tiger)One of the several animal styles of Chinese Kung Fu, theTiger style is characterized by power and determination.Advantages: Characters using Fu Ying Kuen Kung Fureceive a +1 to the power of all attacks.Disadvantages: Characters using the Style of the Tigersuffer -3 dice to Subduing Combat option.Maneuvers: Focus Strength, Full Offense, Ground Fighting,Kick Attack, Kip-up, Multi-Strike, Whirling, ZoningHao Pai Kung Fu(The Style of the Heron)One of the several animal styles of Chinese KungFu, the Heron style uses both hard and soft techniques.Some typical movements are, for instance, positions onone leg only or attacks with joined fingers in the eyes,and so on.Advantages: Characters using Hao Pai Kung Fu receive-2 to the TN of all Called Shots.Disadvantages: Characters using the Style of the Heronsuffer -2 to the power of all Subduing Combat attacks.Maneuvers: Close Combat, Focus Strength, Full Offense,Ground Fighting, Herding, Kick Attack, Kip-up, Multi-Strike, WhirlingHou Ying Kuen Kung Fu(The Style of the Monkey)Another of the several animal styles of Chinese KungFu. The Monkey is a figure of trickery in Chinese folklore,and the Monkey style uses fast and deceptive footworkto confuse foes.Advantages: Characters using Hou Ying Kuen Kung Fureceive +2 dice to the Disorient maneuver.Disadvantages: Characters using the Style of the Monkeysuffer an additional -2 to the TN of all Called Shots.Maneuvers: Blind Fighting, Close Combat, Disorient,Full Offense, Ground Fighting, Kick Attack, Kip-up,Multi-Strike, WhirlingIssue # 17

A Little Learning...by Eleanor Holmes [ jestyr@dumpshock.com ]Knowledge SkillsActive SkillsFolklore & MythologyFolklore and Mythology refers to the traditional recurringfolk tales, legends and myths of historical cultures. It coverseverything from knowledge of ancient pantheons to thevarious Arthurian legends, Native American tribal tales, theBaba Yaga and more. In the Sixth World, where belief canshape reality, those with this knowledge can find insight intomany modern mysteries. Formerly the province of academics,this skill has many applications in the Awakened world.Default: Anthropology, History, Occult KnowledgeSpecializations: By historical period, by region, byspecific subject, by tradition.Occult KnowledgeThis skill confers all kinds of mystic, arcane and‘magical’ knowledge. Distinct from the various MagicBackground skills, which represent the accepted body ofmagical understanding in the Sixth World, Occult Knowledgedescribes the unknown – folk magic, dark practices andrites half-remembered. This skill is useful for talismongers,forensic mages, and theoreticians alike. It may be used as aComplementary Skill for relevant Magic Background skilltests, and also covers knowledge of practices not necessarilyeffective in the Awakened world.Default: Magic Background skills; Folklore &MythologySpecializations: By historical period, by region, byspecific subject, by tradition.ParabotanyParabotany refers to knowledge of Awakened plantsof all kinds. It covers cellular and biochemical information,cultivation and occurrence of such plants in the wild, and soforth. At the GM’s discretion, Parabotany may be used as aComplementary Skill for working with herbal materials andradicals in Talismongering and Enchanting tests (see MITS,pp. 40-2). It may also be used in this way when concoctingmagical compounds such as those of the Anasazi or Koradji(see M&M, p. 122-3 and T:AL, pp. 108-9).Default: Botany, ParazoologySpecializations: By order, by region, by para-traitParazoologyParazoology is the study of Awakened animals,particularly non-sentient ones. Characters with this skillknow the behavior, physiology and biological needs of crittersthey may encounter. This skill doesn’t directly confer anyability in dealing with the animals in question, but may beused as a Complementary Skill when handling or caring forappropriate animals.Default: Zoology, ParabotanySpecializations: By order, by regionThe Shadowrun Supplemental 13issue # 17The Shadowrun SupplementalHypnotism (Willpower)Hypnotism is the art of entrancing a target to make themmore susceptible to suggestion or command. To use it, thecharacter selects their target and places them in a trance usingmeditation or concentration techniques. This requires quietsurroundings and minimal distractions, and should almostalways be performed in person. The hypnotist makes anopposed Hypnotism test against the target’s Willpower; ifthe hypnotist achieves any net successes, the subject is in ahypnotic trance and is open to suggestion from the initiator.Placing the target into a trance requires a time equal to theirWillpower in minutes; this time may be reduced by extrasuccesses on the Hypnotism test.Once in a trance, the target must make a Willpower test(with a target number equal to the hypnotiser’s Willpower) toresist any commands or suggestions given by the hypnotist.Only the hypnotist may affect the target in this way. If thetarget is given commands that are counter to their self-interestor are wildly inappropriate, the hypnotist must maintaincontrol by succeeding on another opposed Hypnotism testagainst the target’s Willpower. If the target achieves equalor greater successes, they slide out of their trance and anyimplanted commands or suggestions have failed.This skill should only be allowed in the game at thediscretion of the gamemaster.Default: NoneSpecializations: Subject control, memory regression,personality modificationRiding(Reaction)Although animal riding is a rare talent in the Sixth World,compared with a couple of centuries ago, there are still thosewho find it useful to be able to ride a horse, mule, or otheranimal. Whether for leisure or recreational purposes, or asa self-sustaining form of transport, some people around thefringes of urban civilization are adept at animal riding.This skill allows the rider to sit their mount appropriatelyunder a range of riding conditions. GMs should make RidingTests based on varying conditions in a similar fashion toHandling Tests. The Riding skill also allows a character toselect the appropriate tack, animal-control equipment andother accoutrements for riding their mount, and gives thecharacter some small means of behavioural control over theanimal when riding it.Default: NoneSpecializations: By animalIssue # 17

Damage Controlby Steven “Bull” Ratkovich[ bull@dumpshock.com ]Ahhh, summer. ‘Tis the season that school childrenlong for, when school is out of session, the ice creamtruck drives by daily (if they're lucky), the sun is brightand warm, and the days are long and lazy. For those ofus who are a little older, summer means other things.Picnics, baseball games, fireworks, swimming pools, girlsin bikinis, take your pick.If you’re a gamer the most important thing the summerseason brings is the game convention. Dragon-con, GenCon, Origins, plus hundreds of smaller conventionsaround the country take place during those long, hot days.And if you’re a hardcore gamer, you’ll try to attend asmany of these as you can. There are generally three kindsof conventions: local, regional and national.If money and time are an issue, you might be able tofind a small local convention hosted by a nearby college.Most larger public colleges, especially state schools, have agaming club that puts together a convention of some kind.These are typically quite small, with a handful of gamesrun by volunteers, and possibly some dealers from localgame shops. If the club is lucky, they may be able to pullin an industry guest of some kind, but that's unusual fora little convention like this, and you rarely see any sort ofpresence from game companies. These conventions canbe a fun chance to get out, try a new game, or just gamewith people you don’t know. You can also often get somegood bargains from some of the vendors that do set upfor these conventions.Conventional Controlof minor industry guests, such as a writer or an artist.These industry guests are often people who someoneon the planning committee knows or who live in thearea. These conventions are usually weekend-only, andare worth attending if you can. There are almost alwaysgames available for the more popular RPGs, and often ahandful of smaller, less well known games will be run.Plus the dealers' room and auction are often a great chanceto find bargains.Finally, you have your national conventions. Theserange in size greatly from smaller national cons that drawseveral thousand attendees to the mecca of gaming, GenCon, which brings in over 30,000 attendees each year.Conventions of this size always have some sort of dealerroom or exhibitors hall area with a number of dealersand usually have some presence from at least a few gamecompanies. Several of these shows, namely Originsand Gen Con, have representatives from almost everygame company out there despite the hefty expense ofrenting booth space. There are also often an anime roomsshowing various movies throughout the day, an auctionroom, an art exhibit hall where you can check out and buypieces of original artwork, game demos, open gaming,tournaments, and guests of honor from gaming, television,and movies.So, you want to go to a game convention. Nowwhat? Well, there are a few things you can do to makethe convention experience go a bit smoother.After the local con, there is the regional con. Oftenthese are put together by an organization other thana college gaming club. Sometimes this is a group ofshopkeepers in an area, and sometimes it is members ofseveral gaming clubs working together. The results areusually more impressive than the local convention, thoughstill somewhat confined. These will often attract GMsfrom outside the group putting it together, will usuallyhave a handful of professional and amateur vendorsin a dealers' room, and will occasionally have a couple1. Plan aheadThis is one that I cannot stress enough. The larger theconvention, the more you need to plan for it.1a. Travel PlansThis is the first thing you should figure out. How areyou getting to the convention? If the convention is nearby,driving is an option. If it’s cross country, you need to decideif you can drive to the convention, or if you want to fly.If you want to go by plane, buy your tickets months inThe Shadowrun Supplemental 14issue # 17The Shadowrun SupplementalIssue # 17

advance. The earlier you buy them, the cheaper they willbe. You’ll also want to plan to get to the convention a dayin advance, most likely. This allows you to take care of thepreliminaries and get settled in, so that you can just enjoythe convention when it starts.1b. Pre-RegisterRegister for the convention as early as possible. Often,it’s cheaper to do so. Plus it will allow you to registerfor games, and possibly get hotel accommodations moreeasily. Once you get the pre-registration book, go throughit carefully, highlighting any games that look interesting.Once you’ve seen what’s available, work up a schedulethat seems feasible to you. Don’t sign up for too much,as you’ll burn out. Keep in mind that there will be moregames that are scheduled after the pre-reg book is released,so there will be more to check into on site. Make sure yousign up for any games you really want in on, as you don’twant them to sell out. With 5,000+ attendees at some ofthe larger conventions, and often only six slots available,game space goes fast.1c. Rooming AccommodationsHaving a place to sleep always helps make theconvention experience a little more enjoyable for you,as well as those around you. Sure, you may be able tohandle going three days with no sleep and no shower,but trust me, no one around you wants to deal withit. Whether this is making arrangements to crash on afriend's floor or reserving a hotel room, you want to havesleeping arrangements worked out ahead of time. There’snothing more frustrating than getting to the conventionand finding out every hotel in the city is booked up (and forsome of the larger conventions, this is not just a possibility,but an inevitability).2. PrepareWith pre-planning finished, the next step is to figureout what you should take to the convention. Packing is amajor step in preparation.2a. ClothesTake enough clean and neat clothes for the entireconvention. As with showering, you may be comfortablewearing the same clothing for days on end, but trust me:No one else is. Take enough clothes for each day of theconvention, plus an extra days worth, just in case. Plusif there’s the possibility of other actives, such as goingclubbing, or going to a formal dinner, prepare accordingly.As silly as it sounds, plan your wardrobe for the entireconvention. Nothing is worse than spilling chocolate syrupon your only pair of jeans.2b. Gaming BooksTheTheShadowrunShadowrun SupplementalSupplementalDamage ControlFirst off, do not drag every book you own with you.And if you do, don’t drag them all to the convention hall.Two hours into the convention, you’ll be regretting it.Gaming books are heavy, much more so than you’d think.I’d suggest only taking what you’ll absolutely need—corebooks for the games you’re going to play. Most games willhave both books and pre-generated characters available.Bring the types of dice you’ll need, but remember thatconventions are excellent places to pick up brand newdice for you and your friends back home.2c. OtherBeyond the essentials, you may want to take a waterbottle, as drinks and food at conventions are expensive. Ifthere are any people there you want to get an autographfrom, take something to get signed. Sometimes they giveaway a photo, but often they charge for them. A backpackto carry stuff in is a must, and a wheeled backpack is agodsend if, like me, you need to lug a bunch of booksaround.3. The ConventionYou’ve successfully prepared and packed for theconvention. You’ve traveled, survived the trip, andsettled into your residence of choice. Now, on to theconvention!3a. RegistrationIf you planned ahead, you pre-registered for theconvention. However, it’s not always possible to do so.Either way, you’ll want to head up to the convention halland take care of registration. If you pre-regged, you shouldhave a badge and anything else you pre-purchased waitingfor you, just show them the confirmation information—usually it’s just a printed receipt from the web. Otherwise,you’ll need to purchase a badge—the lines for this are oftenlong, especially on opening day! You’ll also want to pickup an on site program to get the updated game schedule,maps of the convention hall, and other information.3b. MeetingsA lot of times you’ll be meeting up with people youknow, either from real life or online. Regardless of whetheryou’ve ever met them before or not, the first thing you needto do is set up a time and place. Even if none of you haveattended that particular convention before, you at leastknow that there will be a registration booth of some kind,so that works as a default if you don’t know of a betterplace. The time is relatively easy, the key here is simply tobe where you’re supposed to be when you’re supposedto be there. If you’re supposed to meet at the Shadowrunbooth at 3:00, and you’re not there on time, you have noone to blame but yourself for not hooking up with yourfriends. Finally, you need a signal of some sort. This couldbe a sign, a recognizable t-shirt, or a unique hat or costume.This isn’t so necessary if you’ve met before in person, butcan still be handy, especially at a busier con.15 issue # 17 Issue # 17

3c. GamingThis is what you’re there for, right? Try out demos ofgames, play in the games you registered for, try out thecompany sponsored tournaments. Just be careful not to burnyourself out—you’ll get worn out quickly if you get involvedin a lot of games. Leave yourself time to eat, browse thedealer room, hang out with friends, and time to just relax.3d. Hanging OutIf you’re meeting up with a large number of peopleat the conventions, it’s almost imperative that you planyour group outings carefully. Too often there are 20 peoplestanding around, and someone is hungry. The next thingyou know, there are 20 people tromping off to find somefood. Quite simply, this is too large of a group. You can’ttalk to everyone, you can’t get a table easily at a restaurant,so why go through the hassle? Break the groups off if youcan. Try to avoid going out to public restaurants in groupslarger than six, and try to vary your groups. If you want tohang out with everyone, realize that this means you won’thang out with anyone for very long. If you want to spendtime hanging out and talking with just a single person,plan ahead—make dinner reservations and make sure thatyou don’t pick up any leechlike friends on your way!3e. Game Booths and Guests of HonorDo not play drooling fanboy or fangirl at your favoritegame company's booth during a meeting (if you’re luckyenough to get one) with one of the guests of honor at aconvention. Be polite, tell them you’re a fan, thank themfor their time, and move on. If there’s not a huge lineand you have time for a second or two of small talk, askhow they like the convention, and watch for the slightlyhaunted look in their eye. The same general principlesapply to game company booths. You may think Angst:The Agony is White Wolf’s coolest product ever, but don’tsit there drooling over the booth workers and pesteringthem with questions. Even worse, if the game designer,line developer, editor, or janitor at White Wolf is at thebooth, do not pester them with rules questions everythree seconds. They’re at the convention to meet fans,sell product, and to answer questions, but rarely do theyhave time to talk to a single fan for a half hour at a time.Some companies sponsor seminars for gamemasters orplayers of their games, so if you have questions you maywant to attend them. Also, if you happen to see one ofthe guests of honour or your favorite game writer outsideof the convention—at a shopping mall or resturant, forexample—mind your manners! It’s very impolite tointerrupt people who are with family, or who are eatingdinner. If you must approach someone when they’re inpublic, wait until they’re finished eating and be as politeas possible. Don’t be surprised or upset if you get a quickbrush off. While some people don’t mind talking to fansfor a few minutes, they don’t have an hour to stand aroundthe malls food court and talk to every fan there.Damage ControlGamemasters and ConventionsFor many a gamemaster, a convention is their release,a break from the constraints of a gamemaster screenand the daily grind of dodging rules lawyers, powergamers, munchkins and loons. If he’s feeling particularlyfrustrated, he may decide to become one of those irritatingplayers. While a GM should know better than to becomewhat he fears and loathes, often this is a necessary step inrecharging the ol’ batteries. Plus it often helps the players,for a short time at least, as the GM remembers what it’slike to be on the outside of the GM screen.The game convention also presents the gamemasterwith the opportunity to grow, learn, and to master newtricks and traps to foil his players. If there are seminarsabout your favorite game, go to them, especially if theyare “Gamemaster Seminars.” I picked up some great tipsone year at a 7th Seas GM Seminar, and I’ve never playednor ran that game. But a lot of strategies, tricks, and thelike will cross games easily enough. Learn what you can,teach what you can, and the gamemaster community asa whole will be better for it. If you don’t come back froma convention with at least a half dozen new ideas to dealwith your players, you were sleeping too much.Also keep an eye on the bargain bins and the auctionroom, if you can. There are some great deals on oldproducts that come through. And even if you don’t everplan to run the Tomb of Horrendous Unknown ElementalNasties against your players, you can always use it togenerate ideas and plans. Even the crappiest adventureor sourcebook out there has something in it that makesit worthwhile, and often you can find these gems at rockbottom prices.If money is an issue, or you just can’t handle sitting ata table without a GM screen in front of you, gamemasterscan volunteer and register to run some games at them.Most often, the convention will have some kind ofreimbursement deal set up for anyone who GMs a certainnumber of games, usually a refund on the entrance free. Ifyou have an “in” with a game company, you may even beable to swing a free hotel room and/or some free product.An enterprising gamemaster can trade in on the skills helearned while dealing with his local munchkins by headingto a convention and pimping himself out.If you decide run a game at a convention, here are a few tips:1. Know your gameRun it by the book as much as possible. Other playersaren’t going to know your house rules, so unless they’reminor and few, don’t try to run a convention game usingthat ream of house rules you’ve spent the last 15 yearscollecting.TheTheShadowrunShadowrun SupplementalSupplemental16 issue # 17 Issue # 17

2. Bring materialsDon’t expect the players to have all the booksthey’ll need with them. They expect you to provide thisinformation, so either have all the relevant data on thecharacter sheets, or bring those sourcebooks you’re usingdata from. While you're at it, bring extra scratch paperand pencils, too—it's easy to lose simple things like thatduring a busy day.3. Prepare charactersRegardless of the game, generating characters is a timeconsuming process, so making characters during the gamesession is a poor idea. Giving the players the chance toBYOC (“Bring Your Own Character”) is just asking to geta handful of the most annoying and abusive charactersyou’ve ever seen. Unless you’re running a game wherebalance doesn’t matter, always bring characters for theplayers to use. This also allows you to customize thecharacters to the adventure, so they’ll have the necessaryskills and experience to tackle the adventure. Four hardcorestreet sams on a run with heavy magical influence is nota good plan!4. Test your adventureOften you have a limited time slot to run in, usuallythree hours and 45 minutes. You need to make sure yourgame can wrap up in that amount of time. When plottingout your adventure, make sure you take into considerationtime factors. As you don’t know the players, you can’tplan for all contingencies—maybe a fight scene will dragfor longer than you intended, or maybe they’ll miss avital clue. Even though you can’t predict everything thatmay go wrong, it’s wise to have backup plans for mostsituations so the characters—and players—don’t get stuck.Nothing is less satisfying than getting into a game for fourhours, then not finishing the game because of time.5. Stay hydratedRemember the water bottle I mentioned earlier? Youwant one if you’re running a game, and if you don't haveone make sure you bring something else to drink. Waterbottles can be filled up for free, but a can of cola at theconvention will run twice regular price. As a GM, you’llbe talking a lot, so you’ll want something to keep youhydrated. Another thing to keep in mind is a bathroom andsmoke break midway through the game session—mostconvention areas are non-smoking and you don’t wantplayers having a nicotine fit three hours into the game!Well, that’s it! Now you should be prepared to tacklea game convention and survive! Go forth, my sons anddaughters. Learn, grow, have fun! And remember... TheGM is always right :]Damage ControlControlled CharactersIs that another scream of frustration I hear, my dear fellowgamemasters? Have you sat down to begin a new campaign,and once again have half a dozen characters handed to youthat look like they represent the legal firm of Munchkin, PowerGamer and Rules Abuse? Has the group loon tossed youanother version of the psychic street mime turned operaticporn star? Has the local power gamer turned in yet anotherversion of his oft-played ork street samurai, complete withthe standard six page equipment list and the personality of alarge slab of granite?Take heart, my friends, there is a solution close at hand.But it requires you, the gamemaster of the group, to step inand take the players by the hand. Stand firm, for often theplayers will balk at such measures, but only together can youcraft the all-important foundation for your game: the PlayerCharacters.The first thing you need to do is sit down with yourplayers and find out what type of game they’d like to play in,or at least give them an idea of what sort of campaign you’reinterested in running and see what they think. “What’s that?”I hear you asking. “You’re advocating player input?” Well,yes. Of course I am. I may be a bastard, but even I know thata game isn’t going to survive if the players aren’t interestedin playing it.Once that’s done, you need to determine the power levelof the game. Are you going to play a “street punks” game,with the PCs having little beyond the clothes on their backand the switchblade in their pocket? Are you going to runa high magic game, a pure espionage and spy style game, aguns a-blazin’ merc campaign, or a cyberpirates game? Willthe characters (and likewise, the bad guys) be toting aroundLMGs, or will even seeing a heavy pistol evoke a sense of fearin both the PCs and NPCs? Determine what level and styleof game you’re going for before character creation has evenstarted. At the very least, it ensures that the players have anidea of what types of characters they should create. Afterall, a ganger is a bit out of place in a high-level corporateespionage game.Once you’ve determined the theme and power level ofthe game, you need to define the skills and attributes a bitfor your game. Standard Shadowrun assumes that a 6 is anexpert level skill, or the max a human can normally achieve.Of course, under normal character creation rules, it’s quitelikely you’ll have characters with multiple 6s in both skillsand attributes. It’s often unrealistic, so you may want to takesteps to remedy this situation. There are a few methods youcan use to try and do this.The first is to simply alter the “norm” for a skill. Where 2-3was an average skill level, now 4-5 is average, and 6 is aboveaverage. A 9 in a skill makes you an expert, and 12+ makes youTheTheShadowrunShadowrun SupplementalSupplemental17 issue # 17 Issue # 17

world class. This brings a starting Shadowrun character backdown into the more average realm, and allows for guards orother potential enemies to have similar stats without suddenlyhaving every corp guard and Lone Star cop become a highlytrained expert just so they are a threat to the PCs.Another route to go is to limit the characters in some way.Reduce the starting build points if you’re using the SR3Compcreation method, or reduce what the priorities give you inSR3. This gives the players fewer points to work with, andthey’re less likely to have a lot of maxed-out stats and skills.This is useful if you want the characters to be “newbies” totheir profession. This doesn’t work for an ex-Special Forcescharacter, but it does work well for a former wage-slaveturned runner or a street ganger going out on his own forthe first time.Yet another way to scale-back starting characters is toset limits on skills and attributes. Assuming that a startingcharacter is only going to have a single “expert” level skill,allow only one skill to be taken at a rating of 6. Allow twoor three skills to be taken at rating 5, and no more than threeor four rating 4 skills. They can still blow a lot of points thisway, but it forces them to vary their skills a bit and you knowyou’re not going to be looking at four rating 6 skills for astarting character.Likewise, for attributes, a 6 represents what amounts toa professional level athlete—a rarity. A 9 is the max a humancan go, but those are very rare and represent the best of thebest. Like skills, a 6 represents the results of a lot of training,or just some really high natural talent. Anyone who’s gotall 5s and 6s for attributes isn’t going to be wasting his timeshadowrunning; they’re going to be a professional athlete,a supermodel, or something similar. Nobody except thementally unhinged would be be shadowrunning for a livingif they have a lucrative option available to them, and eventhe SINless can find a way around that particular drawback,especially if they have a manager waiting to sign them to amulti-year, multi-million nuyen contract.So again, you set some limits. Allow a 6, probably intheir “main” attribute. Allow a couple 5’s, and the rest at 4’s.Again, this helps diversify the character a bit, and forces himto spread his points out a bit. Utilizing both methods, you willhopefully end up with a very well-rounded character. He’sgoing to be good at some things, but not at everything, andhe’ll have a couple points here and there in skills he wouldhave otherwise ignored in order to pump up other skills.At this point you should consider gear: what do youallow, what don’t you allow? Restricting how much moneya character can start with is a viable option. Don’t want themillion nuyen samurai? Then don’t allow a million nuyen tobe bought at chargen. Think long and hard before allowingthis much money for character creation, as it can be abusedeasily. You can also limit the availability of gear to a certainTheTheShadowrunShadowrun SupplementalSupplementalDamage Controlrating, but keep in mind that you will most likely need tobe open to a case-by-case inspection of gear. Some gear hasvery high availability and shouldn’t be that hard to get ahold of at chargen, while some has a low availability andyou may not want characters to have it. Be willing to put yourfoot down and say no, but also be willing to allow in somethings if you take the limited availability route. Charactersshould be allowed to take gear that can be justified by theirbackground.Once you have what sort of game you want, and whatsort of characters will fit your game, it’s time for charactercreation to begin. I heartily recommend that character creationbe done as a group. This way, you can address everyone atonce, lay out what character creation limits you are imposing,and can make a request for or limit certain character types.If you don’t feel comfortable with or don’t feel you can usea decker in the group, or you have a storyline that revolvesaround an NPC decker you want to have working with thegroup, forbid deckers. Or, if you have some great ideas fora game that requires a decker, request that one of the playersplay a decker. If you want a magic heavy game, suggest thatmore than one player make a magically active character. Ifit’s going to be combat heavy, make sure a couple players aremaking tough samurai/merc types.Likewise, have them work on their personalities as agroup. Sure, there are some things that they may want tokeep secret from each other, especially if you aren’t startingthem as a team that’s worked together before. But you need tomake sure they all know the basics about each other. Havinga Luddite in a group full of cyber/techno junkies isn’t goingto fly, and having a Humanis member in a group full of trogsis certain death for the Humanis thug. If two players insiston playing characters that will be at odds with each other,pull those players aside and talk with them, and have themtalk to each other. Make sure that this isn’t going to disruptyour game. If you’re going to allow “conflict characters” intoyour game, make sure that all players are mature enough torole-play this without hurting each other’s feelings , and makesure both players are aware that they are a team and need tobe able to work together. As I said above, minor conflict andtension can be rewarding, but two characters so at odds witheach other that they can’t even stand to be in the same roomtogether will cause disruption and chaos, and such situationshave caused the downfall of many a game.As a GM, you are many things, both in game andout: bandleader, storyteller, babysitter, cat herder, referee,protagonist, antagonist, confidant and mortal enemy. Youneed to be able to juggle these duties, responsibilities, androles. It’s a heavy burden, to be sure. Just remember that inthe end, you are the GM. You have the final say on what goesand what doesn’t. You need to cater to your players tastes,but likewise, they need to take direction from you.Good luck, my fellow GM. You’re going to need it.18 issue # 17 Issue # 17

Datasteal: GURPS AtlantisWordman (http://pobox.com/~wordman/)Given the importance of Atlantis to the “immortalcabal” plotline of Shadowrun, you might think that GURPSAtlantis would be a useful addition to the collection of GMswho make Atlantis and the Atlantean Foundation part oftheir games. Unfortunately, this is not as true as it couldbe. On the one hand, the 128-page sourcebook on Atlantiscontains a well-organized collection of extremely usefulinformation about theories on Atlantis (and other “lostcontinents”) ranging from the almost-plausible to thevery far-fetched, all quite relevant to giving some depthto the activities of the Atlantean Foundation. On the otherhand, a great deal of the work is dedicated to fleshingout three different campaign ideas on using Atlantis inyour game. Since Shadowrun/Earthdawn canon alreadycontains a fairly specific conception of how Atlantisfits into equation, this material is mostly extraneous toShadowrun campaigns that care to use a predominantly“by the book” conception of Atlantis.The book opens with “Platonic Solids,” a treatmentof Plato’s mention of Atlantis that may or may not bethe source of the whole concept of Atlantis. The chaptercontinues with a history of nearly all of the theories onAtlantis that sprung up afterwards, including the ideasof the Theosophist movement, science fiction and evenserious archeological research. It gives accounts of anumber of places considered as locations for Atlantisand why. Though this description makes these 26 pagessound quite dry, it is fairly lively text and probably thebook’s most interesting and useful section for Shadowrungamemasters.The next chapter, “These We Have Lost,” continuesin a similar, but less detailed, vein about a wide varietyof non-Atlantean “lost” lands, such as Avalon, Lemuriaand Mu. As in the first chapter, the text avoids any gamespecificconcepts for such lands, but instead summarizeswhat real-life scholars and quacks have written aboutsuch places. Again, this chapter is quite useful for GMs,particularly those looking to incorporate such places intotheir campaign.“Beneath the Waves” follows, dealing with the conceptthat Atlantis is still functioning perfectly as an underwatercity. This chapter is more scattered, starting with variousmyths of underwater civilizations, and then transitioninginto the practical matter of underwater geology andexploration. As the chapter continues, it becomes morerules-intensive, discussing diving equipment andproblems, underwater combat, submarines and rules forunderwater vehicle design. Some of this may be of interestto rigger fanatics, but most of this is covered in Shadowrunterms in either Cyberpirates or Rigger 3.The Shadowrun Supplemental 19issue # 17The Shadowrun SupplementalAuthor: Phil MastersSize: 128 pagesCost: $22.95ISBN: 1-55634-478-3URL: http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/atlantis/Issue # 17

Datasteal: GURPS AtlantisThe remaining three chapters make up almost half ofthe book and flesh out three specific campaign settingsthat use Atlantis. This is something of a minor tragedyfor Shadowrun readers because, while these campaignsare well written and actually pretty neat, they are fairlyuseless to Shadowrun campaigns that involve theAtlantean Foundation and the canon material behind it.For other game systems, or for Shadowrun GMs anxiousto ditch the concept of an Earthdawn crossover, one ofthese campaign ideas may speak to you. The three ideastend to be mutually exclusive, aimed at specific GURPSproducts and different time periods.“The Orichalcum Age” is set in a decadent butpre-disaster Atlantis, targeted mostly at GURPS Greeceplayers. As the text says, it can be “inserted into almostany fantasy campaign as ‘the powerful island nation overthe horizon.’” One of the neat aspects of this campaign isthat the GM and the players, but not the characters, knowthat Atlantis will soon be destroyed by a big calamity,which has some interesting role-playing aspects that couldbe explored.“The Heirs of Minos” targets modern illuminated/conspiracy campaigns. This is probably the mostShadowrun-like of the campaigns in the book andmany of the ideas in it could be applied to the AtlanteanFoundation; however, the campaign is based more aroundthe idea of a vast conspiracy that are the world’s secretpuppet masters (à la the Illuminati). This makes theconspiracy vastly more wide-reaching than the cabal inShadowrun is thought to be, but some Shadowrun GMsmay welcome this. As conspiracy campaigns go, this oneis fairly standard, though the section on factions couldbe useful.The last campaign, “Lords of the Deep,” is gearedtoward Victorian-era steampunk games, or perhaps asuper-hero or even Lovecraftian setting, and is builtaround the concept of a living Atlantis beneath the waves.The back-story of this campaign involves an alien conflictover Earth’s orichalcum and is fairly interesting, whichis a shame because this campaign setting is probably theleast useful to Shadowrun GMs.Sprinkled throughout the book are the random sidebarsGURPS regulars have come to expect. As always, theseare hit or miss in terms of interest, but hit more often thannot. Sections like “A Nazi Atlantis?,” “Orichalcum,” and“Sonar and Oceanography” can suggest campaign ideas,rules modifications or are just basically interesting. Onesidebar in particular, “Minoans in GURPS Technomancer,”comes closest to the Shadowrun vision for Atlantis. (Thisis not surprising, as GURPS Technomancer might as wellbe called GURPS Shadowrun in many respects.)The last three pages, containing references and theindex, are perhaps the most useful, particularly thedetailed bibliography. This list references everythingfrom oceanography and submarines to other role-playingmaterial, as well as a healthy dose of pure Atlantismaterial. One of these, L. Sprague de Camp’s classic LostContinents, rips apart the Atlantis theories up to its day(1954) in a spectacularly droll, British way, and should berequired reading for any GM interested in Atlantis.GURPS Atlantis is a good sourcebook, filled witha variety of ways to integrate Atlantis into nearly anygame world. Unfortunately, most of these ideas are notparticularly appropriate to canon Shadowrun’s view ofAtlantis. Still, the first two chapters provide top-notchresearch on the subject, tailor made for role-playing, andthis alone may make it worth your while to own.TheTheShadowrunShadowrun SupplementalSupplemental20 issue # 17 Issue # 17

T h eold axiomabout notjudging a bookby its cover includesthe title. For every bitof imagination lacking inthe title of Threats 2, inspired twistsexists in the 12 “threats” inside.My first warning is that this is a book for gamemastersonly. Not because of the rules (which are somewhat sparseregardless) but because of the ideas. Many of the threatsare threatening mostly by surprise (only one threat,General Saito, details a topic of “common knowledge”in the Shadowrun world, and several haven’t even beenhinted at.) Should a player learn of the existence of the threatbefore encountering it in-game, much of the excitement andmystery will be gone. As with several Shadowrun booksof this nature, players should be discouraged from readingthe back cover. (At least the title isn’t as harmful as RenrakuArcology: Shutdown.)The book consists of 12 sections, each detailing a “threat”via in-character Shadowland posts, followed by a page ortwo of game usage. Each section is by a different author(save one author who wrote two sections), most of whomhave contributed to Shadowrun products in the past. Forthe most part, each section is stand-alone, with no relianceon the other sections.The writing quality varies with the authors, but thisis the ideal environment for most game writers: Write incharactermaterial to inspire, just enough of a rules skeletonfor the reader to flesh out, and then stop. This may be aproblem for some readers: Anyone expecting Threats 2 toresemble a premade adventure or a campaign setting will bevastly disappointed. The threats are often subtle, and willprobably work best as either parallel to an existing campaign,or the puppet master behind the scenes of a campaign.The original Threats compilation had difficultieswith too many of the threats being at a power levelbeyond most groups. Threats 2 contains a few globespanningconspiracies ofBottom ThreeOne Nation Under GodOrder of the TempleDissonant Voicesincomprehensible enormity,but there are several entries farmore likely to be encounteredDevelopers: Rob Boyle andMike Mulvihill(and even survived) by theSize: 120 pagesaverage team. Even theCost: $18.00larger conspiracies have afew suggestions for howISBN: 3-89064-652-2these large conspiraciesURL: http://www.shadowrunrpg.com/products/threats2.shtmlwould create local effectsRating: 4 out of 5and situations for teamsPros: Scheme-inspiring complications at an accessible power levelwho aren’t taking on worldCons: GMs only. Thin and sometimes vague rules.powers.The Shadowrun Supplemental 21issue # 17The Shadowrun SupplementalThreats of magical, mundane and technical natures arerevealed (sorry, no man-eating cars yet), and the fundamentalrules are given, usually along with suggestions on how tohave the players encounter the threat. The rules are oftenpretty thin, and the GM is given a lot of leeway in decidinghow things really work. Some GMs will find this freeing,needing only the inspiration of the in-character materials tocome up with devious plots and sub-plots, while others willlikely find this annoying, wanting a single straight answerthat they then have the choice of deviating from.Personally, I would have been quite happy to see some ofthe in-character material either trimmed for more rules details,or trimmed for more in-character inspiration (sometimesthree one-line contradictory paranoid shadowcommentsare worth more than a page of details.) While some of theentries were fine, others took up far more space than theyseemed worth. On the other hand, I suspect this will be thecase for most readers, with the offending entries changingbased on personal gaming preferences.Threats 2 is superior to the original Threats compilation,and is a worthy addition to any creative Shadowrun GM'slibrary. Doubtless containing the essence of a backlog of threeyears of Shadowrun plot ideas, it can keep your game freshfor some time to come. Unfortunately, it’s not terribly usefulfor a player, nor do I recommend they read it regardless.Likewise, GMs seeking definitive and clear rules, or thosenot interested in running extended campaigns, will notfind it as beneficial. My rating reflects my preferred styleof off-the-cuff intricate plots, so adjust based on your ownpreferences. Some threats are low on the following list notbecause they were poorly written, but because they lackedadequate suggestions on how characters would encounterthem.Top ThreeGeneral SaitoThe Aleph SocietyBetrayalIssue # 17