NaChAsMa

How the world of the dystopian future has been changed by drastic events and developments:

Metahumans and other beings exist

One of the first things of the event known as 'the awakening' is the sudden, inexplainable and massive appearance of children born with 'mutations', with them later classified as meta-humans. Their dna is still humanish (they are genetically the same species) but with modifications, and there seem to be distinct groups of certain kinds. They are typically called with stereotypical names hinting at their specific looks - orks, elves, trolls, dwarves and other sub-variants, and the term used to describe all of these is 'meta-humanity'.

Orks are sturdy, a bit taller than humans (average is ~ 6'2''), muscly, have a brownish, greyish or greenish skin color and often, fangs, they have natural low-light amplification, have a shorter life expectancy but reach adulthood earlier, and often they are less adept at socialising, and are not exactly super clever.
Elves are about the same height as orks, but they are of a graceful, slender, nimble build and have pointy ears, almost all are also quite beautiful and pretty, they can live several hundred years, have natural low-light amplification and about the same skin color as humans - often, they are very agile, charismatic and intelligent.
Trolls stand over 8' and are bulky, sturdy, quite strong and massive, they are easy to distinguish with their hardened hide, horns and fangs, they have natural infrared sight, most trolls are rather sloggish (both in their movement, as their way of thinking and intelligence), but very tough.
Dwarves are only about 4' tall, although they are nevertheless sturdy and often feature large beards, they have roughly human skin color and have a slightly higher life expectancy than humans, they have a natural infrared sight and a strong immune system making them better at resisting sicknesses.

In the first years, they were often discriminated against, but nowadays, they mostly have just the same rights as 'normal' humans. There are also abridged versions of animals, called critters, who often possess immense intelligence or even magical abilities. Other supernatural things like ghosts, spirits and even extraordinary creatures like dragons exist as well - and dragons are actually quite old, very clever, talkative and sentient, and have a human appearance they can transform into. In an obscure way of 'magical portals' to an alternative reality, most creatures of the 'first wave' of appearances came into the world - it's unclear if the process could be reversed.

Magic is back

Magical spells, rituals, summoning of spirits, shamanistic enchantments and such things are all very much real. The earth's constant abuse and pollution caused a backfiring, having drastic consequences. Old, cultic places of worship like druid circles suddenly appeared again, literally 'rising out of the ground'. Magically enhanced creatures appeared, not all of them being friendly, and worse, quite often they can't even be seen with worldly, mundane methods.

Spells can be deadlier than bullets, if used in certain ways, as no normal armor will offer any protection against them. Magic leaves traces though, which other users can sense and feel - in fact, what was long unknown and ignored, various events can leave something behind. Places where a lot of blood is shed, such as battlefields, get tainted, causing magic users will feel a sense of dread, while pollution renders something toxic not only in worldly terms. Supposedly, it's not the first time magic is on earth, but it rather was absent for several millenia, before returning now. Magic users, magically altered critters or similar are often called 'awakened'. Going back to old mayan prophecies, the 'new age' has often been called 'The Sixth World'.

Advances of technology

The fact magic is back doesn't mean that normal, technical inventions stopped being improved. The vast majority (95% or more) of the average population is mundane, and meta humans only form about 30 % of the population, though it varies from one place to the other. In all fields, research has continued to push forward, and invent new tech.

Medicine, robotics, electronics, agriculture, nano-technology, bio-engineering, multimedia, material science, communication and information, transportation, finances and many more sectors are way ahead, compared to earlier times. Prostetic replacements mimick normal limbs perfectly, to the point it not only looks and feels normal, but even grants the user a wonderfully simulated sense of touch, heat and the like. Robotic servants and drones are an everyday thing, AIs are quite advanced, cars drive autonomously, and paper hardly exists anymore, everything has been replaced by digital versions. While today, smartphones are a normal thing, in the shadowrun world decades later, everybody wears a mobile, powerful device known as commlink.

It combines the functions and features of a (strong) mini computer, phone, camera, router, chip reader, credstick (the future version of portable money - bank notes and coins are out of use), bank access / electronical payment method, video player, messenger and more. They come in all sizes, shapes and colors, and range from cheap but basic versions, to extravagant and expansive ones - most are roughly the size of a cellphone we know, but there are even some worn around the wrist, and you can even implant it into the body. Via the commlink, the user also manages and administrates their personal area network (PAN).

Commlinks can access and display (onto appropriate devices) augmented reality applications (AR). As if that is not enough, most commlinks even work like an IC card: it contains the personal data of the user (which also bears risks, of course), and their SIN.

A new world order

Various catastrophies, turmoils, cataclysmic events, riots and wars shattered the status quo, and greatly diminished the power of the 'classical' nations. Tribal nations returned to their old values and rituals, and declared their independece. Diseases spread and natural disasters happened, and a new balance had to be found between magic and technology. The political landscape was heavily shaken, several new nations came to exist, due to former ones splitting up (either by consent, or as a result of a powerstruggle and clashing). The great winners were not the national states - but rather, the companies, apart from some rare exceptions. One country that seems to have done well is Japan, which greatly increased it's sphere of influence, has a whopping number of 3 AAA megacorps with the main seat in their country, and japanese culture has spread around the globe. Japanese is the second most important language, after english, many cultural innovations were influenced by Japan, and in almost all cities, a notable Japanese population can be found.

Not all of the companies benefitted, but specifically, new conglomerates of globally active, incredibly large, broadly working and operating corporations came to exist. In time, they aquired more and more rights, until they replaced nations in several fields - the so called megacorps have extraterritorial places under their direct control, jurisdiction and supervision. The largest contol more territory than most countries, have their own armies, citizenships, money etc, and the most powerful organization is known as the 'Inter-Corporate Council' formed of the 10 biggest Megacorps. While almost all of the exterritory corps produce their own currency, the new leading sort that is used world-wide is the Nuyen, an abbreviation of 'New Yen'.

It's a hyper-capitalistic, materialistic world ignoring the needs and wishes of individuals. Most people work as what is cynically called 'wage slaves' for one of the companies. The future might have modern technology, but it's a repressive, near authocratic system giving little liberties to its inhabitants. Violence, crime and a lack of perspective are an every-day thing. Vast areas got laid to waste in wars or natural disasters. The corporations fight over control, while the classical national countries struggle to not vanish completely into insignificance. Officially, in most national states, there are still the usual governments and democracies, but the corporations use their influence and pull some strings to shift matters into the ways they want, in the great majority of cases.

Most people live in ultra-dense, huge megacities called 'Megaplexes', which easily have 20 million and more inhabitants tightly cluttered in an urban area, with intense slums where the socially weak or 'outcast' live, and gangs rule. The surveillance state that George Orwell imagined in '1984' is nothing compared to the possibilities given by the inter-connected, wirelessly accessible Matrix, smart cameras, police drones and so forth, and only the sheer amount of information - and the unwillingness of the corporations to share their data with one another - prevents them from precisely monitoring everybody's life.

National militaries and police forces have more often than not proved to be inadequate for the tasks in this new society, and the corporations have not only their own forces, but there exist private security companies having the contract for police duties in many cities, plexes and states. State-owned police forces often are underfinanced, short on personnel and struggle to keep up with their difficult tasks - on the other hand, conctracted security companies tend to only do as much as they get paid for, leading to them sometimes ignoring smaller crimes or certain city districts, and can be a mere pawn in the hands of a megacorp in the background.

The megacorps stay in control of the majority of the population with the control of the media, disinformation, intrigues, influence of politicians, and because they provide all the things the average ciziten will ever wish for. Ceasar once said that the people need 'Bread and Circuses', that means having their daily needs such as food or shelter provided, plus some form of entertainment and diversion. AR and VR programs are excellent for that, and new, 'thrilling' sports have been invented (one could also simply call them lurid and bloody).

In nearly all countries world-wide, the governments are unable to change or do anything about it (if they are even aware of the bigger situation themselves) because they are either controlled, subtly manipulated or extorted, and are in a stage of weakness and diminishment of power anyway. Corruption is so normal and happens so often that it's quite common, and can be found in any corporation or organization. Of course, should it become public, individuals will loose their job, or worse - but normally, the corp involved in the background manages to blame everything on the employee they fired, without harm for themselves.


Further concepts and various terms:

Shadowrunners / Runners - There are a lot of reasons why people fail to find a legal, normal and regular work. They could be born outside the controlled, regulated society (in an illegal slum, and the like), have a criminal record, or they simply had bad luck and were fired, not managing to find another job after. In some cases, it even happens that individuals reject the life as a wageslave for the big companies because they want their liberty and freedom. In any case, a good number end without an occupation, on the street. Those that have the needed talents might decide to life as what is known as a shadowrunner, or simply runner.

Almost all of them don't have a legal SIN and can only used faked ids. They earn their money by doing contracts and mercenary work, which in the best cases is happening in a legal grey area, but more often than not is highly illegal, forbidden, and quite dangerous. It's a life outside the normal society, although most are quite good at hiding and masking this, and mix with the normal population. With the right know-how and contacts, they can have bank accounts, a home to live and such, although they typically get paid with credsticks. Runners usually have a 'street name' used amongst themselves and in the shadows, and understand themselves as comrades.

The majority of the normal populace either doesn't know that runners even exist, or believe it's rumors and urban myths. The few times runners or other things of the life in the shadows are publically discussed or shown (videos, etc), Shadowrunners are heavily caricatured and described as mindless savages, drooling chip-addicts or generally 'the bad guys' (while the corps are shown as legitimate, wonderful enterprises bringing progress for everyone).

Mega-Corporation (Megacorp, Mega, Corp) - In the series of events, riots and radical changes before and throughout the awakening, many companies managed to heavily increase their power and standing. They formed corporations, and the largest are known as mega-corporations, or simply megacorps (and a couple other nicknames). They have a lot of influence, a vast amount of resources (both money, and property), and quite some power. All megacorps have the right of extraterritory status (more on that later) and are 'big players', international companies active in business, the stock market etc, and are way, way larger and more powerful than even the strongest companies of our time. While each megacorp has their own main focus of a certain branch, it's pretty much guaranteed each of them is at least somewhat active in each imaginable line of business. (Think about a combination of Apple, Coca Cola, Mc Donald's, Boeing and Walmart, and you get a small idea about the scale of even an 'average' megacorp.)

Corporate laws, ratings - Corporations have ratings describing their size, and power. The biggest ten are the AAA Corps, which form the ICC. Apart from the triple A megacorps, there is an even larger number of AA megacorps which also have the rights described under this section, and similarly to the AAA corporations, they are huge and active in a lot of fields as well. Some particularly large AA corporations could even be bigger and richer than small AAA corps - but they don't have a seat on the Inter-Corporate Council. There are also companies with an A rating, meaning they have a lot of financial power and are investing in different fields more so than traditionally, although their influence is mainly centered on just one country - typcially, they are just called corporations, not mega corporations.

The list of the current biggest 10 (and the seat of their headquarters, plus their leading branches) is

Ares Macrotechnology (Detroit, UCAS - former USA - defense, weapons, aerospace technology)
Aztechnology (Tenochtitlán, Aztlan - Middle / Central America, former Mexico - consumer goods, magical technology)
Evo (Wladiwostok, Russia - biotechnology appliances, nano-machines, ergonomic goods for metahumans, cyberware)
Horizon (Los Angeles, Pueblo Corporate Council - public relations, media, marketing, entertainment)
Mitsuhama Computer Technologies (Kyoto, Japan - computers, robotics, multimedia)
NeoNET (Boston, UCAS - Matrix infrastructure, software, electronics, commlinks)
Renraku Computer Systems (Chiba, Japan - computer technology, especially memory storage and databases, hardware)
Saeder-Krupp (Essen, Germany - heavy industry, nuclear energy, oil, chemistry, aerospace and armaments, telecommunications)
Shiawase Corporation (Osaka, Japan - services, biotech)
Wuxing Incorporated (Hong Kong - finance, shipping, consumer goods and services)

AAA and AA megacorps have special rights and priviledges they gained over time. Their property is regarded as their own territy, meaning it's extraterritorial, like a diplomatic embassy is in our world. Megacorps could own entire city districts, or even a complete city, and rule over it on their own. They have their own laws and constitutions, and are free to enforce those laws on their ground and in their facilities, with almost no consequences. Megacorps are absolutely allowed using deadly force against intruders, or to arrest and lock up individuals found without legitimate Ids / SINs. State police or other law enforcers can't get active on their property, and so, each megacorp has their own units and forces. Many even have their own currency, and citizenship. Despite the many liberties, Megacorps must answer to the ICC, one of the few restrictions.

The Inter-Corporate Council (ICC) - After a while, and with increasing power of the corporations, it became obvious that some form of regulation was needed, else chaos and conflicts would spring forth. The largest corporations formed the Inter-Corporate Council, and several decades later, it is firmly anchored in the balance of power. The ICC decides which companies are allowed to have AA rating, and they are responsible to settle conflicts going beyond normal business rivalry. Officially, wars are not allowed, although there were times when corporations hired mercenaries, or simply send their own troops, and clashed against one another in open combat, or planned to use even more wicked methods - biological weapons, destructive computer viruses and such.

By now, conflicts like that are way less likely - the ten members have proven they are ready to engage someone breaking the rules, if necessary. Even an AAA megacorp would stand no chance if all others joined arms against him. The megacorps are by no means allies, although their relations differ from rivals, to tolerated 'partners' - but with this method, a balance of power is established. The ICC is funded by payments of the members, and the central piece is the 'Zurich Orbital Station', a space station in an orbit over Zurich. The core treaty is the 'Concordat of the Zurich orbital station', banning research on certain fields that could lead to another open, violent and devastating war. The punishment if an open violation becomes known is the 'Omega Order', the complete economical and physical destruction of the violating corporation. While almost all megacorps secretly try to at least have r&d on those fields running at a minimum, they have to be extremly careful about it, do it in the hidden and thus, do it quite ineffectively.

Corp Wars, Shadow Runs - Of course, megacorps are not just satisfied with a preservation of their might and influence, they want to expand, take over competitors and increase their power. Beyond aggressive advertising, skillful analyzation and usage of the stock market and business strategies, clever product design, or simply using methods close to coercion towards their employes, customers and middlemen, they can't really do much in the open though. The rules of the ICC prevent open conflicts, and the risk of punishment ensures that this law is followed. However, the corporations have found a way to work around this. All of them know how things work, although it's not public and would officially be denied. It's an unspoken and unwritten rule practiced by pretty much every AA and AAA Corp, and most A corporations as well.

Corporations engaging in dubious or simply illegal activities will not use their own employees, but rather hire questionable persons - the Shadowrunners. Their 'work' is done 'in the shadows' and out of sight, the origin of their name, and a 'run' is some kind of job, mission or contract that they do. Should those mercenaries be busted and either caught (or even killed), every corporation can plausibly deny that they had something to do with it. Shadowrunners know and accept the fact that in case of their failure, they will not only be denied their payment, but rather have a high danger of being locked up, abused or executed, with their client granting them no protection at all and even claiming they never heard of them. The megacorps fight their battles in the shadows, and the public is normally blissfully unaware of those shadowy corp wars, that are officially forbidden anyway.

Runs can be anything imaginable, though mostly nothing that would be a breach of the Concordat - only desperate Corps or staff members would start that, and only the most experienced and callous runners would take such a job. Not everything is a high-risk operation endangering the lives of the runners, it can be simple smuggle on a small scale, intimidation of someone or smashing a (not particularly expensive) shipment. 'Extraction' of personnel of another corp (being borderline to an abduction, though sometimes the target even wants to leave the corp, but can't on their own) is a frequent mission, as well as stealing of research data / new, experimental products, or cybercrime.

The vast majority of runs will take place in an urban environment, or some sort of facility. It's rare that runners have to go in without any preparation at all - they need to scout out the place, check the environment, develop a plan, maybe meet up with their contacs and do 'basic' work before the actual run. The term 'legwork' has been used by runners to describe this. Of course, in an open fight, even the best runner teams would stand no chance against hordes of corporate troops and soldiers, who come with heavy gear, in large numbers, with drone support etc etc. But they can't be everywhere at the same time, and so typically, the guard force at one place can be overwhelmed or outsmarted and tricked - if the alarm is not triggered (or not too soon) and the runners go in fast, and leave quickly again.

Shadowrunners can be hired to guard a place or shipment though (sometimes against rival runners) instead of attacking something, and not all runs are against other corporations - sometimes, they might be used against the organised crime or even against state institutions in an effort to weaken the local authorities, and strengthen a megacorp wanting to expand. In theory, everyone could act as a client for the runners, as long as he / she / the company have enough money and know the right contacts. Private persons might hire them as detectives for observing if their spouse has an affair, or a low manager needs them to ruin the reputation of their higher-ups in hopes of advancing on their own.

The clients never tell their own name or which corp they come from, but will act under a pseudonym - somehow, the name of 'Mr Johnson' or respectively 'Mrs Johnson' has been established. Of course, with modern data analyzers and matrix searches, the real identity could be found out - but Johnsons hate it when runners try to snoop around, and those of an important mega corp in a higher up position might directly end the contract, or even get the shadowrunners in severe trouble and danger. Runner groups vary greatly in size, resources and skills - anyone grabbing a gun can decide to go on a run, but professional teams with a balanced loadout and a wider set of capabilities are the average.

They tend to not to be 'in this business' for long though, due to the dangers involved, and so veteran runners with a decade of experience or more are rare, and costly. A Johnson will usually never directly contact runners - the Johnsons want their privacy, and to be able to deny connections in case needed. Whereas the runners don't exactly run a service that stands in a telephone book - a link between that is needed, which is where fixers come in.

A fixer is the intermediate between the shadows and other parts of the society. Fixers have numerous contacts, and some also have secondary specialties, such as smuggling, fencing, and so on. Most Mr. Johnsons, regardless of whom they represent, will contact a fixer to set up a meet with shadowrunners. Fixers often know many powerful secrets, like the real identities of Mr. Johnsons, the runners, and such. Fixers, however, will not easily part with this information, as secrecy (plausible deniability) is part of the services they provide. Typically, one group of shadowrunners has one fixer as their contact, who works in their city / general area. The runners are in the portfolio he 'manages', and when a fixer gets contacted by a Johnson about a job, he will select a group or runner he deems up to the task, and match them up.

Often, fixers are ex-runners who stopped going on jobs on their own, but rather use the contacts they gained during their work to establish themselves. Trust between a Johnson, the fixer and the runner group is essential, even if this is about illegal activities, and it's very rare that a Johnson will screw over the fixer or his clients - he might need similar services at a later point, and can't afford to have his 'customer reputation' in the shadows ruined, or his secrets brought to light. Normally, a corp won't be damaged, but individuals can - if needed, a megacorp has no problem at all to dismiss employees whose connections are made public, claiming they acted on their own.

Runner 'professsions' - The types of shadowrunners differ greatly. While sometimes difficult to classify, there still exist a number of 'archetypes' that are the most common. Other shadowrunners, fixers and persons familiar with the life in the shadows will know what to roughly expect of them.

Street Samurai - the term used for your general, run-of-the-mill fighter and combat specialist. They typically wear heavy protective gear, often have cyberware or other upgrades, and use rifles, pistols, shotguns or other weapons. They are athletic, strong and quick, which is only improved by training and their artificial enhancements. Despite the term 'samurai', it's actually rare that some specialize on close combat with blades or anything similar.

Face - Charismatic individuals and the closest to a 'leader' or spokesperson of a runner group. They may be good looking, smooth talking, quick-witted, or just have a great force of personality. The face usually acts as the front-man at any meet, handles situations where legwork and networking are necessary, and negotiates with Mr. Johnsons, dealers, and infobrokers. A face may be all natural, but more often than not they're augmented by bioware such as tailored pheromones.

Hacker / Decker - Characters who specialize in computers, and accessing and manipulating data via the Matrix either using augmented reality or going full-bore and using virtual reality to do their dirty work. Most hackers use heavily customized versions of commlinks they have modified and upgraded themselves, often with personally written programs that manipulate the Matrix in ways beyond any sysops intention. While illegally logged into the Matrix, hackers can search and sift through information of all kinds, tap phone calls, and disable and enable other systems at will. Most hackers are experts in cybercombat, a battle of skills and programs against other hackers or intrusion countermeasures (IC).

Rigger - A subset of hackers who focus on using and manipulating modern vehicles and drones. Many riggers are adept at controlling multiple drones at once and using them as eyes and ears. Others excel at jumping into vehicles through full virtual reality, effectively operating as if the machines were extensions of their own bodies. Similarly, security riggers typically known as spiders interface with the sim-enhanced security systems built into buildings and facilities. From this web, the spiders reach spans the entire building, allowing him to see through sensors and mentally control security features like locks and hidden weaponry.

Magician - Sometimes also called street mage in case of runners. They use their force of will and the power of their beliefs to manipulate magic and control spirits. Magicians who have similar beliefs ofen gravitate to one another, adopting schools of thought known as traditions. Magicians of all traditions are able to cast spells and summon and bind spirits. Most can also perceive and project into the parallel mystic realm of astral space. Two magical traditions are common: hermetic mages and shamans. Mages (hermetic magicians) are known for using thaumaturgical abilities in a scientifc, logical manner. To mages, magic is about knowledge and structure. Shamans are magicians to whom magic is attunement with the forces of nature.

Adept - Often also named Ki-Adept. They are the modern-day ninjas and berserkers, using magic to enhance their bodies abilities. Adepts tend to be athletically oriented, with good stealth and combat skills. Adepts use their magic in a radically different way than other Awakened, by channeling magic through their bodies and minds; they do not cast spells or conjure spirits, nor do they typically have access to astral space. Instead, adepts develop powers that improve their physical and mental abilities.

Technomancer - Technomancers are metahumans who have expressed the ability to affect computers directly, without terminals or intermediate devices of their own, as an act of will. There are many parallels between a Technomancer's ability and magical ability expressed by the Awakened; much as Awakened mages summon spirits and cast spells, Technomancers compile Sprites and execute Complex Forms. Despite these similarities, a Technomancer's ability is not compatible with other forms of Awakening, if it is indeed it is related to magic in any way (a current unknown). The closest equivalent is the classical decker, although a technomancer needs no equipment at all to use their skills and manipulate a system, or even make a VR dive. Technomancers receive their powers from a mysterious source known as "Resonance." They have occured only recently, they only exist in very small numbers, and much is still unknown about them.

SIN - stands for 'System Identification Number' and is the modern version of an identity card. It not only contains a distinctive number, but also the name and other personal information, and typically, the SIN can be stored and accessed in a simple, handy way via the commlink. Having no SIN is illegal, although they can be faked (with the right knowledge and skills - a faked SIN has to be hacked into the database of large, official servers) and then bought on the black market (for a hefty sum, and it's no guarantee that authorities won't get suspicious) or used by the hacker / a comrade of him. Every citizen born in 'normal' ways directly gets a SIN at birth, but in slums, this could not happen, or one might want to get rid of their ID because they commited a crime. Nearly all Shadowrunners have no legal SIN, but conversely, a lot of people have no SIN without doing runs.

Commlink - The futuristic equivalent for a smartphone. A jack-of-all-trades device that is phone, computer, camera and more, all in one handy device. It uses and features AR-enhanced information, visuals and surroundings as well, as long as one has something to display it on (screen, high tech glasses and the like). Communication, banking, payments, navigation, idenfication and more are all done with these, and typically, everybody has one. It has two modes to display user profiles - public, and hidden. Hidden just means that, whereas public means that anyone with a commlink of their own can request to see the date of another person.

Usually, it's forbidden to not openly display all the info such as name, address, occupation etc - and security members only get suspicious all the more if someone actively hides his information (of course, they would need to find out there is someone doing that in the first place - someone not spotted won't be noticed). There are a lot of applications and programs one can get for a commlink, not all being legal and spam or even malware exists too. Need a translator, want to know the way to the next Japanese sushi restaurant, want to find out about a corp or make a spontaneous video and upload it? The commlink can do it.

Personal Area Network (PAN) - The personal wifi-network formed between the commlink, and all sorts of electronic devices and gadgets. It can be used for something as simple as controlling one's electronic glasses, but a lot more is possible - steering drones, managing your cyberware, communicating with smart weapons and more. Usually heavily encrypted, although it can theoretically be hacked.

Augmented Reality (AR) - Digitally enhanced reality, where something is not displayed in reality but with the use of electronic devices. It could be something as ads, or information and the price of product in a shop - instead of having it written down, the info is just digitally send to the user who then sees it for example on his glasses (basically, the same idea as gadgets like the google glass, which has an overlay screen displaying stuff while the user still sees the normal world). It allows for a great many uses and allmost all 'apps' can be realized with it -

Virtual Reality (VR) / The Matrix - Instead of just using AR applications, a user can fully dive into the virtual world, a fully simulated, entirely digital and artificial environment. All senses are simulated properly - a simple commlink is not enough for this, a different method has to be used, the typical one being VR helmets. When cable connections and plugs instead of this was used, the device was called a 'deck', leading to the users naming themselves 'deckers' - even in modern times, the term is often kept, instead of 'hackers' or similar.

The Matrix is a vast, global, humongous computer network, comparable to the internet with the difference that the user 'steps into it'. Programs and Matrix users are displayed as icons (any kind of image or persona) in a digital world, and depending on whether the simulation should resemble reality, it's entirely possible to construct digital copies of places that exist in reality - a nightclub, for example. Being fully emerged in VR mode leaves the physical limits of the body behind, allowing the brain to work at full speed, meaning that tasks done in VR will be completed much shorter than it would in simple AR mode.

Almost all devices and machines are controlled with wireless signals, and like users accessing the matrix, they are displayed as an icon. The vast amount of icons in one place makes it impossible to display them all at once, and so the systems automatically filter the information. Experienced users can try to fiddle with the settings, or specifically search for something of interest - for example, a decker might want to find and access the icon of a security camera, to hack the recording and insert a loop, allowing his comrades to then walk past the cam.

Not all places have to be open for everyone - servers and nodes can be hidden or unaccessible too, or only have a private, closed network you can't access until you physically stand in the server room, and plug yourself into it. There are a lot of semi-legal and plain illegal sites and places in the Matrix, if one knows where to look, and the 'shadowy parts' are frequently visited and used by runners. Hacks are possible, and the VR environment allows for a lot of options, but it also bears risks. Logged into the Matrix in VR mode, it's possible for especially malicious viruses or programs to harm the users brain in such severe amounts that it affects the physical body. This can have any range from light nausea to lasting brain damage or even death from shock and trauma.

The Wifi-world - In earlier times, the matrix existed too, but it was based on devices physically plugged into the network. After a great crash which nearly wiped out all global data and fried several large data centers, caused by a harmful virus, it was redesigned and rebuild using latest wireless data transmission technologies. It allows for a nearly unlimited amount of information to be displayed and broadcast freely, and with rare exceptions, nearly anything nowadays is based on wifi tech. The major exception are non-public owned facilities, for example a corporate research center, where the usage of wifi would cause security risks. Basic information, like a matrix search, can also be displayed in AR mode, but to fully access it, one needs a method to enter VR mode.

Intrusion Countermeasures (IC) - The methods for hacking have vastly evolved in the future, and mere, normal firewalls and protective shields have proven to not be enough. Intrusion Countermeasures or IC are Matrix constructs designed to detain and possibly kill deckers invading a computer host. IC constructs range from benign Probe constructs that simply monitor activity to Trace programs that determine the location of an intruding decker to IC that can warp or physically damage the brain through lethal biofeedback. Typically, there are four distinguished kinds of IC.
White IC - Generally does no permanent damage, used to monitor and impede.
Trace IC - Designed to find the location of a decker.
Gray IC - IC that causes permanent damage to a cyberdeck / VR device.
Black IC - IC that is designed to directly harm the decker, sometimes only knocking him unconscious or making him feel sick, but there is also black IC that destroys someone's brain with lethal feedback pulses.

Particularly nasty IC can have a second function, it can also hack the icon / equipment of the decker and render it impossible to log out, which makes black IC using this especially dangerous.

AR / VR films and applications, Better-than-life (BTL) - Not everything is grim and miserable about the future. AR and VR methods allow for unimaginable options - a TV programme can just be spiced up by additional info, or even completely displayed digitally in the Matrix. Physical restrictions are rendered obsolete in a VR film, and the user can even switch around his place of view - or experience it directly out of the perspective of one character in the film, with full simulation of sound, smells, touch etc. This is known under the term 'Simsense' and works with the 'ASIST' system (Artificial Sensory Induction Systems Technology) and uses a device called SimRig (usually, an external gadget like a helmet the user wears).

The state of the art for videos are the so called 'Trids', threedimensional, holographic successors of the classical 2d films. Chatting and meeting up people in VR is easy and works well, games are more realistic than ever, and so on and so forth. There are also erotic and even porn movies and such, and 'cybersex' gets a whole new meaning with VR capabilities. Normally, a simrig device comes with safety limiters who prevent output going off the charts to happen. This is known as 'cold' sim. Those limiters can be removed though, creating a 'hot' sim - full abilities at the risk of brain damage if the feedback filters can't keep up with the stimulation affecting the user. Hackers frequently use this, as they (rightfully) claim they can't use their full potential otherwise, but that's not the only aspect of hot sims.

Not everything is all nice and shiny about the new tech though. Sadly, darker aspects exist as well. Spam, piracy, viruses and malware still exists, one might stumble upon depressing or even disturbing stuff. Utter perversion and 'sick' stuff is possible, such as snuff films, horror shows or devious sexual acts. And a particularly devious thing are BTL chips. As realistic as they are, normal VR devices have their limitations, and even Simsense or rather Simrig has certain restrictions. But like mentioned before, they can be abused, manipulated and hacked, to grant a 'deeper' immersion and an even more realistic experience, making the user forget they are even in a simulation after all.

BTL (Better Than Life), also commonly referred to as “beetles,” “mindbenders,” “playback,” “tracers,” and “zombie chips,” are an addictive form of simsense chips. BTLs are known for their lack of peak controls, the legally-recommended limits to ASIST signal levels and modulation, resulting in a more intense experience than commercially available simsense, and direct stimulation to the limbic area, or “pleasure center,” of the brain, wreaking havoc with brain biochemistry and leading to addictive behavior. It's even possible to have the BTL running without VR mode, and with options such as switching the user's personality into that of another person, it's both dangerous and thrilling. This addictiveness combined with a limited longetivity on most BTL chips provides a lucrative market for organized crime. BTLs have become the modern drug of choice and junkies, called “chipheads”, are a common sight.

Cyberware / Bodyware - Cybertechnology is defined as a field of technology that deals with the development of artificial devices or machines that can be surgically implanted into a humanoid form to improve or otherwise augment their physical or mental abilities. Cybertechnological products are known as "Cyberware". There are many types and subclassifications of Cyberware, and they can be found in various different grades of quality. There are several categories of cyberware, the most common being headware, bodyware and cyberlimbs. Headware is any Cyberware that installed in ones head, and bodyware is generally any Cyberware installed in the torso. Cyberlimbs are both a Cybertechnological product and a classification of Cyberware, owing to the fact that cyberlimbs can have equipment and additional Cyberware installed in them in bulk.

Cyberware comes in varying grades of quality. The higher the quality of the cyberware, the less impact it has on the body's ability to cope with Cyberware (or in other words, better quality cyberware reduces the Essence cost of a given piece of cyberware). Better quality Cyberware costs more money to purchase.

Basic Cyberware - Cyberware for the mass market. Inexpensive, easy to install. Essence inefficient.
Alphaware - Higher quality Cyberware. High-end mass market products. Also easy to install.
Betaware - Custom-made Cyberware. Expensive. Much less of an impact on the body than with Basicware.
Deltaware - Highest quality Cyberware. Art-like construction and difficult installation. Most expensive. Only the biggest megacorps even have knowledge about where to get this, and for private users / shadowrunners, it's pretty much impossible to get, or to finance.

Aside from the threat of malfunctioning cyberware causing a fatal injury, complications can arise due to issues regarding the installation of cyberware. Specifically, installing too much cyberware in a person is fatal. The body of a metahuman can take a fair amount of stress in regards to having artificial material installed into it, but it will die if too much Cyberware is installed. This is known as essence loss, and when one's essence fully vanishes, the user dies, while only a low remaining essence could mean the user shows traces of stress, unstable behavior or gets lunatic. The stress on the body and mind caused by implanted cyberware also has another effect on the Awakened and magically-active. Cyberware implanted in the Awakened typically reduces their ability to use magic. Implanting too much cyberware can eventually remove the ability to use magic completely, turning the magician into a mundane.

The public mainly knows cyberware for its usage in medicine (replacement of limbs, strengthening of a weak heart, etc), but runners, mercenaries, soldiers and police forces are almost guaranteed to be beefed up with combat-focused devices causing effects such as artificially increased reflexes, strength or pain tolerance. Often, cyberware like this is licensed.

Medical services, clinics - Medicine has made great advancements, and hospitals are using the latest high-tech, modern science and knowledge, but also the possibilities provided with restorative healing magic. It's not uncommon to have a magic-using doctor in modern hospitals, and the healers usually work very well together with their mundane colleagues. Not everybody can afford it though, as magical healing treatment normally costs extra. Many also provide surgery to implant, or remove cyberware or other upgrades. By law, they can only do this to legal persons with a SIN though, and while runners have faked one's, they are often a bit hesitant to let a clinic know precisely what they will have built into their body.

Thankfully, there are some clinics whose operators know about their clients, and will ask no questions, but also work semi-legal or even illegal. Shadow clinics are often the only way runners can get their wounds treated without the police directly showing up and inquiring just where those bullet injuries come from. On the other hand, runners will have to blindly trust the 'doctors' and medical personnel there - if something goes wrong, they will be on their own - and the equipment often is not the best. It's better to bleed out on the streets or get locked up for the rest of the life, though.

Desperate, wacky or simply poor runners can't even afford that, they have to go to an illegal, small and low-standard clinic (such are often derogatorily called 'chop shop') where cheap, secondhand cyberware will be implanted. Secondhand for cyberware modules typically means that it was already used by someone else before, before the wielder needed money and had it removed and sold, or worse, plucked out of his corpse after a run gone wrong.

There are corps who specialise in ambulance services - specifically, the biggest and most known is DocWagon. Clients can make a one-year contract (which is paid for in advance) costing a hefty sum, but in exchange, they get a vital monitor which alarms DocWagon, should the wearer be gravely (and potentially fatally) wounded. In the span of just a few minutes, an armored ambulance with a medital team that has light combat gear (enough to fight off a few gangers or similar) will be there to pick up and rescue the customer (losses amongst the employees cost an extra fee).

Runners are particularly fond of this service, and DocWagon guarantees the anonymity of their clients (hiding behind laws, regulations, and their extraterritory status if the police wants info - should they give out data about their clients, their business model would break down). However, they can't enter any extraterritory areas, so they wouldn't rescue a client if they get downed in a facility of another megacorp.

Bioware - Biotechnology traditionally covers the broadly-defined area of science that deals with incorporating scientific research with living things, including genetically engineered plants and animals, synthetic chemicals based on natural derivatives, and other applications of the life sciences. In the scope of the Sixth World, however, biotechnology typically means the implantation and development of Bioware. Bioware involves cloning specific organs and enhancing them, implanting the enhanced organs into the body. It also involves the modification of natural bodily functions for cosmetic and beneficial effect.

It has medical uses, but is also a way to strengthen the body and increase physical abilities, without the need to implant artificial devices. Bioware is much more user-friendly and comes at a greatly decreased essence cost - but it's also expensive, since many parts are unique and specifically created for one user, finetuned and balanced to work well with their physiology (called cultivated bioware). Like cyberware, different qualities of bioware exist, although alpha-bioware and better will always be cultivated bioware. Except for some rare cases, the implanting of Bioware takes place in official, normal clinics or specialised locations - though some, for an extra fee to 'forget' background checks on their customers, also treat runners.

Magic in everyday life, astral plane - Magic isn't simply something exotic and ultra rare anymore. Even if it's still treated with respect, and street samurai fear magical abilities they have little means of defending against, it has found its way into normal life. Almost all police forces and corporations have security magicians, where their job doesn't even have to be directly fighting - they can also conjure spirits who guard a place. This can range from nothing but passive, hidden spotters who tell their conjurer something is wrong (Watcher), to guardian elemental spirits materialising on the physical plane and starting to attack intruders.

Magic can make daily tasks easier, allow for miraculous feats to happen, and lastly - it can also look quite cool. In earlier times, they used explosives for action-packed effects, in times with magic, the same can be accomplished by a mage. Mages can be quite good at the securing of evidence as well, unsurprisingly this goes double when some sort of spells or magical gadgets were involved.

There is also the astral plane, a second realm beyond the physical, mundane, earthly and material plane. It is a mana plane of existence that mirrors the physical world. All physical objects create shadowy representations of themselves in astral space. Living things have brighter forms on the astral plane, which is called an aura. The awakened have auras that are brighter and more colorful than their mundane counterparts. Nothing has a "physical" presence (a bit of a misnomer, since nothing is truly physical on the astral) in astral space unless it has an astral form.

Some creatures might be visible only in this plane, especially spirits, ghosts and elementals. Most have to switch to the physical plane in order to directly effect it. Mages can learn to 'see' the astral plane, or rather sense its aura, which is for some awakened critters actually an innate ability. If they are particularly skilled, they can even project their mind into an astral body, which can then freely move around, at high-speed, floating in the air and able to pass through anything that is not organic (due to this, walls filled with living algea to block this have been invented as security measure). The drawback is that they won't notice what's going on with their physical body, which could prove dangerous or even fatal.

Spells on the Astral Plane can only be non-physical energy spells and cannot interact with the physical plane, unless targeting something with an astral form. Targeting a mundane's aura is not enough to establish the link to cast a spell, for example. Like wise a spell cast on the physical plane can not affect the astral plane, though the spell will leave disturbances in the ambient mana, which will leave a magician's astral signature in astral space.

Magical objects - Magic can leave traces on objects, either intentional or as an accidental side effect. To concentrate their abilities and catalyse magical power, mages often find it helpful having small, enchanted objects with them that they prepared before. It can have any form and shape, though typically it's something precious and important for a mage. Totems, foci and magic amplifiers of all sorts and likes exist, though for full usage, they have to be very close to the mage - skin contact works best. A ring or an amulett resting on the chest are typical examples. Even if the wielder dies, the object won't loose all of its power, though a random mage trying to use it would not get the full benefit from it.

Lifestyle and consumer goods - Fashion, music, entertainment, the food industry and the like have all continued to develop and 'improve' - sometimes, customers would disagree, but the big megacorps have a firm grip on this, and dictate the way things are. Pretty much all 'normal' products are available for cheap prices and in abundance - at the cost of quality and transparency. Substitutes are a big thing, and are promoted as 'innovative' and 'hip', but mostly, it's for profit maximization. The industry has, also thanks to bio-engineering, managed to create food made up from inexpensive, low quality ingredients, but bunched together with some artificial flavors and additives, it somewhat resembles better produce.

Soyfood is such a thing, and a widely common at it. The most used substitute foods are made of soy, yeast und mycroproteins (a sort of genetically engineered mushroom) which is the major source of food for most of the population. Even those of the middle class only have natural food every now and then - due to catastrophies, awakened nature, large megaplexes and such, the cultivable land is scarce, and natural producs are expensive. Soy products of the upper price class are almost not distinguishable from the original, imitated food and contain - albeit artificially added - all suggested vitamins and nutrients. The better soy foods are even less polluted than some natural plants and animals.

Typical examples are nutrisoy (the cheapest), soy sausages, soyburgers, soybeer, soykaf (a caffee replacement), and more. Soy is heavily used to replace other things, and unless you go to eat in an expensive restaurant featuring high-quality natural food, the meat you can get your hands on will never have been on an animal. The triple A and smaller corps like to keep it covered up where exactly consumer goods and less specialised products are from, but snacks gotten from the average supermarket (the biggest chain being 'Stuffershack') or at your typical hotdog stand have a good chance coming froming from Aztechnology, for example.

Today's fashion is shrill, colorful, an eye-catcher and often increases the effect further with AR surfaces displaying a myriad of shifting colors, as long as the one gazing at it has something to view AR. Music is using all the options of the new world to provide a unique (and often, at least those for the masses, loud) experience. Art has further developed. Sports are still a popular and mainstream form of enjoyment, although a number of more violent kinds have risen up, such as Urban Brawl.

Urban Brawl is an officially non-lethal sport were teams compete in an urban environment. The goal is to bring a ball into enemy's base, incidentally causing as much mayhem as possible (the rules clearly state that the object of the game is to score goals, not kill opponents). Cyberware, non-heavy weaponry, and some armor are permitted. Magic is not. Fatalities are a common occurrence. Almost all kinds of sport had to react on the arrival of magic, tech advancements, and metahumans, and typically magic is forbidden, but meta humans are usually allowed, whereas the usage of cyberware and upgrades differs from one sport to the next.

Slang - As one could expect, languages have continued to evolve and adapt to the new situation as well. A lot of colloquial and slang words have developed, and the whole array would be way too much to name here. A few notable examples:

"Wetwork" Assassination / murder
"Trid" or "Trideo" Holographic animated media; three-dimensional successor to video
"Sprawl" Metroplex
"Ice" Security software, Intrusion Countermeasures / IC
"Suit" An employee of a big corp
"Chummer" Pal or buddy, often used among good runner friends
"Omae" (Jap) Friend
"Squatter" Homless person of lowest social status who lives on the streets

Weapons, protective gear - Not all technological advancement was in civil, peaceful fields. Firearms were continually improved and developed, and unless you look for really exotic, high-end experimental guns, they are not that difficult to obtain. There are many semi-legal dealers who don't have a problem with the identity of their clients, and so runners can gear up if they have enough money to pay for it. There is a variety of different kinds available, and most are not even restricted to the military, though more heavy and potentially devastating pieces (i.e. rocket or grenade launchers, heavy machine guns) or modules that are intended purely for killing and assassination purposes (i.e. most silencers) are forbidden to the general public. The allowed pices usually need a license (see more in the next entry).

Weapons can be heavily customized, and use modern technologies - many have laser range finders and target pointers (smartlink) that are connected to the user's PAN and works in unison with AR glasses or similar. Even more advanced are pieces with a small computer (smartgun) which can assisst the user by constantly making calculations and correcting the aim on its own, display the remaining ammo level or other information directly into the user's interface, are only usable by a specific person or can eject an empty clip with a vocal command or an electrical signal.

There are also different ammunition sorts that can be used - besides the classical standard ammo, there are for example explosive rounds (though these are hard to get by) or non-lethal gel projectiles with less penetration but the ability to simply knock someone out by blunt yet non-fatal force. Shotgun rounds also don't need to simply use spreading lead shots that struggle against armored vests, a number of shotguns can rather fire massive metallic slugs with surprising range and accurancy.

Protection equipment was also improved - not only in the armor and safety that it offers against bullets (and, to a lesser extent, blades), but also in the functionality and user-friendlyness. Apart from high-end military equipment, most gear is surprisingly not at all bulky and massive. The main reason for this is the usage of a special, semi-fluid substance that is normally flexible, but hardens in the fraction of a second when an impact with high kinetic energy happens. It gains a comparably better protection value than kevlar or any other material, and it's light and unobstrusive enough that it can be sewed into normal clothes in the form of several gel-filled bags between normal fabric layers. Of course, simple armored suits are better than nothing, but won't stop an assault rifle - for that, you would need actual armored vests, flak jackets, etc, who use a combination of the gel and more ordinary methods.

Licenses - While it might seem that the future is a lawless, wild west like area where everyone can freely get weapons, upgrades and such, this is not quite true. Laws and regulations allow more than was possible in earlier times, however, and this is the standard for almost every country and location on earth, including most corp extraterritory places. The really wicked stuff usually is only allowed to be used by the military, but that is only some special cases (tanks, heavy body armor, extremely heavy weapons). Pistols, rifles and your average cyberware useful in combat is restricted, in the sense of that it can't be freely aquired and used, but rather the owner has to aquire a license for it.

With the right license, as long as the stuff is not abused (starting a gunfight in public is, not surprisingly, still a violation of the law), you can theoretically move about freely, even in cities. Of course, you need a legit SIN to get your gear licensed - and runners usually don't have one, and even if they did, you wouldn't want an assault rifle used during a run registered onto your legal SIN. Thankfully for the shadowy parts of society, licenses can be faked, just as SINs can, it's even less complicated. Unless a law enforcer is already doing a thorough and planned inspection because they have suspicions, the fake is good enough to pass as the real thing. Still, common sense should be applied - a 9' tall troll walking down the main street in the afternoon, clad in a combat vest and carrying a shotgun and an automatic pistol around might be just a bit fishy, and selected for a 'random security check'.

Cyberware, Bioware, Spells, gear, dice system etc list:

Most of the equipment and upgrades it not something specific, and so, the typical, most common examples will be listed here, for reference purposes and to keep the seperate profiles of the characters smaller. This can also be used for npc's, antagonists, and the like. It's also helpful for action rp scenes, actual runs or even rpg events with the use of dice and a random factor. Rather than really giving numbers or stats, the description will be a generic one describing the effect, but for scenes actually using a bit of the Shadowrun system, feel free to ask for details.

Dice and stat system, characteristics - Shadowrun is an rpg using the typical, six sided, normal dice (d6). Unless for special, rare cases, the typical way is the following: For a dice roll / test, a pool of dice is formed. This can be a defensive one, where the physical resistance and any armor is added together, or an 'action pool' when a character wants to perform something - shooting, climbing over a wall, observing someone in a crowd. For those pools, you take dice according to the skill level of the ability (i.e. handling of pistols), the corresponding physical stat (i.e. Agility for ranged weapons) and add it together, plus any bonuses you might have (for example, a smartgun system would give bonus dice for shooting), minus any maluses (i.e. dark surroundings, enemy having cover, shooting while moving, being wounded).

All dice are rolled simultaneously, every 5 or 6 is a success. Most 'normal' tasks that don't have someone competing against it (carrying something heavy, lockpicking a door) are accomplished with about 2-3 successes. For situations where two people / sides clash, competive pools are formed (i.e. Shooting + Agility, vs Reactions for the defender to possibly dodge), and the successes of the attacker / acting one are compared to the successes of the defender. If the defender has more, he/she/it avoided the shot / managed to not get knocked down / can keep a door shut that someone wants to push open, etc.

Reducing damage due to protective gear has a similar system, but instead of a hit-or-miss situation, it's more typical for the amount of damage to be migitated (so even if the defender doesn't reach the successes of the attacker, at least it won't be the full amount of damage) - of course, one could have a ridiculously high amount of armor (or just good luck), lowering damage to zero. Also, there exist 2 forms of damage, physical and mental. Physical means actual damage (as done by normal fireweapons, etc).

Mental can mean exhaustion, fatigue or stuff knocking someone out. Only gear / effects with the purpose of making someone black out can actually lead to unconsciousness (shock weapons, stun spells, knock-out gas). Normal damage sources could still make someone feel exhausted, worn out and weakened (by force of impact, but not penetrating the armor), leading to them getting maluses at fighting and moving slower than normal. Continued and repeated application of small amounts of fatigue can completely 'drain' someone of their strength and vitality in the long run though, preventing someone from doing anything until they had a rest.

In Shadowrun, the skill levels range from 0 (not trained at all) to 10 (god-like profession) - 3 already corresponds to a good training, while 5 to 6 equals that what is about the maximum for normal, not artificially empowered humans (special forces, expert martial artists or athlethes). Any physical skills count at least as 1 (bad, but not incapable of doing it at least) - running, climbing etc. Stats have about the same range, although the maximum there can vary depending on the exact type of metahuman, and it's frequent to boost those with upgrades. The types of characteristics / attributes are:

Physical: Strength, Reaction (reflexes to dodge, etc), Body (resistance, sturdyness) and Agility
Mental:Intelligence, Willpower (determination, mental stability, resisstance against certain damage)
Other:Charisma, Essence ('wholeness' of body and soul, cyberware upgrades etc decreases this), Magic (if the person is a mage), Resonance (if the person is a technomancer)

Weapons - Development and research of new guns is a field almost all megacorps are involved in, though some are leading in this (Ares and Saeder-Krupp mainly). Most resemble something we know from out world, but there are differences. Modern firearms are also heavily customizable and a variety of upgrades exist. Ammunition has been heavily standardized, and usually, weapons of one category (i.e. light pistols) all use the same ammunition sort. There are also different types of ammunition, only the main and usual ones will be described.

In Shadowrun, for simplification purposes, weapons can have the following firing modes:

Single shot - Exactly what it sounds like. The wielder has to carefully aim and make one shot at a time.
Burst fire - Instead of just making one shot at a time, some weapons have burst fire modes enabling triple shots at the same place, in the same timespan. Can have a bit of recoil.
Salvo - Automatic weapons can also fire a hail of bullets at one target (and either, spread it around hoping to hit at least some of them, or shoot in a narrow cone hoping for maximum effect with the risk of completely missing of the target dodges). Has recoil.
Full Auto - Comparable to a salvo, but with even higher shot frequency. Very high recoil, 'spray and pray' style unless the weapon is heavily modified (the user pulls the trigger of an automatic weapon and doesn't let go of it for a while), but good for pinning someone down, and potentially very damaging.

The main sectors of weapons are:

Pistols - Amongst the simplest types of guns, very common and often relatively cheap. They come in the shape of revolvers (high penetration, though outdated and long reload time), small hold-out pistols (easy to hide, but small caliber), light pistols (the standard sidearm for security forces, easy handling, moderately large magazine, adequate effect - bad against armor however, some can fire burst modes), automatic pistols (roughly the same as light pistols but with the option to fire salvos, though at reduced accurancy, with only low magazine sizes and problems of overheating after a while) and heavy pistols (high penetration, but large). There are also some exotic cases (needle pistols, electroshock pistols / tasers). You need a license for wielding a pistol, and normally only security forces can get automatic pistols (but Shadowrunners need faked licenses anyway, and will hardly carry them out in the open).

Rifles - Single-shot rifles have become a rare sight in the modern world, they are mostly outdated. Typically the only two forms are ones used in sports (ok stopping power, but awkyard, slow reload) or hunting, or sniper rifles (which are incredibly precise and lethal, but don't fire many spots - and also, they are usually illegal except for military personnel, even licenses won't really help).

Submachine Guns (SMG) - A good combination of both (relative) subtlety and effect, since they can shoot salvos. They obviously need licenses, though, and even with the right legimization security forces noticing one might feel inclined to check the person. They have less range than assault rifles, but more than shotguns.

Shotguns - Although the typical ones who fire pellets of ammunition in an area of effectt still exist, the standard shotguns fire heavy metal slugs into a quite narrow path, penetrating all but the heaviest armor and causing a lot of damage. They have a somewhat limited range, but in typical urban environments, they should be enough. Most have limited ammunition and take a while to load, although there are also assault shotguns with drum ammunition and the ability to fire salvos exist (and are rarely legal, even if licensed, security members feel rather nervous seeing someone wield them).

Assault rifles - Amongst the most powerful hand-held weapons that are not restricted to just the military (but they need licenses of course or might even be illegal in some places - and law enforcers are almost guaranteed to get suspicious at their sight nevertheless, so caution is advised). Quite high range, a lot of stopping power, a load of possible customizations, and the option of full auto fire mode.

Heavy Weapons - Restricted to the military and thus illegal for normal citizen (there are no licenses for these, and they are really difficult to get). The 2 typical types are machine guns, and rocket launchers, both needing some method to reduce the recoil or else it would be near impossible firing them just like that (from the hip). Heavy damage, loud, intimidating, rips through conventional armor easily and is even a threat towards light and medium armored vehicles. Another category of heavy weapons are gauss weapons (often called railguns). It accelerates a solid, metallic, sharpened object with electro-magnetic conductors to supersonic speed, although the energy consumption is enormous and the firing frequency low. Then again, it shoots a projectile than can blast through a tank at several kilometers range, which is something... Of course, these are not only highly illegal, but impossible to obtain for runners.

Grenades - Of course, these still exist, in a variety of forms. The typical are frag grenades, flashbangs, and smoke grenades.

Melee weapons - While they have not completely vanished, in most cases, they fall behind compared to ranged weapons. A liking for japanese cultury has made katanas, or other blades relatively popular again, though of course they are hardly the first weapon of choice. More practical and of situational use are ceramic knifes that are easy to hide and undetactable by scanners, or the infamous vibroblades - a weapon which makes the blade vibrate at high frequency, resulting in enormous cutting power and turning it razorshap (although most of these are restricted, if not even illegal).

Upgrades - Weapons can be heavily customized, and not always in the normal limits of what the producers intended. There exist a great variety of mods, but the most common and typical will be described here.

Smartlink - The weapon is linked onto an appropriate display device carrying the upgrade for it (can even be in glasses). An AR overlay is helping the wielder with aiming, thanks to a digital laser marker and a range finder.

Smartgun - This is a bit similar to the smartlink, but the weapon actually has an auto-correct while aiming for the target that the wearer chooses. A mini computer attached to the weapon guides it and greatly improves the aim, plus it has some additional functions - automatic ejecting of empty magazines, etc. Optionally, it can have additional functions, such as an anti-abuse function recognizing if the wielder is legit or not (and blocking the weapon if it finds out a stranger tries to use it), a voice recognition, or some others.

Flashlight, visors - Pretty much like in our normal world.

Stock, foregrip, etc - To reduce recoil, especially that coming with salvo or full auto fire modes, there exist a number of options. Unless a stock is attached anyway, it can be fitted onto a weapon, and often, extra shock polsters can further improve it, and a stock can also be foldable. A foregrip allows the user to use both hands for added stability, while a shoulder-strap allows to hold the weapon more steady. A weapon can also be personally finetuned to have an ergonomic grip (for one specific user). Then, there is a modern gas-vent system. Gas-vent recoil compensation systems vent a weapon’s barrel gases at a specific vector to counter barrel climb, and exist in three quality grades.

Extra-durable structure - Sometimes, a gun user ends up so close to a threat that a controlled shot is not possible anymore (or the target isn't supposed to be fatally wounded, for an extraction for example). Many runners, especially orks and trolls, get this upgrade for their weapons, that allows a gun to be used as make-shift club or baton without fear of the weapon breaking due to the impact.

Silencers - The favorite toy of professional assassins. It greatly reduces the noise, and flash of a shot, though not all weapons can take one. As they are primarily used by the military or elite forces, and any use of normal citizens is highly dubious and criminal, they are illegal for the normal populace.

Ceramic/Plasteel Components This modification replaces the metal components of a gun with ceramic/plasteel components to increase the difficulty of detecting the weapon via MAD (magnetic anomaly detector - a metal scanner) systems.

Underbarrel Weapon - Attaching an additional weapon under the barrel of another has a long tradition for all those who aim for tactical flexibility. This can be another, 'normal' weapon, or something more destructive, such as a grenade launcher.

Increased Clip - Sacrificing a bit of the ability to successfully hide or camouflage a weapon makes it possible to enlarge the size of a clip / drum that stores the ammunition for the gun, allowing for more shots before someone needs to reload.

Armor - No Runner would go on a mission without some kind of protective gear. Modern bullet protection is quite handy, flexible and not so bulky as one would expect, the gel packs having a better protection but also more flexibility than materials such as kevlar. They come in all shapes and sizes, but the typical are:

Armored clothes - In the Shadowrun world, even normal, fashionable, pracitical (or stylish and posh) outfits can have protective functions. Layers of protection equipment are sewn between layers of fabric, and the clothes are hardly even distinguishable from regular ones. However, the protection factor is just enough for your average pistol, anything else will penetrate it.

Armored coats / overalls - When the size of the attire is larger, of course it's possible for more layers to be included. It gives moderate protection of the torso and arms (and sometimes, the legs too), and will be enough to stop pistols (except heavy pistols), some smg shots, or shotgun pellets.

Form-fitted body armor - Custom made gear that is exactly matched to the measurements of one client. Like a second layer of skin, it consists of flexible yet sturdy and resilient material, with enough power to stop pistol bullets easily, and at least lessen the effect of others. It doesn't obstruct any movements of the wearer, though it's a bit costly, and some weight of the gear is inevitable, so only strong persons can yield it without problems. This armor can be worn under normal clothes, or for maximum protection be combined with other gear.

Flak West - The typical protective west worn over other clothes. Of course, it can't be hidden, but it provides good enough protection, at least for the chest - although some shotguns, heavy pistols or assault rifles are still a threat.

Armored Jacket - A bit similar like a flak west, but notably sturdier, thicker (and also, heavier / more cumbersome) and tougher. Can withstand projectiles in most cases, except for concentrated salvos or exceptionally high-pen shots. Often, the legs and arms can be clad in armor too, and it comes with a helmet.

Full Body Armor - Normally used by elite forces, or sometimes the military. Heavy, extremely sturdy pieces of armor shielding every part of the wearer, made of a combination of more classical protection, and layers of the fluids that hardens under kinetic impacts used in armors. It takes notable effort to penetrate this, but it's hard to come by, illegal for normal citizen, and is very heavy and somewhat bulky, restraining and exhausting all but the most able-bodied users.

Miscpec Armor - When full body armor still isn't enough. Military equipment, most runners will never get to see this (which is better, for the health of the runners). It combines full body armor with an additional layer of ablative plating, and powers the abilities of the wearer with an exoskeleton, and enables him to use even heavy weapons on the move, without any drawback. Extremely expensive, only veteran forces of armies will use this gear, as it's meant for warfare. Unless rocket launchers, gauss weapons or anti-tank rifles are used, the armor normally shrugs off all incoming projectiles.

Various Gear - All kinds of futuristic, handy or exotic pieces of equipment exist. The sheer number makes it impossible to name all, but notable and common examples will be given.

Glasses / Helmets / Visors / Contact lenses - These would be nothing innovative, or noteworthy, if it wasn't for the advances in tech that have been made. All these exist in custom, fancy versions that can have a couple of vision improvements and aids. One of the most common is an upgrade with an AR capable smartlink system, that not only allows these to display the AR, but also interact with weapons having a smartlink or smartgun system. Other things can be: infrared vision, ultraviolet vision, low-light amplification, vision improvement, zoom, a small light (like a reading lamp), camera, microscope, or a flash compensator. Of course, the capacity is limited, no normal glasses can handle more than 2-3 upgrades.

Medkits, Patches - Unless a runner team has a really competent healer (and even then it should be advised), they need to bring along some gear to effectively carry out first aid help. Medkits are standardized collections including normal stuff like painkillers, bandages and plasters, but they also have a small scanner inside, linked to an anylyze kit which can roughly determine what is wrong with a person (shouldn't that be obvious anyway). It will quite accurately detect most of the not exotic illnesses, and make suggestions what first measures can be taken, as medications against most common maladies are in the medkit.
Another fancy thing are slap patches coming in several uses - the user just needs to remove the envelope, and smack it onto the target, as it's self-adhesive. Stimpatches inject someone with adrenaline and other stimulants, to temporarily counter fatigue and exhaustion (at the cost of even more wearyness at a later point). Traumapatches can be used to temporarily stabilize someone who received a potentially fatal wound, giving the user time to bring the target into a proper clinic (or shadow clinic, in case of most runners). Tranqpatches induce a comatose state on the target, knocking them out or at least making them heavily drowsy and very weak with strong sedatives. Antidote patches add temporary resistance against toxines.

Survival Gear, various equipment - Even in a modern world, there might be times when you need the right gear to manage some surroundings. Arctic, desert or other environments pose threats, but survival gear exists. At other times, runners might need trivial items such as tents, crowbars, torches, lightsticks, grappling hooks, rations, sleeping bags, ropes, water purification equipment... the list is sheer endless.

Electronic devices - Electronics have vastly improved, and there are the options provided by the WIFI-accessible Matrix too. A lot of gear exists, which can be tracking devices, jammers, cameras, scanners, touchpads, electronic door locks, controls to manage all linked equipment and devices at one's home, etc etc. One fancy thing runner teams like to use are subvocal microphones, which are small receivers tucked onto the throat. It allows the user to communicate without having to speak out loud, just from the vibration of the vocal cord, although the recipient has to have some form of device to transmit (earplugs linked with the microphones amongst the team are enough).

Drones - These are an everyday sight in the Shadowrun world. Camera drones, traffic control drones, security drones, combat drones, servant drones, cargo drones... a vast number exists. Drones fitted for combat have a hardened, resilient armored casing capable of shrugging off smaller caliber weapons, and carry lethal weapons which they can fire without recoil, since it's built-in. Almost all are controlled by encrypted (and, unless a hacker tries to search them, hidden in the matrix) wifi signals, though they also have a rudimentary ai system that can steer them (but lacks the human ability of flexibly reacting on unforeseen situations).

Vehicles - The classical car hardly exists anymore. Allmost all cars are able to drive autonomously with auto-pilot, and they are rather fuel-efficient, modern and low in emissions. Taxis or similar don't even have the possibility for manual driving (although a skilled hacker might try to bypass the blockade preventing that). Runners often prefer to drive manually, though, because the AI will strictly stick to any rules and laws, and drives relatively slow (to prevent accidents), which of course makes it useless in case of being trailed or needing to get away fast. Caution should be advised, if a traffic drone monitors a car driving faster than allowed, or ignoring red lights, it will inform the police. Armored cars or even armored vehicles and tanks exist as well, of course, and the heavier variants are easily able to withstand bullets without a scratch. Many cars can be customized and equipped with mods (which are not always legal).

Cyberware - Whether to repair damage after injuries, or replacing perfectly healthy body parts to artificially empower the user, cyberware is very common in these years. There are quite a few more than listed here, but these are the most important and common ones (ask in case). Many are available in different quality grades - a higher grade means a greater effect, but more essence cost.

Cybereyes - Artificial eyes that are way more precise and accurate than organic ones. The information they process is directly transferred to the brain. Literally all of these are also AR capable. Popular additional upgrades resemble those also fitted into visors etc - such as infrared vision, zoom, flash compensators and so on (see the entry unter various gear). They have a far greater space for improvements than glasses, for example.

Cyberears - Similar to the eyes, there are also artificial ears. These can be further improved with a directional microphone, protection against sudden loud noises (such as explosions), and some other stuff.

Cybernose - It might seem silly, but noses can also be replaced by artificial pieces. These allow the user to try and notice faint notes of poison in a drink, sniff for explosives, etc.

Cyberlimbs and other body parts - Sometimes it might be necessary to replace an arm because of a bad shrapnel wound or such. In other cases, the user merely wants to have more strength / speed than normal, physical, biological limits allow. Cheap versions will be obvious, while others might be carefully masked and resemble skin closely, even with a sense of touch for the wearer. There are also artificial organs to replace or improve existing ones.

Perception booster - This device, connected to the brain of the user, allows him to semi-actively filter through visual and other information more easily, while still busy with other tasks. As a result, it's more likely to notice small details (i.e. that micro fly drone skimming ten meters over the head of a team member who walks in front of you) that otherwise would slip past.

Reflex Booster - A cyberware really popular amongst street samurai, but also frequently used by members of special forces. This stimulates both the body and the mind - nerves, reflexes, movements and sensory input are stimulated and brought to higher limits, while the brain is improved so it can handle so much information in a short time. It not only allows a user to react way quicker to danger, more importantly, it seems to 'speed them up' - they can do more actions in the same time, such as shoot a weapon quite precisely twice or even more in the time a normal human being would be able to do one shot.

Bone lacing - A highly intensive operation coats most parts of the skeleton with artificial parts, such as aluminium, titanium or steel. Improves the physical resistance and endurance, and also makes brawling more effective, although of course it adds some weight as well.

Dermal plating - Layers of protective material are woven and mixed with the normal skin, such as kevlar. It gives some resistance against bullets and melee blows, though for best effect it should be coupled with a normal armor on top of it.

Artificial muscles - The muscles are improved with, if not replaced by, artificial materials more dense and tough than normal, organic material can be. The result is improved strength, but as the muscles also operate quite precise, the agility gets better too.

Internal comlink - A comlink is directly implanted into the users head. This allows for instantaneous communication, and prevents theft, but it also makes upgrades tricky.

Internal Simrig - An internal version of the simrig that allows the user to display and experience simsense applications. Can be modified to bypass the limiters and also play 'hot' sim, with all risks and benefits involved.

Datajack - A socket into which chips or other storage mediums can be inserted. Plus, the user can create a cable link with another device - voiceless communication with another datajack user, or accessing a cable-less, not wifi capable device (many high security corp systems have some internal computers and dataservers that can't be accessed by wifi from the matrix).

Painblocker - Allows a user to keep fighting even when wounded, because no pain is felt. The problem is that nothing is felt at all, so to check if you are injured, you'd have to look at the spot and see what it's like.

Bioware - Bioware is the more user-friendly improvement of already existing body functions and parts. It intends to coexist with the normal, organic environment rather than replacing it like cyberware, and such essence loss is drastically reduced. It does have its limitations though, and plus, it's almost always costly and not so easy to aquire than the more common and wide-spread cyberware. Like cyberware, some bioware is available in different grades. Bioware includes:

Muscle augmentation and toner - With careful methods, muscle growth and quality is improved, and organic, but genetically engineered muscle cables are braided into the muscle fibers. Muscle augmentation increases the users strength, while a muscle toning increases agility.

Orthoskin - Orthoskin weaves an energy diffusing material just beneath the skin the provides the equivalent of armor clothing, meaning it will not stop direct hits from a bullet on it's own, it can only lessen the impact of strikes. The individuals skin is peeled back in sections and the dermal layer is fortified by grafts of sythagen, flextin and flakes of modified and laced cartilage. One transplanted orthoskin usually heals with little or no scaring.

Pathogenic defense - Pathogenic defense involves the enhancement of the spleen creating more aggressive and effective white blood cells. This increases a characters ability to fight off disease, allergens and microbials. This protects against biological compounds but not chemical ones.

Synthacardium - Artificially enhanced muscle tissue is added to the heart. This allows the heart to perform at higher levels when performing strenuous physical activity giving the character better stamina. The character will also be less prone to heart disease or other related problems.

Tailored pheromones - By altering an individuals sweat glands, specially designed pheromones are released by a character with this augmentation. These pheromones disperse into the air around the character and subtly influence others. In calm air the pheromones extend about 15 to 20 meters. Those effected by the pheromones are likely to perceive the character in a more positive light but the pheromones are not powerful enough to force anyone to do things they don't want to do. It can't make someone who hates a character suddenly be their best friend, but it can make them more open to talking to the character rather then killing them. The pheromones are broad spectrum, not just sex-oriented, and so work regardless of gender. They are species specific so will have no effect on non-humanoid creatures. Metatypes are all similar enough to be effected equally.

Reflex recorder - With this enhancement, extra neural material is grown in small clusters around the spinal nerves. These clusters allow memorization of a certain learned motor reflex. Essentially this is an advanced form of muscle memory tailored for a particular skill a character has learned. Once a skill is programmed into a reflex editor is can never be forgotten without surgical reprogramming. If for example one were to have a reflex editor tailored towards the martial art they use it would mean their body would have perfect recollection of each form and stance the character has learned thus making them more adept with that skill.

Trauma damper - A trauma damper is a clump of specialized receptors in the brain. When these receptors receive sensory information indicating fatigue, pain or physical trauma, the damper triggers the release of concentrated endorphins and enkephalins, naturally produced opiates and painkillers. These substances do not aid in repairing injuries but they may keep the user alive and conscious long enough for him to receive medical help.

Bone strengthening - Instead of simply putting an artificial layer onto it, like cyberware does, the bones are improved to exceed their normal, organic limits. Additional, genetically grown material is implanted and they are thickened and hardened, providing the user with more sturdyness.