s We dir os HADOWRUN bier) esTABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Gamemastering Notes Shadowrun Rules Mating Success Tests Success Tables How to Use This Book Preparing the Adventures EXCELSIOR Sacred Vislon Inroduetton Ever Upward Alt Chipped Up ‘And No Place to Go Change of Art ‘A Boom With a View Ballets Over Broadway Micking Up the Pleces News Mon Cast ef Shadows Wo SOLTUDES, Fadeout Introduetlon Meeting the Parents Extracurlcular Activites Mot Time tn the Ote Town Going Underground ‘Enemy of My Enemy Getting the Word Out ieking Up the Pieces The Yamatetsu Data ‘Awarding Karma Cast of Shadows cop. Playing, With Flee Introduction Which Coe fist? Setting Things Up ws or THe lek Up and Deliver ‘Sign Here, Flease I Hear You Knocking Felends Like These You Can't Make an Omelet Picking Up the Peces ‘Over Easy Poached Benedict (Arnovd) Scrambled ‘Awarding Ka Legwork Cast of Shadows. DOUBLE DIEING Patrlot Games Introduction Seek and Take Getting Kinsey Drop O1F ‘And Pick Up Meeting the Radicals Meet the Press TMhleves Turned Heroes Picking Up the Pieces ‘Awarding Karma Legwork Cast of Shatows DEAD RUN. ‘Spin Comtrot Introduction Holding the Bag On the Run Hiding Out ‘The Fix ts In Exposing Bugs Picking Up the Pieces ‘Awarding Karma Cast of Shaciows(i )) conrents 7erneors SHADOWS OF THE UNDERWORLD Wrtting [Excelsior — Jennifer Brandes and Chis Helpen wo Solitudes and Dead Run — Stephen Kenson €.0, D.— Brian Schoner Double Dipping — Chris Hussey Shadowrun Line Developer Michael Mls ttorial Staff Editorial Director Donna Ippotit Sharon Turner Matviit dors hron-Gelman Robert Crue Production Staff Art Drector Jin Ne'son Assistant Art Director Joe! Biske Cover Design fot Biske Cover Artist ‘Doug And Black and! White Mustrations Tom Baxa, Joe! Biske, Jason Fell John Paui Lona, Dave MacKay, Daryl Midgerte, Karl Waller Layour Mark ErnstSE CaN SOS Cun eerie yaa cM tee cy “Humankind cannot bear very much reality.”—T. S. Eliot ‘A.WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR: Even tho tod gays ust shadovrennore, It seems thet some unstraputoas types broke iale Galterstae Pring in Minrenplis and changed the patra oofars ob te ‘ig O's campuign posters. fe all tonw him as dark thet ond sliver; but he posts cane et witha gol aad green drag, Galkarstam pleads imnacenL, Curketzbn ienghs ‘ho whoo thing of, ar somone smaplace is sting pelt with x pchet ful af UCAS ts (east, antl te Big O decd he anes’ wont to bu 8 Lnghingsock and sens ‘aie gb wp Tin ies way, THE BACK STOCK New Mage Download (The Awakened Word al spelied out) {Cybertech Download (Map, Machine and Magic.) Caiiorhia Free State (Fiom the Tieto Aztlan and everything in berween) Gmpalgn 2057 (Vote early, vate often!) GO TO COMPLETE LIBRARY ARCHIVES {THE DANY SPECIAL ‘Thyeats (Paranola. consptectes, and secret stu) ‘This one would be funny Int wasn'c $0 scary. Are these the Scrawiings of paranoiet corsplracy theodss with chips on their shoulders the size of the Ute Nation, of is there some th buried in the rantigs of these nuteases? ‘Ayes or so back, when we got 4 503! about the bugs laleting Chicago ane the government's plan to geek them ‘with tactical nukes, we didn belleve it. Who knew... ? Maybe tis tie we'll be prepated-—fot whatever GOTO COMPLETE LIBRARY ARCHIVES COMING Soon Wile the politicos are gering their ssconel wind; Shavlowdand Is getting back in business. noe-election bit that la, Here's & quick peek af some upcoming stuff (and quit salivating, it micks up the sexcen) Organized Crime (Mobsters and gangers dnd secret societies, oh my...) Flachpoins (high-stakes 68s for high pay—get the skinny here firs, ancl maybe: youl lve fo-spend it) GO TO COMPLETE LIBRARY ARCHIVESBUA] ABSENTEE Ppp] BALLOTS The UCAS bigwigs ae ging evens ‘And what better way © NEW UCAS. FLAG UNVEILED W's been fve years In the making. and it might be the onty thing ll sic candidates agree on. The new fag is finished, ielooks cool, ant I's giving the UCAS a reason to stand proud as election lever nit amok tears our ties apart Click here to see Ie waving In the wing balot—Isr"t It about eme you ge of those extra SiN numbers? Hace, you might even win prizest ‘lick here for the UCAS press release. POLL RESULTS Brackhaven's “Do you really 5H WEIRD STUFF The powder keg of Austin, want one of ther in the Texas has lust gotten hotter White House?* speeches Bare tuning heads as his ‘campaign picks up steam Dunkelzahn st leads at The Big A has cordoned ‘off a five-klometer area about 35 chicks south of ‘Austin for what looks tke an archaeological dg, Rumor has t that mages sclentiss and the ever tehisive Jaguar Guards are Popping. up regularly on-site, Whatever they're le {coking for must be impor: Unclediced), lek here so tant... Elles here for Bg, get all the breakdowns, news South of the border 2 but Rernyboy 6 BL neck. Here's tne standings. Brackhaven 21%, Yeats and Voge 20m, Hemence 15% It’s 07:19:28. Do You Know Where Your Meat Body Is?CANDIDATE Pp ARTHUR VOGEL Democratic “One Would” Party, VP: Gary Grey Slogan: Save the Earth A cart eco-awyer and a teol Eagle ‘Shaman=now inere's anv imagel Seriously. folks— ese cwo aren't your lisial crackpot wee-hug gets. They're smar, SANY. articulate, and just might have a shor at the ig Chal—assuming no nasty skeleions come popping out of ‘Lawyer Vogels closet DR. ROZILYN HERNANDEZ New Conary Party VP: Ramsay McMulkin ‘Slogan: Our Magical Future Revenge of the rierc anyone? Magical goor bas and techno-weenies have alheme in the New ‘Century Panty, decicacest fo beter living through electing mage-o-crat Rox andl hee gongeauls sims: cep to be gur Supreme Leaders, (He's pretty, but can he type?) JAMES BOOTH Technocratc Party VPs Brandon shiatsu he Status Qu nny and the -Sult—ateker only he mothers could love. Special message to Mu.~ fevmer- Veep Booths your sacss(s ZERO and obody wants your Laud Fo) suo. Give Up, 80 home. take up ower amanging, just get of the ‘raging stage, “hey? GENERAL FRANKLIN YEATS, Republican Party VP Anne Penchyk Slogans Rebuild America *Reulkt America” on the Backs of the Native ‘American Nations, the Confederate America States, and the Calorie Free State. Nothing tice a hot was to prop up a sage lng economy .. with a Say ork veep in ple stipes 1 make sure metahuimans get shel sie ofthe pie. Wi the UICAS'S verte hawk leat his oops to the White Hou KENNETH BRACKHAVEN Archconsanvative Paty VP: Willan Ager Slogan: A Holy War for the Sout of the Nation Respectable business- niga oF Monsters Teor the ld? Only their speech | wltets know for sure! Meet theenew poster Kes ne Tratlanal Values tnweyite eb, they're ree: Honary, anc they wane ‘he mages and messhumans out of theseubhouse. Race-balters Us bes to Washington? DUNKELZAHN Independent VPs Kyle Hactne: Slogan: A New Colden Age ‘A new minteet UCAS: chizenyand already he wants to Fun the place? Weld say more power to him, except thata gieat dragon doesn’t need any Wth a busin philanthropist Veep #9 feel comty, the Bist Wieworm mist take piize==but eanINTRODUCTION Shadows of the Underworld is 1 collection of roleplaying adventures set in the Awakened world of Shadowrun during the sumnmer just before the UCAS presicential election, The year is 2087. Advances In technology are astonishing. with humans able to bien! with computers and eavet through the eleccronic etherworld of clata known as the Matix. Even mote astonish: ing is he recurn of magic. Elves, dwat's. dragons, ofks, anc tuolls have rexssumed thelr true forms, while megacomorations (warner than superpowers) rule much of the workd. Moving. through this world llke hushed whispers in the night are the studowrunners. No one admits thelr existence, but no ane else fan da thelr secret worl, Though government power s giving way to megacorporare money in 2057, politicians ancl nationat leaders remain a force to be reckoned with In many places, The adventures in Shadows of the Underworld focus on the effect of the presi ential election on the streets, Polticians play the same games ss the megacorporations. but using their own tules—power and prestige. blood and tears. fear and panic. The streets are erupt {agin violence, from fanetical cults supporting Dunkelzahn to various factions of anti-metahuman forces destroying every- thing they can in the name ef purity. All the rules have changect ‘even the hottest chaclowr (os oF he unclenwortc GAMEMASTERING NOTES Shadows of the Underworld Is slightly ciferent from the sandr Shadowrun actventure, The five short adventures that rake up the overall story tne are not direcity connected to each ‘ther, but they all share & common backdrop—the stree!-tevel chaos caused by the tainted UCAS election ef 2056, The streets ‘ge a hotbed of fear and conflict benween metahumans grasping for power anc those who oppose them “by aay means neces: sary.” Each adventure contains a short fictional prologue and an Introduction thax capture the feel of the street during the long, fat surimer of 2057 Though the player chaiacters may find cheniselves tn demand for "poltieal” shadeweuns as the movers and shakees in the public arena stare ¢© recognize the Importance of “convo! ling the streets,” the gamemaster may chase to run these atventures between events already planned for his or her Shadowrun campaign. The adventures in Shadows of the Underworld combine decision tree and linear story formats, For exch adventure, the player characters may ative at different locations inthe story via aiffercn paths, or follow one event in the story direetly Into the rext. The gamernaster should think of each advermure as the bare: bores plot flesh it out and give his players more choices. To aid the gemernaster in this tsk, che individual sections of each adventure ner can na lenger control the shad ie should feel free ro make any changes necessa'y 10 Inclucle suggestions for gamemastering the varlous situations that may arise. Shadows of the Underworld is designed for a tean of Four to six shaclowtunners with a wicle variety of talents. ‘SHADOWRUN RULES To run Shadows of the Underworld, the gamemaster needs a thorough familaity with the materia I this book, as well as a working knowledge of the Shadownn, Second Edlon (SRI rules. The gamemaster should also be famitiar with the expancted magic rules in the Grimotre, Second Edition (Grimolre I). ad the revised! Matrix rules of Virtual Realities: 2.0 (VR2), To run the adventure Two Solltudes, the gamemaster should be farnilar With the Califorala Free Seate sourcebook, All the Information contained! in Shadows of the Underworld is forthe gamemaster's eves only, All spceifc fnformation, pasticulaily game statis. appears In SRI format, Gamemasters still using the first-edition Shadowrun mules wil need to make a few adjustments (© non: player character. weapon and spell statistics. MAKING SUCCESS TESTS During the course of Shaelows of the Underworld, the play: cers will make a number of Success Tests using. 4 skill and a given target number, These Success Tests are inclcated by che name oF the sll, lowed by the target number in parentheses. For exam: ple, a Sorcery (5) Test refers fo a Sorcery Success Test against & Target Number of 5 SUCCESS TABLES At times, the gamemaster will use success tables to leter mine how much Information the players receive from inquities and investigations, Each success table lls different Information obtained for differing numbers of dlc roll successes, Rolling @ higher numberof successes always reveals the information forthe lower numbers of successes as well For example, a character rolling 3 successes would learn the Information for 3 successes, and aso the Information for HOW TO USE THIS BOOK ‘Asicle from the SRIH rules and those inthe seurcebacks listed ‘above, this 000K Includes all the Information needed t0 run Shadows of the Underworld. The gamenaster should read through each adventure before attempting to run it, Some impor ant plot developments do not become apparent until well ince each adventure, but the gamemaster must lay the grounework for these developments cary on. He or she ean oniy accomplish that by deine: falar with each story fine. Though Shadows of the Underworld written tres to cover all the likely and even some of the uniikelv Ideas that the layers might come up With, iis Impossible to foresee every and 2 successes, | sunoows or THe unnenwoncopossible action the players might choose to take. Therefore, the ster must be prepared (© Improvise If necessary, Each adventure begins with a fictional prologue. The pro- logue gives the gamemaster a feel for the setting of the adver: ‘ute, The Introduction following the protague expla the nat and specific background of each adventure. The sections wit teach sciventure follow standard Shadowrun format. Most of them contain four parts: Tell K £0 Them Seralght, Hooks, Beliind the Scenes, and Debugging. Tell It to Them Straight Is read aloud to the players It describes whore the player characters are and what & happening to them as though they were actualy there. Depending, on the player characters! previous cholees and/or the point In the adven- tute at which the encounter occurs, the gamemastet may need! to adapt the text to sult the situation The second section, Hooks, gives the gamemaster hints and tips about imagery to use In the scene, emotions 10 convey. Sounds, sensations, textures, and so on, The Information provi ced inthis section wales inform an content fs ranging from general themes fo specific emotions. mus oF TH wanedaoace | ‘The next section, Behind the Seenes, tells the gamemaster ‘what s really happening in each encounter and propases a poten tial sequence of events. Any maps needed to play an encounter are Included In this section, information the players «an discover and possible consequences of the player characters actione also appear here. Non-player character statistics needed 10 roleplay the ‘encounter are usually Included here as well, This section may also ‘contain hints an! suggestions for handling a particular encounter, The feal section of each encounter, Debugging, cffers sugges tions for getting the story back on track if things so too far wrong: for ‘example, Ifthe player characters overtook a vial plece of data huff the team meets an untimely death. The gamemaster need not use any of the suggestions given inthis secttonifhe or she has & bet ter method of redirecting the game, he should feel fee to use It AS. ‘always, the gamemaster may aso fet the chips fal where they ray [At the end of each adventure, Pleklng Up the Pleces pro- vides (ps on wrapping up the adventure anc awarding Karma, as well as offering suggestions for answering urvecolved player ot player character questions, PREPARING THE ADVENTURES. Its possible to create a published adventure that provides the appropriate opposition level for every group of player charac: ters. Some groups ave inherently more powerful than others The gamemaster must aclust the game statistics and capabl lies of the published opposition te provide an appropriate level of dlffculty forthe group, If an adventure does not suit the play ff characters’ strengths and wealmesses, the gamemaster may tse the published version as an outline to develop an adventure EF his or her own. OF, If I works well except for a qultk here and there, the gamemaster can change any part of the plot and story events to make the acventure a better one forthe playess, Each adventure suggests Theat anc Professional Ratings for leach of the NPCS. As explained in Shadowrun, Second Edition, Luce Threat Rating dlce In place of Dee Pools for these characters (p. 187, SRI), Gamemasters should adjust the actual Threst Ratings to better reflect the level of opposition presented by the player characters, especially n those adventures where mainal Ing, game balance promises to be exceptionally wieky. The ‘gamemaster should fee! free to modify Threat Rating dice on the fy during, an encounter to provide the proper leve! of opposition, To that end, the text occasionally Includes notes on how tough a bbatle or encounter should be forthe pi The gamemaster will nd such manipulation erucial to keep rer characters {ag some of the encounters in each adventure at a managecble level. The fights in Shadows of the Underworld work best when choreographed like an action movie, Though leat ankl magic fies ‘everywhere, only a few of the bad guys actually get a clean shot at the heroes at any one time, That limitation, and the apprication ‘of the SRII Professional Rating rules, should help keep large-scale fights uncter corstol, For garmemasters using the fistecltion Shadowrun rues, the Professional Rating system works as follows. Non-player charac: {ers with a Professional Rating of {wil witharaw from a fight ater {aking a Light wound, those tated at 2 will withdraw afer taking 4 Moderate wound, those rated at 3 alter a Serous wound, and those rated at 4 will ight until unconscious or dead,GRCELSIOR { SACRED UISION It pained me to see what men and women had done to Her {and to the land that is Her Body, And I went Into the wikterness to better speak with Her. away from the blankes of smoke that Covers cities ike sweat, And t walked! among the trees, seeking be sty and clear waters, and I emptied my boxy and mod of a that man's evils had polluted. Lwalked until | could breathe again ‘nil I could taste air chat She had kep dean. Vit nor fin it ‘And I cried out, weeping fo all the children born into the ‘world, their innocence helpless 10 putty It, thelr sxrengih not ‘enough to carry del fathers’ sins. Anat asked Het why, asked es what 1 Coukd do to change this injustice. I had not helped {© fight for the whales and the forests oF for the childien wso ‘aived $0 thal Corpotations Could grow. It had not heipedt 10 ‘work for my own salvation, my own purity of heart and soul and ‘oneness with the word, while omers pulled themselves dally farther away trom Her And fasted Her fora sign .. anything to tel me thar She had not abandoned us, that She woudd not let Her work! die, And at fut moment. when my sou was empty of all but love of Het. | raised my Eyes upward and saw, above the tees, a blue that stood ou tke purity against the smoke-stained sky. The beating offissverand azure wings created the freshening air breathed. And lhnew that this was Her sign, Her word. The Dragon. the ane ‘ne now know 4s Dunkelzahn, Is our only salvation —Exceipt from juile Lester's Revetation, 2012 { InrRooUcTION ln Excelstor, the player characters receive a job offer feorn ‘Murtha Delaney. a rember of Dunkelzahn's campaign stat, She wants them to help provicle security for rly in Madison Square Garden, schertuled in the next few days. The campaign bas heard 1umers of potential wouble from Humanls-basedt hate groups in the ex. and Dunkelzaha wants some extta bodies on hand Te eet ukes place in Windows on the Work!, a tay restaurant 3 the top of the Empire State Building. on the same “Boot” as the sbservation deck, It coincides with & gathering of yakuza and ‘Shirwase businessmen, and the restauant aso just happens to be 2 wel known hangout for Aztechnolegy and other nasty corpo- ‘ate ypes. Orcinully. the runners could easily avoid trouble by leeping « low prottie—it ey don'c bother the yaks and the corp. execs, the yaks and the execs won't bother them. Unfortuaacely someone eise on the scene hs no intention of teaving anyboay in peice—the Whole Earth Adventiss, an offshoot of the Church of the Wnote Earth inc ‘The Church of the Whole aah Ine. Isa hull New Age. hall cevangesica religious group tha’ fist appeaves in 2005, The group's founder, file Lester. came close to giving up hope fr the wold In 2012. Caught up ina cits of fat, she went Into the wikerness 09 a desperate search for the Coes and saw Duntetratn mike Ni fist appewrance in the Awakened word. Convincest thatthe dag. ‘on was. a sign from the Goddess, facile urned her tiny g/oup of fol ower into a much large? organization decicatedt to redeeming the wore, Over the years, the Church of the Whole Lath has collect ed a fait number of fervent believers, among them a few fanatics sho call themselves the Whale Lath Adventists, ‘When Dunkelzan decided to tun for UCAS President, the Whole Eanth Adventists became convinced that thelt time had aitlved. The Adventists belleve that Dunkelzahn Is destined for the ‘residency—and that anyone who disagrees with this notion does not deserve the pilvilege of living In the dragon's utopia Therefore, they wll eliminate ail such problems as 4 gesture of faith In thee savior, Dunielzahn does not approve of the Adventists’ attitude but believes they are al alk and no action, Unfortunately. this is one of those rare oceasions when the great dragon Is wrong, ‘The Adventists now that mob and corporate bosses frequent Windows on the World, The Adventists want t0 purge the com: Ing. wopia of organized ime and unieeling megacorporatons, and they'te planning to start eaity. On the night of the meet with Delaney—while the runners ave negotiating with her ia a private toom—a group of Adventists breaks into the bullding, Kills most Of the complacent on-site secutty and prepares (0 Kay out & “putifcation.” The Adventists intend to call the local media and tell them that they ave striking a blow for Dunkelzabn by pustying, the world of such filth as organized-crime syndicates and corpo: tations thar dal with them. They will then blow the top fiteen floors oF so off the bullfing. escaping va bl. However. the Adventists did not count en a crew of shadowrunners, a Dunkelzahn representative with a headphone, and the ablities of the dragon's own agents, The terroriss herd the runners Into the main room of the ‘restaurant with the test of the clientele and then contact theie WO, leeung him know of the purge they Intend to undertake for the _greater glory of his narme. The minute the Adventists make con tet, Dunkelzahn's deckers block all Matrix based communica tons so that the Adventists cannot get the ful network coverage they demand, Meanbite, the Big 0 himself maivains contact with Delaney via her headphone. The dragon wants the situation defused without the media fading out about It, and he wll pay well to make sure that happens. AS the experts on the scene, the runners get this fob by default. (Not many people sy 0 «0 a ‘ragon when be asks them fora favor} WAoOWS OF THE UnDERU reThe runners must sneak out of a well-guarded room, get all the way downsials withour working elevators and without being, sported. and find the location of several bombs—us well as the cencal tigget They must then defuse the explosives and capture the terrorists before the terrorists’ blimp arrives... all without endangering a single innocent fe, Dunkelzahn coes nat want any blood on his talons and Is unforgiving if crossed, THis tun works best set in New York City, but it can be set i sy major UCAS clty that contains a skyseraper and a luge con. vention fall. The Debugging section of Ever Upward (p. 12) ‘explains how runners from “out of town” might make the trp to the Big Apple. { EVER UPWARD TELL IT TO THEM STRAIGHT People say that dhe Empire State Building Is small comparee! to Fuchi-town, but It sure looks big when you're fight under It THis time of year, the smog hangs so low you ean bavely see the top. It may be old. pitted. rusty, and. patched with ferrocrete shoring up some of the damage from the 2005 quake, but this boullding. stil looks pretty chill Too bac the security thumpers A Sow tourists blithely walk past you through the Kright Emant Gmteway weapon detector, The Greway {s festooned with snazzy. hltech doohieckeys like some kine of cyberpunk Christmas tree: I 190Ks lke a plastic fork might sec it off. One of the bru: ers- With a-badge returns your Innocent look with a what-the- hag, Yyou-tookin'at stare, Time to look at something more pleasant You sean the crowd and spy someone holing a placard with the name DELANEY printed on i, That's the name your fixer told you 10 00 for The placard-hokler Is... Interesting, He ..? she ..? stands about 1,7 meters tall, with bright blue eyes and a wiliomy gure and fong blond halt pulled back in a pony eal. “Glad you showed up.” the plaavcl holder says, “Ate you al here? I've renteet a few lockers incase you'd ke to store any. uh, Valuables before we go up.” After the characters pass through the metal detector; read the following aloud: The elevacor's the high-speed kine, but afew minutes craw by before the waystoc-smoath, simulared voice says. "Windows on the World Restauiant an! Observation Deck, 101S¢ Noor,” You step ut of the elevator, ane the view claws you fight over to the new: lest huge window. From thishigh up, you te practically staring down the throat ofthe Vote-For Dunkeleain avert blimp that's been fy Ing over Seventh Avenue all evening. The blue-and-sliver caica- tures head series at you ast slowly cotates aay. You glance ar the well stocked bar, but the ponystiled blond waves you over to a smaller door tothe lft of the resiaurant’s mein entrance, “Tae litle oon Is windowless (which kine of defeats the pur pose of coming yp here. doesn’t I} andl Is set up for a serie ‘with one large table in the middle andl several chal around it ‘Your gulie walks 10 the end! of the table and sits beside the ‘woman waiting there. She's as nicely dressed as any corporate PR specallst, bur the confictent set of het shoulders ane no-nonsense clothing suggest she might be equally comfortable on your end of things. The door closes with a ttle alt pressure on your eas. Sound balfling in the walle, white-noise generator and |ammer in the rable centerpaece—this Is one sick setup, “Good evening.” the woman says, “My name is Martha) Delaney, anc this s Percy, We ate here on Behalf of someone you all probably know of -hopekily, you'l even vote for hin, HOOKS ‘Make the beginning of this encounter haling In Its normale, The bewildering attay of sights and sournts in New York, which is Stil one of the greatest metroploxes In the world, should make locals and vistors a litle antsy, but once inside the Empire State Building everything seems to proceed in slow motion, The elev tors slower than most, ant the courists make the place feet ast the runners have somehow stepped back Into one of those sim Aicks from the 1990s. The building even Bends naturally nthe wind, The Windows on the Work! restaurant is 4 posh place, wih thick carpets, 1ots of brass. 4 jazz ttio and exotic plants—al of which probably cost more UCAS dollars thar the average runner dreams about. This place Is so upscale even the security is hien, Now that's class BEHIND THE SCENES The Empite Seate Bung In 2087 |s 4 dinosaur of a stucrwe Lbutic caries prestige. Shiawase. Aztechnology, and Ares pack cfice ‘space for several subselavies into the New York landmavk. When the ‘World Trace Center went cown inthe big earthquake of 2005, he proprietors of the Winclows on the Worle restautant that had graced the destroyed skyscraper pulled afew strings and licensed the name to the restaurane just below the Emplic State's observation deck. Photos and plaques around the resiautant tell the story Inthe lobby are six Knight Errane security guares manning te two Rating 8 magnetic anomaly detectors (MADS. fot more lft: ‘mation, soe p. 92, The Neo-Anarchisis’ Guide (© Real Life) for good meauute, KE's personnel ate running a chem-sitfer wasd {Rang 3) over everyone's bags. The Empire Saue has a far no ‘weapons policy, and building security wl slap tauer testa on anyone whose Class C cyberwite tips the ADs, People with any detected cyberware wil be askee! for thelr SIN numbers, so any ne her without a decent fake SIN Is in some setious drek. (The _gamemaster tray want to mention this to any hvel- he BE romention Deck KrigheErvane Guard Squad (6) BQqs 1 wc fk R 4.3 4 3 4 3 Armor 5 Iniiate: 3 + 106 Theent/Professtonal Rating: 2/3 ‘Sats: Armed Combat 3 (Clubs 5), Car 2. Computer 1, Etkquetee KComorierStreet) 3, Firearms 5, Police Procedure 4, Scealth 2, ‘Unarmed Combat 2 iJultsu 4) {Cyberware: Smavtink Gear Securetech Armored fucket (5/3). Securlty Helmet with fad, AZ-150 Stun Baton (105 stun), Cole Manhunter (Heavy Psi, 16 (clip). SA. 9M. w/Smartgun Link and 2 exta clips} ‘Aimost Donuts, Coffee, Newslaxes ‘The private oom ch Ms. Delaney has rented Is soundproot and equlpped with 2 hermetic circle (Rating 4) around all bur the uermost edges. The ciel Is part ofthe security provited by the fettaurant. Once the runners sit down ane! shut the door, Delaney explains chat se Is in charge of Dunkelzahn's New York security Stall, Dunkelzahn has authorized her to contact freelancers In the ‘nea with arep for getting 1d of rouble while keeping their cents tile. She needs professionals lor crow control at the Dunkelzahn for Presklent rally scheculed next week at Madison Square Garden; if the runmers ate New York natives, she's also interested In thelr advice. Delaney: wants to knew who ‘night want to wreck the rally, and she will ask the runners 10 search through thele contact networks. She will ask professional bodyguards siteet samurals, deckers. and the Ike for opinions on how sormeone might ty to sabolage the sec-up at the Garten. She promises a fat fee of 25,000 LICAS dollars apiece for consulting fees, ane! runners who negetlate for more can knock the pice up 10 percent per success. Delaney intends to take them to the Garcien the following day for a walk-around. Pay this Job offer ‘out--if the runners live through what's coming next, Delaney will hold them to thelr word, Then go to AM Chipped Up, p. 12. Percy Is Delaney's pervonal secretary. He's wonderful if the runmers shoule! happen (o neeel someone to answer six phones at ‘ence while filing papers from the last six months’ backlog, but he's not much use when looking down the smoking end of a aun, statisti for him become necessary. use the Comporate Secretary contact (9. 205, SRM), If you need to kill someone at the beg! hing of All Chipped Up to show that the Adventists mean bus! ness, Percy has "eannan fodder” witten all over him. the metroplex suapoms oF TnDEBUGGIN ifthe characters are not native New Yerkes. the gamemaster ‘can Introduce them into the aciventure In a variety of ways. IF the characters played Dry Rua in the Super Tuesday adventure ser Cala Brooks can tecommencl them for ust tis kind of work. Ant IF the characters have alteady played C.O.D. In this adventure set their freshly gained reps as menels of dragonkinel might prompt a call fom Dunkelzabin's agents Ifthe runners’ reps are Not, Delaney may offer to fly them out she has heaved th sdlumawarm, nave someon come of the best ln the biz. lf tele contact them in Seattle for secutity consulting, From there they join Dunkelzahn’s cam. palgn road show, meet Ms, Delaney and go to dinner at the Windows 10 talk bie while in New York. Ifthe ch tuple) enough to stavt a flrefight In the Fist ten minutes, Delaney does not hire them and makes a note rot to listen to her fixer any mere. If this happens, It may be time fora tecture on whien to let yo of the guns Ifthe runners earnot get up to the restaurant, then they cannot make the deal. If they ers a foo wanen GXCELSIOR already know that Dunkelzahn Is Involved, the gamemaster can tip his hanel to Keep the runners ftom making stupid choices—no fone wants to anger a wyr the president of the UCAS, { ALL CHIPPED UP TELL IT TO THEM STRAIGHT You hear a gentle knock on the door ancl the walter pecially one that might soon be steps in with a tay full of dessert—varlla mousse topped with whipped cream and chocolate spiinkles, followed by your skle order of autofte, blood, and nasty guigiing noises. (Oh, drek, Is going to be one of those nights ‘A woman with an M22A2 covers the lett. An ork wit steet teeth anid an HK covers the tight. for the moment, atleast they don't seem inclined to yank the triggers. "We're In cherge!” snaps the worran, Now that you've got a second to look at het, you notice that she's decked out in Armante's latest “Etfervescence” armored evening gown, The ork y macho, goes well with the G12 and the muscles. Were they in the restaurant? How come the bac guye always get co keep their guns?! Hands up, slowly.” says Miss Congeniality through her teeth, "Throw a spell, move 100 fast, and you're chunks, GOT I She (Ooks tke she's expecting an answer, HOOKS Keep the tension high in Jooks 4 ver ite dapper in his Boot Brothers «1 his encounter; Don't lt the charac tes talk among themeelves, Yell short commands: repeat "Ww In charge” a loc, Point out that the M2ZAZ has an underbarel grenade launcher and that the woman waving It looks psycho fenough (0 Use i Inthe tiny room, Wher Alicia (the paycho.womar) begins her speech, the player characters should realize that she Isa religious fanacie wha belleves that her vitent actlons wil help Dunkelzabin, This should sive them pause, Are these the sort of people who will come power if the Big D is elect? BEHIND THE SCENES ‘The Adventists have taken over the restaurant labby (sound: proof private rooms somedimes have their disaévantages}. The walters ee d, and the desserts land vl the scatter cliagram (p. 97 SSRI, Alicia Bayone ar Noah Koh ave the two gun-wieetng rer rorlss: they have the job of searching the Frivate rooms and herd: Ing their occupants into the main seating area where is easier ep an eye on them, Stastics for Allcla appear in Cast of ‘Shadows (p, 24); for Noah, use the statistics given for temtorists in And No Place to Go, 2, 14, The Adventists ttle anything on the scale of thks operation before. and sa they te nervous and zer happy, ithe munners try to ght back, Alla wi shoot whoever fs nearest. At the soured of eny gunfire, arother ve Aerrorsts will come ino reinforce Alicla end Nosl. If the runners cooperate with thelr captors, Noah leads them Into the ners see eight more 1 Festautant with Alito bringing up the rear. The mu rotsts covering the restaurant. most of thenHebeteied ‘ngers” Mccis sce Cast of Shadows, p. 24) 6 eng er, cain the cto or megan emo Ith spel locks and lou. Fortyone hostages tm aceon ¢o the fies are crow to te center ofthe man seaning area. BS When tre miners have Joined everyone else, Alla starts ‘her spiel, “Tay ater” she yes “We ae the waniors ofthe Whole {ah vers. Comply wih our demands and you wil ive. We Bee cearoe oe cath of compton, bar, rel and por “ton. These wil have no pace inthe coming Golden Age. They Tp be stopped on. or our cikeen wl etn el Korn then Se seps wp toa gafedtocking Asian man la designer ‘salt and stares him down. Betas ight Mister Hol of the Yamaguch-gumlyakuza7™ {She waks over to another executve ype an! gives him the gi Inte. “And Mister Nodalto of Saeder Krupp?” She shifts her far ste fo 3 woman standing neaPby, “Ar Ms, Reily of Erlvase Nemes?" Ala seps back art surveys the room once more. “Changes wil be made, starting now, And they wl coninse then te get wyrm leads us. his chosen people tothe kul” folowing the vering, Alcin vonds fom ace Lester evetton, fea Sacred Vislon,p 9, alo! othe pavers ths Faint) Alc coinies speaking fora while, gomemnters ay Trove more rating or srraie, depending on thet ly Tes tance evel for melon, Mere Deine gor if and closes he eyes Percentve Harr notce Gt ond of tng Ake he other heap the Ms tron i almost underneath table, bend dhe langest na Eee mumbing these, clewly ling on a cbesprone Ter Ala shte up ant Noah Reads to shutoff ane watch xe the elevator, Detrey murmurs uncbsely 10 the ni ep “eled my bows Wie gee ut, Bracthaven antl the Humans goons wil puter it evlough the press. YOU know what fat means. People wil Same tim. He's Bor some of ls most fused Tix watensogs inthe Cai, Tey can probably prevent Set gering out forthe next how or two, bul weve got sop ths bere hen. Hell pay yeu top res” She sins atte team Bienen jb ‘ii her phone conversation with Dunkezahn, the dagen aut Delaney to le the characters up to 160.000 UCAS tas eae 0 “cece the station” Mos characers wl realize thts ot «grea tne to vgn, but they ty se sw 0 sete fe by 15 percent DEBUGGING ‘The players can sentousty cen this encounter by fighting the Aeroists rather than complying. W the players seem lkely 10 do 50 (el them thatthe Adventists have a Held Action, which means thu they do something at least once before Initiative is even rolled. Ifthe players decide 10 have their characters attack arwy- ay. make the characters expend Simple Actions fo get out of ‘heir chars. Also, remind any curners with eyber-restrants that thelr chrome won't work. (To release the resitaits, the runners must reach the restraint “keys.” which are down at dhe security . 30) an says he wil pass word on 0 on fhe runners fe! ike shossing up. the runners do nt normally work In San Faneiseo, they ite ere on other business when this job opportunity comes gy ght even Hoov «contact from Yamaces who is gf the Kojinas. and who might call upon the ehavacters Beth od es a avo. When the runners meet the Kojinas atthe Katana. it shoul that dis is nota typical job. These peopie have prt: bly never seen a real shadownunner in the’ lives Before and nor mally would not dream of speaking to one, fet alone hiring a shaciowrunning, team. But they are frantic about theit son wc “will go to great lengihs to Find out what has happened to him IF the Kojimas need statistics. reat them both as Pedestrians (p 25, Contacts), ‘When the runners arive:at the meet, metahuraan characters (and non-japanese humans £9 a fesser degree) Invite staves anc whispers from the Katana's patrens, The Kojimas do thelr best to disguise thelr discomfort at dealing with meiahstian runners. Mi Kojima will automatically assume that the fist hur male to pre- sent himself/—or a human maie of Japanese extraction, if he team Inclutles one—Is the leacler of the group and wil adeeess hiny as Sauch unless comected. If any of the runners speak lapaniese abl ‘offer to carry out the negotiations in that language, Kalina looks relleved and switches to ¢. Otherwise Ne sticks to English, occa- slonally speaking it slowly and cleatly as Whe bs having efcully (0 IS not sure the runners can understand hin. Ifthe rumers want (© ty some hudl-edgee bargaining For more money. Mr. Kojima tells them that 10.000 nuyen is all he thas to offer. He has not botherect with the strect tradition of mak Ing an insulting fist offer to the runners: he has lite idea of what he is doing and Is working mostly from what he fas seen on tH shows such as Shaciowieakers. If the runners agree (© take the foo, Koja tells theny all he knows about his son's disappeatance ant offers whatever other reasonable help he can DEBUGGING ‘The only real problem with this encounter occurs If the char acters refuse the job outright, Ifthe runners need some addition: al lacemtive, ene of the characters might know Sho Kojima family anc thus have a personal reason for helping out Fee! fice 1o push all ofthe runners’ emotional burcens © get them 10 take this job. Some of the runners must have pasents fight? If nothing ese, a earlul plea from Mis, Koji in somewhat broken English, begging, the runners to find her child, should move even the most coi-tearted! mercenary. Remind metahu- ‘man characters that this Is their chance. however small, to com vince at feast a few people in San Francisco that metahumans «io not Inck compassion or decency I the runners suggest that Sho's disappearance would be beter handled by San Francisco's comorate or military autherites, ‘Mu, Kojima will tell them thar Ne has never questioned the prop: ‘et authoriies, but that he fears there is something they ate not felling him, He Is concerned and wants someone who answers. directly 10 him concentiating their efforts on finding Sho. Ifthe runners are simply too mercenary to take the job, the {gamemaster has a couple of other options. The runners may be hited by Yamatetsu or Nils Hammarand, (See Pleking Up the Pleces, p. 40, for background on Yamatetsu. Ifa lager role Is desived for Hammarand, create bls statistics from seach ar use the Company Man contact on p. 204, SRIL) Both of these par thes are in much better positions to pay the runners but are alse {far more likely to double-ctoss them once they have recovered the young man and his valuable ctolen data. This ringement if suenpusoeywewnpenwoaunrequltes 4 varintion on the meet desciibed In Tell € To Them Stralght, with » Yamatetsu Johnson oF Hammaand contacting, the runners about the Job, Hammaranl or the Yamaceesu stooge will paine Sho Kojima as a thief who stole valuable corporate Information that must be recovered before I¢ ends up In the hands of some “undesirable” underground group in Berkeley or Oakland Naurally, funner tear that Includes metahumans or out landish siteettypes Is already on thin ke in 4 place like the Katana, Reming! any violence-prone players that threatening the Kolinas oF anyone else In the establishment Is Wkely to bring a ‘squscron of imperial Marines clown on thelr heads before they can blink, The authorities in San Fancisco prize order and take a dim view of metahumans and shadoweunners causing trouble Such characters ave likely to disappear Into the Presidio and riever be seen agale, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES TELL IT TO THEM STRAIGHT Looking over the information the Kojinias gave you about thelr son, you can see you've got your work cut aut for you. The dlosster’s prey thin for 4 missing. persons investigation—mosily stuff out of their family photo-fles and the sort of deck Sho's mom probaly hung on the refiigerator From the look of the protic you've got, the Kojima kd either had no friencls or his parents di. It know of any, Either way, It's going co take some legwork (0 track down the kid of figure cut who would have wanted 0 Snatch him—or find out why he would've stepped into the shad Cvs In the fst place. HOOKS In this free-form encounter. improvise the runners” investiga tions based around the Information presented in the following, sections. Additional matedal from Mot Time In the Old Town Ip. 33) and Golng Underground. (p. 35) can be worked! in aed around the investigation to liven things up. along with other scene’ in which the runners deal wih their contacts and work around the problems of asking questions in place as paranoid as excupled San Francisco, BEHIND THE SCENES This part of the actventute ls pretty much fe up to the play ‘ers: where they go from here deperels on what they Intend to Investigate fst, os well as how and where they do It. Te follow: Ing sections describe fa general terms what and how the charac ters can foarn about various facets of the «ase. Ifthe characters pursue a line of investigation noe dlscusted in these sections. sim: ply Improvise the information they learn and appropriate con: tacts, based on the supplied matedal THe unoe Ru neo 4 Roleplay interactions with the various contacts and pe alties described In this encounter to give the tuners a fee the problems of condveti Wwestigation in Savy Fra the game starts (0 lag. modulate these interactions with a Eriquere skit (ols, ‘SHO'S DORM ROOM ‘Sho Kojin’s dottn room at Berkeley Is the fst logical {0 start looking for clues. It ls typkal college dorm room: a tangular cubicle with a bunk bed. a Closet. bureau and ad ‘Sho decorated his ‘oom In Spartan style. predominantly Jp swith a few other touches best described! as “early magic White searching the room, the characters may uncover the lowing clues. ‘There ae no signs of a struggle. Several changes of ve missing, along with some chips. « portable chip-teader, couple of books. These signs Indicate that Sho lft voluntary 100K the missing possessions with i “Like every other dorm room on campus. Sho's foam {efecommn/computet system installed. The telecomm 1035 been erased, which is unusual ta decker chivacter test {he focal tetecomnm switching system fr the phone recor. she must make a Computer (6) Test oF perfor a mv-nan aga he telecomm system Host the gamemastes wants 10 ply daearun (The Hosts desig s up (0 the gamemaster) The telecom recoves reveal that Sho Kojima called his ents every few dys before he csappewed, The lst cl For felecomm in his room was placed t0 an LTG number it “Angeles. bed in the L.A. deectory as “Angele Entertainment fone of the runners cals this number. he gets the oe’ smal system, which asks him If he wanes 0 leave a message Mr. Hammarand. The runners may leave a message but thet will not be fetuined, Additionally, leaving & message Hiammarand off 1 the runners investigation, and Will contact Scaveck. Sec wil ry to drupe the runners Ligation by kiting ther contacts and fends and attempting the runes ene by one, unt te final convfontasion in Gettagt Word Out p38). However Schreck wil be caret to conc Identity wile havassing the runners. and they shoul not act see him uot Going Underground (p35) “A successtul Perception (6) Test wil evea) sail tae colored cha dust on the wooden flor A. successhd Theory (4) Test wil feveal thatthe dust fs the emalas ofa hermetic ekele. Too much o the chalk hs been brushed ea any character to be certain what the clecle was f%, but Ms Slee suggests thatthe operation could not have been maj runners cheek with campus officals oF other students, they that such magical operacions are forbidden anywhere on ‘ouside of the lab toons “A magiclan who assenses the 1oom can obtal the fi InformationPSoliruges UC BERKELEY Ifthe runners want to o's systeen to EK en Sto's student records, they can clo so with ite citficulHal Conway (Street Exlquette, Target Number 4) Successes Results Dor! — “Who? Is this guy worth something?” 2 Looks lke whoever this Conway kid Is, he did a pretty good disappearing job. Maybe even stepped! lato the shadows, I he's. stil in Berkeley, he's got to be involved wih the undergroundsone way 3 ‘Hare froma fiend that the Berkeley under: ‘ground does a lot of recrulting at UC Berkeley. | think some of the faculty anct students are sympathetic to. groups like the Qctober 25th Allance and the drek they're doing to. get the Japanese corps. ‘out of the city, 4 You nced to tall te someone in the under: ground. Talk to a guy called the Prof— you ean get ahold of hin at a fecal hang out called the White Horse, just off the campus, = YAMATETSU (Once the runners know that Mr. Kojima works for Yarmatets they might try to find out about any current events within the cor poration that might be connected to Sho's disappearance. Yamatetsa (Corporate Etiquette, Target Number 6) Suecesses Results (0 “Yamatetsu? Nothin’ going on with them, ‘huurnmer. just leave it at that, okay?” | =From what thea there's an eruption bul Ing up inside the old steet mountain. Jus soane hte rumbles now, but IC could « Inta a big one real fast, 2 "Nobody knows exactly what It Is. Some binel of insicle shake-up, something that’s arcracted the attenton of the corp's inter ral seculty people." 3 “Hard to say, bur IF what Ive heard! is tue Ik soundls like the camp's got an Interna secuuity problem it's trying to fix before anyone clze gets wise tot." THE KOJIMAS If che runners bother to cheek Me Kojh s backgroud, they can learn the following information, Kojima Se. (Computer or Comporate Etlquette, ‘Tasget Number 4) Successes Results ort “Who?” 2 ——*Kolima-san’s a middle manager with Yarnatetsu North Ameiica in San Francisco He's been 4 trusted employee of the com: pany for some time. His wile's originally from Osaka: | think he met her there on business, Very tradicional japanese lay. 3 Funny, you'te not the frst (© ask about Kojima. A few 0 terest i bin s folks have stiown an ecenily-—and before you ask, don't know their names and 1 don't 4 This Kojima skag’s In trouble. His company record's been red-fagged by internat security, Sounes ke ISO hasa bone to plek swith Kejima.” or meunsenmenus 2 THE UNDERGROUND IN BERKELEY I the runners make somie discreet inquires about Berkeley's Underground resistance movement and the People's University, they can learn the following, Informacion, Berkeley Underground (Street Edquetie, Target Number 4) Successes Results ° ‘Don't know about them and | don't want 10 chummer. ' “The underground’s divided into factions. and they disagree on just about everyining except getting the Japanese out of the ely They do what they can about that, but i's ot ‘enough to budge the Japanacorps, 2 “The underground makes the occasional attack ‘on the corps to get them fo loosen their hold fon the Bay. but every hit just makes them squeeze that much tighter 3 "Word has i that some resistance group's got {en hold of something earl lec therm hit fone of the ypanscorps where ic hurts —right (nv thett bottom line. Don't know how evey te planning to pull it off. though.” 4 ‘You feed 10 Glk to someone In tre under grounel. Talk to 4 guy called the Prot—you an get ahold of him through a place calles the White Hore just outside campus, Big Jocal hangout, thar piace.Li Nils HAMMARAND HF the sunners turn up Hammerand’s name during. thelr Invesigation. they can learn the following Information from thei Nils Hammarand (Street or Corporate Kelquette, Target Number 6) fe heard of him, He's a recmiter o something who works for Angelic Entertainment in LA” 2 “Everyone knows Angelic Envertainment’s just a shell corp Saeder-Krupp uses to oper face In the CFS, Har ay do LA. comp scene, but he's Saeder Krupp the way. Word has It he's loo {eg up and out of California an the comp’s European branches. 3 *Hammarancl’s an S-K watchman, He gah tte bits of Information on anyone anc way—info 10 might ever get in Lofeys's fo get such people out of his way, if you scan, Hamm's ait ove for a score big enous attention and get h S:X comporate ladder anclsco ot the Oaklanc/Berkeley spray 12 Of the story coming up completely emps the pa ners. HOT TIME IN THE OLD TOWN TELL IT TO THEM STRAIGHT You st in your San Francisco doss. the deizle deip clown the cracked windowpane. Your latest contact just signed off he comm—no decent leads from him, either I's been that way all day—one disappointment after another, So fa, I looks lke this Kojima N's managed (o pull a real disappeasing a you didn't igure it would be so tough to track down a lost college ic. wonder why Sho Kojims disappeared 1, this assignment’s been 30 tough that you're starting 1 i th help. The question i, fo le’ gerting awfully warm in here Bay Area, You re even starting «© swea faint shimmering in th explodes Into an eye a, Just as you Ying burst ofHOOKS The runners know that things are definitely not what they seem when an angry kee fie elemencal manifests right In Front of them, The spint—Sho’s animus, Hiro—only wants to tighten the runners off I this encounter, ane so he will not atack hem out right. However, he will |mply—quite strong'y—that they should stop looking for Sho. Make the scene tense but don't ture I into 4 drawn-out combat. Treat Hiro’s Intervention ar this point more a disaster than asa nat bate scene. BEHIND THE SCENES ‘At some point curing the runners’ investigation Into Sha's Sisappearance, Hiro locates the runners and ties to dissuade them fram continuing thele serch for Sho, The spit visits the nun- reisat a time anc place when they are sultably yuinerable, possi bly while they are asleep in their San Francisco doss ithe split ‘does no sleep and can walt as long, as necessary for the perfect moment to make protected by wards or other magical safeguards, the spit walks ‘nll they are elsewhere, such as talking t0.a contact on the stiest for in a seecty Dav. (W recessary, adapt Tell Te Them Stralght 10 tolect the piace where Hiro chooses to manifest.) Hiro manifests in a fiery blast to scare the runners. Using his fame projection power, he Ignites the room oF building around the runners, which quickly becomes blistering hot and fll with choking black smoke (the smoke does sulfocation damage each futn that the chavacters remain in the area), If the tunners. are Indoors. they should ty (© get outsile as quickly as possible. IF they ate outsiee when Hito appears, a wall of ame will spring up ‘out of nowhere ancl surexnl ther, (Once the rumers scramble to safety, the fames cle out, leaving Util enly charred wreckage and the words, “LEAVE SHO KO}IWA ALONE,” burned Ineo the neavest clean surfice. The runners should {get the message out and clear someone with plenty of mojo to ng, around does not want ehem looting ince Kojima’s disappearance. Hiro gives the runnes vituaity no apportuntty 10 attack him, The free spl will appr, leave his “message” and depart with the guccksiver speed typical of tree splits. I the runners have any sense at all, they will sprint for the nearest exit the minute the room bursts inco Hames. if a mundane runner tries to engage the spirit in melee combat (a bad move against an enemy sheathed in amesi,Inlict damage from minor burns or smoke inhalation on the character. Such a tunnet might get lucky and it the spirits not hard enough te disrupt it, but enough to surprise Ie so that an asttally pereelving character ean get a good look at Hiro: ‘Magically active chasacters wil prodably suspect some tind of magleal attack anc! may actempt some Kind of defense, Spell defense provieles no protection from Hira's elemencal powers ‘but a sulfable spell or two might put out the ames he sets (sav Ing Hiro the wreuble of extinguishing them himeaif). A magiclan ust move very quichy fo take any action against the spi. Keep is appearance, I the runners’ dss is too well lo mind thac Heo i a free spit. so he cannot be banished by any- ‘one who does no! hnaw his tue name. A runner who is astrally perceiving or who shifts ¢ astral per ception immediately on Hiro's manifestation. might catch a glimpse of the animus before Hiro disappears into astal space: The character should make an Adtral Perception (6) Test and con. sult the following tabie, Astral Perception Successes Results [You see & spltform In the midst ofthe Names, Ie ca fally powerful spit. afte elemental 2 The spirit has a strongly masculine aspect ancl It is very angry, much more so than any common elemental, 3 You sense powerful anger kom the splrit— anger mixed with fear, concern, compassion and curiosity. The spirit is almost certainly a free being. with lis own personality and desires, 4 You get the impression that this free spirit is. {ally young for one of is kind, perhaps only recent fee. Once Hiro has lft his warning sod departed, the runners will Bkely wane t0 search for dives about who oF what was bebinc the atta, They can do so by examining the physical evidence et eine Dy the spin, as well as traces tha ts actions have eft n astral space Physical Examination (Perception Test, Target Number 8) Successes Resules |The flames appeared and disappeared so {quickly tat magic must have been Involved. Also, the heat that eut the writing inte the “surface must have been intense. 2 The flames went out for no apparent reason ‘The speed! with which the fire appeared anct lished seems to indicate that whoever or whatever did It wasn't looking fo hurt any 3 The pattern of the wing looks familiar to you: its very similar to Sho Kojima’s handwalting, (he chavacter learns this information only if be oF she has seen a sample of Sho's wet ing—say. from homework left In his dorm room of from something given co the rua fers by his parents. If not. the runner does. not notice the similarity uniess be or she | encounters a sample of Sho"s handwriting, later in ihe adventure.) fnooWws OF TH woenwonce HN‘Asteal Ecamination (Astral Perception Test, “Target Number 4) | Saccesses Results 1 The fames were rmagical—they came from a spirit that appeared in astral space. 2 The sprit was « powerful fire elemental 3 Strangely enough. you sense anger and con: em connected! 19 the lingering traces lef by the spit. This is unusual, because ‘boure elementals tend to lack emotions. The presence of strong feelings suggests thatthe spirit might be independent ASTRAL QUESTING ‘Once the runners figure out that they ate dealing with a fee: Feelenal an inate character might decide 10 go on an asta Tipe to the metaplanes to learn more about the spilt. Such a fiestas a Quest Rating of 7 (Miro's force plus Spin Energy), (For “Gpest ules cee Quest For The True Name, p. 78, Grlmolce 1.) The runners can fearn Mio's true name in this way, but keep Bid that the astral quest wil ake several hours at least. THs JMllprovie an Weal opportunity for someone like Hammarand's TPitttus, Sciveck (see Cast of Shadows, 9. 42), to attack the ‘Arwen. (Gamemasters who ate roleplaying the astral quest can Mie ich an attack to occupy non-magician players during the pest) DEBUGGING Ife rumers arc not smart enough fo try to ge out ofa buen. Ig foo. don't il them outright. Have the flames Ick menac fr tomar them, pethaps tapping them in @ corner oF drawieg, ‘eda ighening ing arcunc’ them. The fames come periousy feb he tuners and then vans io 0 res untcuched armagidan character wants to use asta projection to atack rpusve Hiro, remind the player that his or her ehavacter must hes came ino contact wie the spe’ Name aura (while the Gp molest and the characteris ataly percelving) or leave Foxy 0 the tender mercies of the Rames (0 folow the spkit Fekseitcon vanish, Neither option should be tery appealing We pays wants to try anyway. his oF her character might be Het set one lick n belore Hiro takes off but wil probably sut Besone minor ny io return, In any ease, the spin ges aay. Hthe unners glean litte Information about fe nae clues. doo'e worry. Tis encounter Is mainty Iioshow that this un is more than a “simple detective fob” an Bribe payers some hints about Hiro alt, leavin { Goin underGRounD TELL IT TO THEM STRAIGHT The White Horse Tavern i ust & few blocks from the UC Berkeley campus. A nondescript brick bulkling with nairow wi dows. the 1 10OKS like 3 holdaver from the early twentieth century, The Inierior Is nice and cozy—fots of dak wood and brass, with freestanding round tables spaced along the windows. ani across the hardwood floor, Several patrons are sitting at « lunch counter along one side of the room. andl small groups of father peopie—mortly college students—we searered at the tables talking and eating, A waitress breezes by with Ing for one oF the tables. She calls over her shoulder, “Sit where: ‘er you want—be with you In a minute You find a table near the back and sit down, taking in every hing, As you make yourselves comfortable, an oie white-haited! ‘fk gets up from the counter and walks toward you. He janders fight up to your table and checks: ‘expression In his beady black eye: “Good evening,” he says. “Mind i Join you?” (of you out. You can't read theBEHIND THE SCENES Use this encounter if Kojima’s possible “ oups. The best the Prof and inform anyone who asks that the ttle dai Unlzed. When corporate sponsors toot over the school short afterward, the Prof found his job sactificed vo “budget cuts" an ended up joining the underground. decide to investigate Sho tons with Oakla The Prof knows that Sho Kojima October 25th Allance, but he has ne tease that, They must convince hin that they ave who harigs atthe White Horse Tavern Funners 1 meet with the young. man. The Prot assume that the runners ave 1 looking for the White He the Prof right back alley behind the modified 3¢ appropa eratlon, The Prot wil offer t at the White Horse tomorrow. Go to Enemy of My Enemy, p. 37,Don't et this frst meeting with Schreck turn Into the tation with him. The adept assassin will do his best to runners things turn against him in this encounter anid prepared for them the next time they meet. the ae foaded for bear and expecting trouble. Schreck’ ice can be Just a quick glimpse before he ducks around isappeas. re rmners threaten or attack the Pro, they pretty much pt! geting the underground’ help In finding Sho Kejima, ath the ok ina civil and honest way. they get results » they are on thelr own and will have to use other B10 nd Sho—oiher contacts, say. OF stual MAgIC 10 track Manis tue name. An attack against the Prof will also trash eps with the enbre Oaklanc/Berkeley underground: the Word Out, members of the October 25th Alliance emasno diferent from ary other parties involved in the he resistance hideout White Horse Tavern looks exactly the same as It did yes- “infact, gute 3 few of the customers look like they never You see the Prof walkin the front door and scan the crowd, lngtosorne of the his hanging aroun. He goes up to the and says something to the waltiess there. then igh the kchen door, You wonder why he doesn't just p to ou .. but then, alter last night, you can't blame a. Yol! college professor who probably never saw the smoke fa pin before for being nervous, Before you can decide on i the waitress comes by and says, “'m a tite busy right shuryou can just go Into the kitchen and tell Bobby the cook at your food.” In defintely weird Restaurants don't usually let paying Info the kitchen ... and besides, you didn't order any, thank the disappearing wales and stroll causally lato en, where one chet fs making stndwehes. When you ask fBabby, he nods. “I'm looking for my food,” you say MY Io the manager's office.” Bobby answers, pointing 6 wooden door with the word MANAGER on it. Wel actually, Dut you get the idea. You walk up and knock door, keeping your eyes peeled for anything unexpected, Mone in” says a voice you recognize—i's the Prof mies, the Prof apologizes forall the back-toom antics e's met with afew of his contacts. who want to confirm. ventions before leting you see Sho. want you to do little something for us—call it ‘estab: your cedenvas,” the Prof says. “If you don't mind?= HOOKS Use this encounter to Immerse the characters In the para roid. prove-you're-my-irend-by-stikingymysenemy world of Oakdand/Berkeley's mlitane underground orgenizations, These Sroups trust only themselves and those few others who have ‘earned thelr ust. By saving the Profs life, the runners have passed one test But they need to pass another BEHIND THE SCENES The Prof has a Job forthe runners—a test to prove that they do pot work for Yamatetsu and thar they intend Sho no harm, Specially, the Prof wars the runners {0 ald the Oxtober 251 Allance in an assault—possibly more than one—agalnst ‘Yamatetsu target. This attack shoukt be staightiorward, with 10 ticks or taps set by the Allance. Of course, the defenses 2 the eho: ‘en comp instalation can be as Tough as the gamemaster Warts, ‘An underground-sponsored attack fers ftom a typical shadowrun in a significant way. Most such aitacks afe terrorist -les—they produce no financial rewad. The people who per fotr them are Kdealists fighting for causes, not runners working, for ruyen. In fact, Oakland/Berkeley's guerila groups are usually ‘quite suspicious of shadowrunners. But if the runners pass the test with fying colors, the Alllance will reat then as tasted fends, The gamemaster determines the number and type of attacks 3 be oF she sees ft Keep things simple: the object of the atack bs 10 scare the comps and the pubic, not to pul of the perfect datasteal ‘The Allance tends to stay away from kidnapping: the corps rarely deal with idnappers. and snatching people brings too much heat ‘down on the organization, The Alliance also avok' all-out assault, preferring 1o keep as many people as possible alive to fight anoth- day. Possible “test jobs” forthe runners Include: * bombing a Yamatetsu warehouse In Oakland + tossing a fireball cockial in the eniryway of Yamatersu's ‘San Francisco HQ and spray-painting resistance stogans on the ‘outside walls + hihcking a shipment of Yamatetsu property and dlisibuting, {around the poorer sections of Oakland * ambushing a slew of Yamatetsu secuty personne! on one of their regular forays into Oaklanct hiaing Yamatetsu from the Matrix and from the real workd (iF the group includes a decker) The later option may espectaly appeal f© this cell of the Alliance. as they have very tle sophisticated decking equipment. The presence of a decker among the runners gives this Altance cella chance to hit the Japancorps in a way that they never have beiore W the runners do the Profs bidding and acquit themselves ‘Well, the Prof takes tem f0 the Alliance cell's hideout 10 meet Sho. I they tefuse, they will stil end up at the hideout—uneer ‘much different circumstances (see Debugging) i] sivnnouls oncneuneDEBUGGING ‘Make it clear that the runners cannot sleaze out of perform: ing the required mission. Ifthe runners want 10 reach Sho Kojima, they must prove ther trustworthiness fist, and the only way do Ils to go along with the Profs request. the players stil refuse, play up this teri chance t0 Nit a comp for hicks. Tell them they Set to keep whatever they find of value—no questions will be asked. and no Jolson will spol thelr fun. This assault should be @ light workout for a group that up to now has been doing legwork, legwork and more legwork. if the ‘characters will only do I for money. the Prot says coldly that he thas clearly misjudged them. The Alliance will consider the runners ‘enemies ancl will most likely Keep tabs on them. This wall make It ‘easy for Alliance members to capture the runners when they Bina ly tack down Sho and approach his hiteout (Getting the Word Out, below) 1 the runners point-blank refuse fo hit the corp, even for money, the Alllance wil become convinced that they work for ‘Yarnatetsu, Many of the runners’ contacts with connections in the underground will dry up, and denizens of the local shadows will react to the runners as If they are corporate goons. If necessary, tuen up the hostility coward the runners until they decide to go ‘back f0 the Prof and ask fora mission or the October 25th Allance captures them, Go to Getting the Word Out GETTING THE WORD OUT TELL IT TO THEM STRAIGHT ‘AS you look out over the Gauntlet, you realize that the local underground and the Sanfran corps take theielede wat very set ‘ously, The narrow corclor, where the monorail system enters and exis San Francisco, Is favorite site for terrorist attacks agalnst the Japanese occupation forces. The burned out buildings along, both sides of the elevated monorall tack Hook deserted, but every dime «tain passes you hear shots ring out from them. The Alllance’s sale house Is an old brownstone just a few blocks trom the track. one ofa small ing of reasonably Intact bus: Ings left in the area. The lower foors ant basement have been ‘Geared out and renovated with whatever mode equipment the Underground members could scavenge, mosity second-hand and ket-bashed computers and communications equipment. All the tech ‘rok is hooked up to a concealed satelite dish On the fof that inks the brownstone Into the greater Fee State matrix. Not a bad set-up fora bunch of decadent Western subtuman rabble, eh? HOOKS This encounter isthe big wrap-up scene where all the forces In the adventure come together In an explosive confrontation, Time for the runners to get out all the aggressions they've bult up ‘over the course of thei tustrating investigation, Blow the special- ‘effects buclget on this scene, cisvounor teunneRMoNeD BEHIND THE SCENES The runners can locate and reach the several different ways. Depending on how they gett gamemaster may need to adapt the read-aloud text I Tel Them Stralght. Ifthe runners have passed the Aillance’s ted rot of another Alllance representative leads them to the! Cour; they will have fatty free run of the place and wil things described above. If they track the place down mag for via legwork, they must appronch the hideout Baste verrn bere ack severs the bout the hey must fg lance In Enemy of My Enemy, they 3 wll ltthe runners ty fo take Sho by foree, Hite and the me of the Alkance will ry to stop them. When Schreck ane th porate soldiers attack the hideout, the fs all In which everyone (s ater Sho and the dat bers The runners wit polding on t© Sho, who wil esis them to the best of his ability. Returning Sho Kolima to his family will effec tively deliver him Into Yamaretsu's ess-than-gentle hanes, a fate the runners ought noPICKING UP THE PIECES [After the attack on the Alliance hicleout, the surviving. mem: bers ofthe resistance cell (which should include Sharon Greentele) ll make arrangements to download Sho's scolen data and send tout over the Matrix, whete It will do the greatest damage to Yomatersu operations In San Francisco. The Alliance will appre: ate any help the runners offered during the assault and wil owe them a future favor Sho Kojima and Hiro wil remain with the Alliance. Sho will ‘ask the runners (0 cll his family that he Is safe anet will coninct them when he feels the time is right, Once the stolen data Is ppubliclzed, Yarnatersu will lose all ini either Sho or Hira dies in the fighting, the other will be gret siricken at che death of his partner ancl will want revenge on weradventure for the fest in the Kom family those responsible, which could lead t9 anos player characters Ifthe gamemaster Is feling hind and wants to offer the run: ners some additional compensation for thelt rouble, Hiro can use his wealth power to. give them gems and precious metals worth several thousand quyen, The exact amount depends on how ‘much addidenal cash the gamemacter wants to give tre charse {ers—preferably no more than an adcitional 10,000 nuyen, Schreck will try to escape if things go badly against him in the final Aight, and he may return to plague the runners in a future adventure, Nils Hammavane! lakes note of the player characters and may deal with them In the future, He may offer them a job Involving other Saecter Krupp Inverest in California, which may be either sraigheforward df eheir talent imptessed him| ora set-up (i the wanes payback because the runners spolled fis plans), Yamateesu will not look kindly on anyone connected with the loss of their sensitive data and may biackist the runners, (No more Yamatetsu-sponsored jobs, chummers—too bact) The Corp might also use an intermediary to hire the shadowrunness fot suleide mission, THE YAMATETSU DATA The stolen Yamatetsu data—called “The Little Red Schoolhouse’ —is 4 set of undoctored spreadsheets that blow & huge hole in Yamatetsu’s metahuman-triencly public image. Yamatetsu has supposedly bs Imetahumans places in op-nioteh cerp-tun schools. out the documents show that the ‘schools! are on offer tually clearinghouses from which metahuman childten and thelr parents are taken to labs in the ural Central Valley for “testing,” The spreadsheets trash Yamatetsu's pose as a fidend of metahumanity and! prove ta the entire resistance n€ that Yamnateisu 'S no better than any other corpora tion In San Francisca, Yamatetsu responds to the release of the data by announcing, a round of 1g Top executives will claim that a rogue mid-level diverted the funds intenced for the Schools anc set up h dhe Central Valley labs. They will further lain that Sho’s father discovered! the incriminating spreadsheets and posted them at great personal risk to expose the bac! seed at Yamateisu, They will not mention Sho or any resistance group, cunvenwaaco npowS oF T Tupsouwube ‘Sho's father, heralded as a hero, will get a promotion, and Yamatetsu will "make amends” by tunneling nuyen and products (Yamatersu’s, of course) Into some of the poorer sections of ‘Oaklancl (until the spotlight is off AWARDING KARMA Award team Karma for the adventure as listed below, Award Inckvicluel Kerra per standard rules (p. 199, SRM Survival 1 point Thweat 1 poine Finding Sho Kojima 1 point Helping the Allance against Yarmate'su 1 point CAST OF SHADOWS SHO KOJIMA ‘Sho Kojima comes from a well-off corporate Family and ba the potentia {0 be a capable rage someday, but he | 0 happy young man, For years he Iu concealed his homosexual from his parents and trends for fear of hurting them and amg: Ing his career, and the effort has left him (solated andl lonely. By Chrowing himself Into Ms studies he has earned considerable praise from bis instructors ancl his parents, but hie outward] achievements have only worsened his inner turmol During. the past few months, Sho occasionally snuck out tl Clandestine gay establishments in San Francisco. Nils Hammer discovered these indiscretions and made Sho's worst night come true by blackmailing him. Desperate to escape a tert cholee benween dishonor and betrayal, Sho summoned an ee ‘mental to kill Hammarand,oe Sovirepes That cemental, Hiro, proved to be the iteal embodkmen S's a {Bout his family and confused about iwhat to do next. Sho hooks two decided to flee, Conce Wpiit the ant-corp resistance because he can think of nowhere thet de. At frst he simply wants to be left alone. but he grad: May comes to believe In the undergrouint’s Acibaces Body: 3 Qbickness: 3 Strength: 2 Inetigence: 4 Willpower 4 Guatisma: 5 Enenc Reaction 4 Magle: § ss Corjuring Enchanting: 2 Enquette (Comporate): 2 Magia! Theory: 4 Sorcery: Unmet Cor pats 2 yberwar Datajack Hescware Memory (80 Mp) Gow ‘Armor Clothing (2/0) Yernatctau Ronin Laptop Computer (250 Mp) Hew a optical chips ic Lbnaty (Rating 2) Spats Detection Analyte Magie: 2 Healeh Treat: 3 tiuston ‘Manipulation Lghe: 2 RO Hiro (s« kam). « opeclal ¢ype of animus spit Like every other lami, Hro's form ane Ile sprang ditectly from the Innemmost desies and hopes of his newly fee split has awakened to a world of sensations 3 emo: tions whose existenice he never suspected, anc he Is passionately nner. As suits his Rey nature, Hiro is dash: He ts urterly loyal 1a Sho a Unfortunately, Hiro is not well ver vd wants to pr q tions ot human values Shadowrunners who ape hnows lle about compo: This makes him a poor planner wall be able to win Hiro over to thelr side Attributes BQ St W C€ E£ RK Armor 8 6 Oxd 7 7 7 B SIA) Special tnitlativer 15 (25) + 1DS force: 5 Spliie Energy: 2 Threat/Professional Ratings 5/4 Attacks: 5 dice, 7M damage Powers: Engul, lame Aura, Flame Projection, Guarel, Humar form, Immunity to Normal Weapons, Manifestation, Movement Wealth Weaknesses: Vulnerability (Water Note: The Atuibutes listed apply to Hiro in asira form, all Attributes are equal to For anow BE OTHE USCHRECK Schreck Is Nils Hammaranel’s principal agent in Two Solttudtes. A physical adept who folows the Twisted! Way ip. 54 Amakenings), Sciieck is 0g} with muscles like bunches of stee! cable, He has rough, chiseled features and a wld mane of white halt. He typically wears clark 3 studeled with chrome spikes and chains and goles and lal vacuity associate” for Angelic Entertalnn Saeder-Krupp's L.A. subsidiary Schreck is mentally unstable by almost anyone's definition, His magical path 1s Iocuseet solely on improving. his abliy as a Speaks with a slight German accent, He lives in Los empathic ability that lets him draw Of his victims. Ife ‘Was on his own rother than working, for Saeder-Krupp, Schreck ‘would probably strength ancl pleasure from the pain and fe serial kller. A it Is, his work for Hammarand gives him plenty of epporuniies to indulge his addiction tc inflicting pain on others ‘Schreck prefe 10 ight opponents barchancled and crush the le out of them, but he is wily and capable enough to use what fever meane are at his disposal If he is clearly outclassed by supetior opponent, Schreck withdaws and begins plotting an means of attack. Once unleashed om a target. he neve! he keeps coming, back until Ne fhnshes the {od OF his eorpor ‘masters call him off The gamemaster should play Sehreck as a shrewd chara rather than a leote cannon, He is a master assistin a sional, whieh a dead and he prot eans he Is more valuable to his superiors alive th ows it the fight looks bat, he bails out ant again ata better time Attributes Bexty: 619) Strength: 6 (10) Quickness: 4 Inteligence: 4 Willpower 5 ch Essence: 0 Magic. 10 Reactions 4 sma 2 Inidative: 4 + 206 Threat/Professional Rating: 6/3 Inliate Grade: 4 Skals Armed Combat: 6 Athletics: 6 Triquette (Stree): 4 Firearms: 6 Stealth (Uitban): 5 Unarmed Combat: 8 |10) Adept Powers Empathic Sense Improved Body «3 Improved Unarmed Combat (2) Killing Hands (Modes. Low Light Vision Pain Resistance (3) Stiength Boost +4 (geas: only while a victim is frightened © in paln Gear Armor Jacket over form-fitting. body armor (total armex rath: 6/4) Colt Manhunter [Heavy Pistol, 16 2 iR-smoke gi SA.oM] "Notes: in acidtion to his adept powers, Schreck has the following spells Quickened on his person by a Saeder Krupp mage: Enhance Alm (force 2}. Personal Spell Barter (Force 6) and 1 (Farce 4), The spel numbers of all spells cast on oF against hin,OLE s OctoBre 25TH ALLIANCE J Tie Oc0%er 25th Atlance I one of the two largest ant-occu Bl. etanuman rights groups In the Oabland/Berkeley ace Ghmanysmler groups ae loosely affilated with it. The Alliance iso ers on pottkalaciton and non-violent resbtance a PP etisterrs se ack, nthe bet that violence sane wi ohe he "Jaron Pippeiver ray err the end of anc) equitable society ore he on Rance embers do a variety of things to amy the San Bias coporatons. much of without resorting to Hi-orat exe. Tey send experts craving tough tne Bay Ares tae TF eates tooking for loopholes that local businesses can ex Hat eoerts of he Onkiand/Berkcey spraw wll not have (0 pate corps to keep eating. They aso nance and run heath Bei, co-op tenements and schools, The Allance uses its money i igewre o spp al ve socal services once provided by |) eGaitonia sate government The Aflance was the diving force behind the formation of the Piopie's University in Berkeley, where people learn everything Fev aso effecve ways igh corporate power nthe Bap Ars. The arwverty runs a mecial clinic and several fod ies hese ve the only parts of ee Unversity that acy have efectos). The cirke proves medica care kee of charge, ro Fis asec o anyone who nee It, The fod! patties prove Baek ters to anyone who requests them. Both of hese se Hes tave gone a eng way toward aeviatng eve chronic poverty Hite Cniand/Beeley reropiex problem.” As the All wice sees It, gue The university's classes “float” between vaitous locations in the ‘plex to protect both students and instructors, who ate wide range of courses, Including classes In baste literacy skils cine, law, and sociology. For interested students. the Allance coffers poli sity. where poten thing they need! ro kno. a forums and discussion groups through the unive recruits to the movement can learn every Alan lea Neo- Anarchists tion groups. Workshop fe perennial avorites—these offering inchwse classes on how fn a successful political campaign. publishing, pol lty laws werk for you and witing effective public specche Stuctents can also take classes In stich “spectalized™ subject weapon hancting and technology, demolitions, hi combat, tactical Magic. decking, rigging, Intelligence-sahering, spl and urban guertila-warfare techniques. In fact, the University often avranges lodgings for runners, deckess, and tl ge wllng to teach such casses in addltion to providing city services, the Allance and Ks Fel (Caklancl/Berkeley sprawl. Their people's teburals lnwtrenke's, 50 visting runners are alvised to 10 groups act as lew enforcement inthe zan be hard on Ing withthe foeals. However, operations directed agains: coeps or fother San Francisco authorities aren't really considered ames are the enemy,{ PLAYING WITH FIRE “Once. before decades of weak liberal leaclership pushed our ‘once: great county to the biitk of destruction. a proud and fear- less America stood foremost among the nations of the world. Now the people of the Unites! Canaclian and American Staves ‘stand athe brink. gazing down into the abyss. One more step In the direction we have been going, and the unnatural forces that have manipulated us for years will cat this country over the edge toto anarchy and destruction. One moment of weakness, and the abominations that lurk in the depths of our cites will re up to tear us apart. One push from unirlendly hands, and the greedy watchers that stare hungrlly across our borders will swarm into ‘our lands tke locusts and consume every trace of our country’s greatness, We can go no closer to the eige without falling. my fellow Americans. andl It I this very election that will cletermine ‘whether we fall forward or step buck “W you will support me—if you, and thousands of normal Americans like you, are willing 10 defy those who would send us rushing headiong into damnation uneler the guise of "progress — then we can s¢ep back from thar abyss, We can take our streets and our schools back from those who are using the weakness and feat of our sovcalied feacters against us, IC wil be a ong. and f= cult road, but together we can restore to this country the great: ness that has always been, and will always be. ts bithright, Wil you take dhat fst step with me?” The responsive four from the thd set was deafening for te fraction of a second belove the dampers throttled it back to a dull murat, Caroll smiled at the screen for a moment, watching, as Kenneth Brackhaven made his way from the podium co his walt Ing limo, then tapped the OFF button on the desk-mounted con: trol console. Turning from the screen, Caroll settled back Into his chair and turned (0 face his guest. “Your Mt, Brackhaven seems 2 very popular man, Mr Canoll,” his visor sad. The middle-aged Japanese gentleman smiled fain, his white teeth bavely Visible between thin, papery lips. “Mis campaign must be going well” Garo grinned In veiw, "Yes. Mr Yamazabl. I say it's going very well. Every day, mote and more people realize thar he's the country’s best bet for getting out of the mess we've in. And with metahuman violence (nthe rise the way It's, t's no Surprise tha he's gaining momen: tum.” Curall shook his head with a chuckle. “The stupid trogs don't realize they're digging their own graves. Impatient with Carroll's small tlk, Yamazal put on his “bush ess face” and fet his smile fade, As lucrative as the business antangement with Carroll was, Yamazaki had never liked fanatics ‘of any stripe. ancl the yakuza found dealing with the man person ally dlstaseful susupwecegneuncemwonce, N "One would think the violence woukt have dled down now—the gangs must have a strong motivation indeed to cont ue thelr destruction at such a pace.” Carrols smile tightened! notch, “Strong motivation, eh? How strong do you think it have to be?” “I elieve that a twenty: percent increase In furcing woud sufficient for the next month, Me Carrol, Ater that, who can: Such inctviduals are easily distracted, and holding their at ‘ean be quite fil.” “Twenty percent?” Carroll barked. “Tid be surprised ifthe: gangs see 4 quarter of that, You'te just looking to Increase: ‘dlan’s profit margin.” Camoll was too pleased with himself to haggle over detals. “Well, hel, you people have easned your money so fa cent—but don't expect another Increase next month.” Wordlessly, Yamazaki extended a platinum-ringed cred ‘over the desk. Cavtoll (ook It with a grunt, then slipped In ‘eater and began typping the keypad with his thick agers, “unuing (© boast as he worked. "We may not need to continue this particular projeet for co ‘much fonger anyway. We've got a lot mote stuff in the wort. Inchiding a dragon Ineldent that’s gonna blow Dunkelzahn righ ‘out ofthe fragging water.” Yamazaki stifened slightly, but Cara lek’ notice. “We'te gonna have this whole country so teifed of anything magical that they won't dare vore for anyone but Brackhaven.” “Dragon incident?” Yamazaid carefully kept his voice newt “expressing ke interest a! no mote. H this had anything to do with tecent rumors among his people, Carroll and his associates were ‘even bigger fools than he nd thought. “Street rabble are one thing, but | can believe you'l be able 10 hire a dragon to cause publi ‘mayhem, panicuially with one of their wn running, for presitent” Caroli hughed out loud this thme. a crude eackle dat curred ‘Yamazak's stomach, “Well, hire is probably the wrong, word. Let's just say that those boys you sent over last week are realy gonna come through for us. We've gotten hold of something that's gra bing a dragon ro town, mad enowgh to shake the walls down.” He pulled the erecéick from its slot, rolling it in his pam ‘momentarily before handing It back to Yaak “And when he does, the stupid worm Is gonna sad Dunkelzahn’s campaign right down the drekker where it belongs.” Returning the credstick to his pocket. Yamazaki rose and bowed “A very clever pla Imptermented.~ no doubt, | look foraare to seeing it