ShadowrunMM

STREET MAGIC AND THE MATRIX | Back to Main Page |

MAGES Astral Perception Many Awakened characters can perceive the astral plane from the physical world. This ability is called astral perception. It is the primary sense used in the astral plane; it shows auras, allowing magicians to examine living creatures in the physical world as well as creatures who live on the astral plane. Astral Perception is available to characters who take the Magician quality during character generation, or to adepts who buy the Astral Perception power. It takes a moment's concentration to shift one’s perception from the astral to the physical, and another to shift it back again (it is not possible to see both at the same time, though almost everything in physical space is reflected on the astral, albeit without detail). A character using astral perception is considered dual natured, active on both the physical and astral planes simultaneously. While astral perception allows an Awakened character to sense the astral plane, actually interpreting what is sensed takes practice. Interpreting auras to gain information about the person or thing to whom they belong is called assensing. A magician who wishes to learn more about an aura must concentrate and carefully scan the subject's aura. Without attempting to read an aura, a magician can still get an impression of what type of aura it is (spell, spirit, living creature, etc.). Like physical perception, a character using astral perception automatically sees things that are immediately obvious (and since astral forms are bright and vibrant, this means that most astral forms are easily noticed). It may be more difficult when an astral being is specifically trying to hide, or when a character is trying to astrally observe in detail. By assensing something’s aura, a magician can gain information. The auras of living beings show their general health, emotions, and magical nature (if any). Enchanted objects show their magical nature. Non-magical and non-living objects have only gray, lackluster shadows rather than auras, but pick up impressions from being in contact with living auras. Assensing can read any impressions left behind on an object. Astral perception is a psychic sense that is not linked tothe character’s physical sight. A blind magician can still magically perceive the astral plane and the creatures and auras within. Likewise, deaf magicians can “hear” in astral space. Astral Projection Some Awakened characters do more than simply perceive the astral world—they submerge themselves in it entirely, leaving the physical world and their bodies behind. This is called astral projection. Magicians who astrally project are no longer attached to their physical bodies. The projecting magician becomes an astral form. The magician can maintain this form for a number of hours equal to her Magic attribute. After this time, if she has not returned to her physical body, her astral form will die, leaving her physical body in a permanent coma. Only characters who possess the Magician quality may astrally project. Movement for an astrally projecting magician is much quicker than physical movement. In astral space, free of the concerns of the body, the magician moves at the speed of thought. She simply imagines herself at a place and her astral body travels there. Any nearby destination is reached in seconds. Mere minutes are required to cross great distances, and in an hour the magician can circle the globe. hen traveling this quickly, however, the magician has no time to perceive her environment. While this is usually not an issue, a magician trying to find a place must travel more slowly or she won’t even see it as she passes. Astral barriers also block astral travel, and a magician traveling too quickly may run into such a barrier before she has a chance to notice it. Astral forms can move in any direction—they are not limited by gravity as they are in the physical world, though most projecting magicians tend to stick close to the ground out of force of habit, if nothing else. The exception to this freedom of movement applies to those who attempt to fly past the limits of the earthly atmosphere (about 80 kilometers up)—astral voyagers who try this usually die or go mad. ADEPTS An Awakened character who invests her power into physical abilities rather than Magic-linked skills is referred to as an adept. This investment is represented by the character’s Power Points. These reflect the amount of magical energy tied into the character’s physical bilities, such as enhanced reflexes, improved senses, or superior health. Characters who take the Adept quality during character creation get a number of Power Points equal to their Magic attribute. Like magicians, adepts may increase their maximum Magic rating through initiation (thus giving them the opportunity to gain further Power Points. 1 Power point per Magic point). Adepts can have traditions, just as any other magician. There is no in-game rules benefit for choosing a tradition; the decision is up to the player, and simply serves as a method of describing their world and outlook more fully. Adepts can astrally perceive just like magicians if they take the Astral Perception power. ADEPT POWERS Each adept power listed below provides the Power Point cost required to learn it and includes a description of how the power functions. Many adept powers may be purchased at a variable rating. Many adept powers cost a fraction of a Power Point. Characters may save partial points if they choose. Astral Perception Cost: 1 This power allows the adept to bridge the gap between the physical and astral realms and “see” into the astral plane. Critical Strike Cost: .25 per level (Max 2 Levels) This power uses magic to increase the CR of your unarmed attacks, as you strike with more proficiency and power. Each level of Critical Strike increases the character’s CR in unarmed combat by +1. Critical Strike may be used with Killing Hands, and may also be used in astral combat. Enhanced Perception Cost: .25 per level (Max 4 Levels) This power sharpens your senses, allowing for superhuman perception. Great Leap Cost: .25 per level (Max 4 Levels) Adepts with Great Leap are able to make incredible jumps into the air and over long distances. Each level of Great Leap adds three feet up and six feet across to the height and distance that the character can jump. Safe Fall Cost: .25 per level (Max 4 Levels) Adepts with Safe Fall are able to safely fall six feet plus twenty feet per level taken. Whether they land nimbly on their feet depends on their Athletics Skill and any "Agile" descriptors the character may have. Improved Ability Cost: .5 per level (Combat skills), .25 per level (Physical, Social, Technical skills) (Max 4 Levels per Skill) This power gives you additional proficiency for use with a specific skill. Note that this power can bring your skill up to x4, but not beyond that, even when combined with natural skill levels. (Example: Adept Jack has Melee x2 and wants to raise it further with this power. He can spend .5 x2 points for a total of 1 power point to raise his Melee to x4 but he cannot raise it any further) You can take this power multiple times for different skills. Improved Physical Attribute Cost: 1 per level With this power, you can raise a Physical Attribute Descriptor (Strong, Agile or Tough). Each level increases the descriptor by one. (Example: If your "Strong" descriptor is already x1, spending two power points on this power could raise it to "Strong x3") This power can raise a descriptor to beyond the normal racial unaugmented maximums (which are x2 for for Humans and may be higher or the same for other races). Improved Reflexes Cost: Variable; Level 1 costs 2 Power Points, Level 2 costs 3 Power Points, and Level 3 costs 5 Power Points This power increases the speed at which you react, just like wired reflexes. Improved Sense Cost: .25 per improvement You have a sensory improvement not normally possessed by your metatype. Improvements include lowlight or thermographic vision, high or low frequency hearing, and so on. Any sense provided by cyberware can also be provided by this power (see the gear section on the "From the Shadows" page), unless an improvement involves radio or similar technological phenomena. Additional Improved Senses are described here: Direction Sense: Your sense of direction is so acute you know what direction you are facing, and whether you are above or below the local ground level. This ability is especially useful for tribal hunters, guides, spies, and runners who pursue similar occupations. Improved Scent: You can identify scents in the same way as a bloodhound. You can identify individuals by scent alone, and can tell if someone whose scent you know has been in an area recently. The strong smells of most sprawls impose difficulty with the use of this sense. Improved Taste: You can recognize the ingredients of food or beverage by taste alone. This power allows adepts with Chemistry or a similar Science Skill to identify ingestive poisons and drugs concealed in food or drink. It also allows adepts to determine if a sample of water is pure enough to drink. Flare Compensation: Your eyes adapt quickly to intense light, allowing you to avoid the effects of flash grenades and similar weapons. This power functions exactly like the flare compensation vision enhancement. Sound Dampening: Your ears are protected from loud noises and adjust quickly to sudden changes in noise level. The sound dampening power functions exactly like the cybernetic damper enhancement. Asthetic Effect: You have some sort of visible effect that's part and parcel of your nature as an adept. Examples can include glowing eyes or glowing auras of nearly any appearance that surround your hands and/or feet when using a hand to hand attack. Killing Hands Cost: .5 This power uses magic to turn unarmed attacks into lethal, physical damage. When participating in unarmed combat, you may do normal Stun damage or declare the use of Killing Hands and inflict an equal CR of Physical damage instead. Killing Hands may be used with Critical Strike. A Killing Hands attack may also be used against creatures with Immunity to Normal Weapons to inflict either Stun or Physical damage. Killing Hands can also be used in astral combat. Kinesics Cost: .5 per level (Max 4 Levels) An adept with Kinesics has complete control over her body’s nonverbal and subconscious communication and social cues, even when engaged in stressful social scenarios. This control includes facial expressions, body movements, posture, eye movements, and internal biological stress functions such as heartbeat, blood pressure, and sweat glands. The adept is also gifted at reading others’ body language and cultural-specific affectations and mimicking their cues to her advantage. As a result, this power boosts the character’s natural presence and social charms. Missile Parry Cost: 1 You are capable of catching slow-moving missile weapons such as arrows, thrown knives, grenades, or shuriken out of the air. Players should be careful not to overuse this ability. Mystic Armor Cost: .5 per level (Max 2 Levels) This power magically toughens your skin to resist the effects of damage. Each level provides you with 1 level of AR (armor rating) that is cumulative with any worn armor. Mystic Armor also protects against damage done in astral combat. Natural Immunity Cost: .25 per level (Max 4 Levels) Your power of mind-over-body allows you to resist the effects of toxins and disease. Pain Resistance Cost: 1 Pain Resistance allows you to ignore the effects of injury. It does not reduce actual damage, only its effect on you. Pain Resistance also allows you to resist pain from torture, magic, illness, and so on. Rapid Healing Cost: .25 per level (Max 4 Levels) You recover more quickly from all forms of injury, using magical energy to boost the normal healing process. The level plus one is the multiplier used to determine how long it takes for you to recover from injury. Voice Control Cost: .5 An adept with Voice Control has an amazing level of control over the properties of her voice. The adept can change her voice’s pitch, modulation and tone at will, as well as increase her volume. This allows the adept to mask her voice and imitate sounds within the normal range of metahuman vocalization (i.e, no infrasound or ultrasound), including mimicking the voices of others. This trick can be used to defeat voice recognition systems. Voice Control also allows an adept to “throw” her voice up to (Magic attribute x 2) meters away. A GRIMOIRE OF SPELLS SPIRITS Hermetic Mages can summon Elemental Spirits but cannot summon Nature Spirits. Shamans can summon Nature Spirits but cannot summon Elemental Spirits. A summoned spirit's Attribute Descriptors will be limited by the levels in Conjuring the mage has... meaning that the spirit can't have a higher level in a single descriptor than it's summoner's Conjuring level. In addition, I'm going to say that a summoned spirit has a number of descriptor levels equal to the mage's magic rating (6 for most starting mages). The player can distribute those levels among the spirit's "stats" as they wish, but try and be realistic as to the nature of the spirit. So a mage who summons an earth elemental with Conjuring x2 summons an earth elemental with Strong x2, Tough x2 and Willful x2 along with Agile -1 (the spirit's penalty attribute) while a mage with a Conjuring of x4 could summon an earth elemental with Strong x3 and Tough x3 (and Agile -1) or Strong x4 and Tough x2 with Agile -1. NATURE SPIRITS Nature Spirits must be summoned from within the spirit's domain, but they may be summoned spontaneously. Example: A River Spirit can only be summoned from a river and cannot venture far from that domain. Spirits of Water (which includes spirits of sea, river, lake, swamp and so on) All Spirits of Water tend to have similar attributes and powers. Typical "Strong" Attributes: Agile, Willful, Charismatic Penalty Attribute: Strong Special Powers: Liquid Body, Flood, Healing, Extinguish Spirits of Heaven (which includes spirits of fog, thunderstorm and others) All Spirits of Heaven tend to have similar attributes, but may have different powers. Typical "Strong" Attributes: Agile, Smart Penalty Attribute: Tough Special Powers: Ethereal Body (All), Cloud of Fog (Fog), Lightning Blast (Thunderstorm), Wind Blast (Thunderstorm), Thunderclap (Thunderstorm) Spirits of Land (which includes spirits of prairie, desert, woodland, mountains and others) All Spirits of Land tend to have similar attributes, but may have different powers. Typical "Strong" Attributes: Strong, Tough, Willful Penalty Attribute: Agile Special Powers: Earthen Body - AR 3 (Prairie), Sand Body (Desert), Wood Body - AR 3 (Woodland), Stone Body - AR 4 (Mountain), Earthquake (Prairie, Mountain), Sandstorm (Desert), Regeneration (Woodland) Spirits of Man (which includes spirits of the streets, hearth and field) Spirits of Man can have a wide range of attributes, but may have different powers. Penalty Attribute: Player's choice at the time of summoning Special Powers: Wisdom of the Domain (All) ELEMENTAL SPIRITS Elemental Spirits may only be summoned in hermetic rituals which take an hour to perform. They cannot be summoned spontaneously. Each elemental summoned will perform one task (to the best of it's ability) per level the summoner has in "Charismatic" plus one. Ie, a character with no descriptors in "Charismatic" can only ask the spirit to perform one task, while someone with "Charismatic x2" could ask for three tasks. Tasks can include such things as "Protect me for the next 24 hours", "Guard this location for the next week" or "Melt through this door". Earth Elementals Typical "Strong" Attributes: Strong, Tough, Willful Penalty Attribute: Agile Special Powers: Stone Body - AR 4, Earthquake Fire Elementals Typical "Strong" Attributes: Agile, Tough, Charismatic Penalty Attribute: Willful Special Powers: Flame Body, Incinerate Air Elementals Typical "Strong" Attributes: Agile, Smart, Willful Penalty Attribute: Strong Special Powers: Ethereal Body, Wind Blast, Twister Water Elementals Typical "Strong" Attributes: Agile, Willful, Charismatic Penalty Attribute: Strong Special Powers: Liquid Body, Flood, Healing, Extinguish MENTOR SPIRITS In the search for magical insight, many Awakened individuals find themselves drawn to a certain animal, mythological figure, or concept. This entity is somehow symbolic of their personality, their relation to magic, or their spiritual beliefs, and thus is deeply tied into the way they practice magic. Once a character Awakens, she may find that this person or idea she had always felt strongly about has taken on a more concrete existence, perhaps materializing in a physical form, perhaps speaking to her mentally, or perhaps appearing in astral space and guiding her to ever greater epiphanies. Each mentor spirit embodies an ideal, a mythic image or archetype. By seeking to embody the same ideal, the magician gains magical power. Members of any tradition may have mentor spirits, including adepts. ROLEPLAYING A MENTOR SPIRIT The gamemaster can use a mentor spirit as a tool to communicate information to the magician and enhance roleplaying. Mentor spirits provide cryptic clues, riddles, omens, and sometimes even straightforward advice. For example, the gamemaster can foreshadow a particular event in the game by having a magician’s totem send a dream where she sees hints of what is to come. A mentor spirit might even become the driving force behind an adventure, telling a character of a magical threat only the player characters can handle. If a magician strays from the path, the mentor spirit may send a vision or other indication of its displeasure, seeking to correct the character’s behavior. If she fails to heed this suggestion, the magician begins to lose some of the mentor spirit’s power, starting with any bonuses. If the magician continues to act contrary to her mentor’s philosophy, reduce the character’s Magic attribute by a point. Only by seeking to communicate with the mentor spirit and returning to its ideals can a magician hope to regain any lost power. A special adventure where the magician gains redemption in the eyes of the mentor spirit may be required, at the gamemaster’s discretion. BEAR Bear is a mentor found in cultures wherever bears are known, from North America to Europe and Asia. He is powerful, but gentle and wise. He tends to be slow-moving and easygoing unless urgency requires speed. Bear is slow to anger, but terrible in battle. Bear tends to be calm, cool, and collected. He is the healer and protector of the natural world. Bear cannot turn down someone who needs healing without good reason. CAT Cat is honored in cultures around the world. Cat is often seen as the guardian of mystical secrets, often involving the afterlife. She certainly knows many secrets, but rarely decides to share them, and never with anyone less than worthy. She is stealthy, sly, and arrogant. Cat toys with her prey—threatening, taunting, and confusing—rather than going directly for the kill. DARK KING The grim ruler of the Land of the Dead dwells in his kingdom deep beneath the Earth. He has dominion over the spirits of the dead and knows many of the secrets that lie hidden beneath the Earth. DOG Dog is a loyal friend. He fights ferociously to defend his home and those under his protection. Dog protects people from harmful magic and dangerous spirits. Dog is loyal, generous, and helpful to those who show him kindness. He is single-minded, often to the point of stubbornness. DRAGONSLAYER This most heroic of mentor spirits is also the most fun-loving. Though he fights to protect his own against all dangers, he loves a good party even more. He is a big brother who takes a friendly interest in everything his family does. Though sometimes naive, he makes a staunch friend and a deadly enemy. The dragons he slays have changed with the times. In addition to the literal dragons of legend, dragonslayer also fights such modern-day monsters as crime, pollution, and corruption. Dragonslayer fights hard and plays hard. Once he has given his oath, he never breaks it. A Dragonslayer magician must behave with honor and respect, and demands the same from those around him. EAGLE Eagle is the highest-flying bird in the sky, considered the most noble by cultures in North America, Central America, and Europe. He is proud and solitary, and sees everything happening in the world below. Eagles are noble defenders of the purity of nature. They are intolerant of those who do not share their views and have a strong distrust of technology and its tools. Those who damage nature are Eagle’s enemies, and Eagle will brave great danger to defeat polluters and other evildoers. FIRE-BRINGER The Fire-Bringer stole the secret of fire from the heavens and gave it to metahumanity as a gift and a tool. He is a figure of kindness and concern, but his good intentions sometimes get him into trouble and his plans sometimes fail to work out the way he envisions them. He is a shaper and a creator, forming new things from the primal clay and breathing the fiery spark of life into them. Fire-Bringers devote themselves to the betterment of others, even at their own expense. Most Fire-Bringer magicians devote themselves to a particular cause they follow with great zeal. MOON MAIDEN The Moon Maiden is the embodiment of the night sky. Moody, changeable, emotional, mysterious, sometimes gentle and pleasant and other times wild and uninhibited, she represents the triumph of woman’s nurturing ways over man’s destructive impulses. Not surprisingly, she is most venerated by women. MOUNTAIN Mountain is rooted in the very heart of the Earth but reaches toward lofty heights. He has limitless strength and endurance, but mountain’s inflexible nature limits him. Mountain is a stubborn and unyielding force, and Mountain magicians are difficult to persuade once they have made up their minds about something. RAT Rat is found wherever humans are, for who else’s bounty can sustain him? Rat is a scavenger, a stealthy thief who takes what he needs to survive. He dislikes working out in the open, preferring to stick to the shadows. Rat avoids fights whenever he can—when he must fight, he fights to kill. RAVEN Raven is a harbinger of trouble in cultures worldwide. He is a trickster and a transformer, dark and devious. Raven thrives off the bounty of carnage and chaos, but does not cause them—he merely knows an opportunity when he sees one. Raven loves to eat and rarely refuses an offer of food. SEA Sea is the birthplace of all living creatures. She is unfathomable and moody, tranquil and comforting one moment, fearsome and destructive the next. Though she possesses great wealth, she jealously guards what comes into her hands. Sea can be a powerful ally, but she must be courted with great care. SEDUCTRESS The Seductress is the incarnation of desire. She has many whims and vices that she must frequently satisfy. She encourages jealousy and greed and seeks to inflame the wants of others. She avoids direct confrontation but gains pleasure when others fight for her attention or on her behalf. She exists to exploit weaknesses and will not hesitate to sacrifice those who get in her way. SHARK Shark is a cold and relentless hunter. His power is known to all who live near the sea. When Shark strikes, he does so without mercy, driven into a frenzy by the blood of his prey. Shark magicians tend to be wanderers, always on the move. They are fierce and deadly warriors. A Shark magician believes the only good enemy is a dead enemy. If challenged, he does not waste time with threats or boasts but strikes to kill. SNAKE Snake is wise and knows many secrets. She is a good counselor, but always exacts a price for her advice. Snake characters fight only to protect themselves and others. They are obsessed with learning secrets and take great risks in order to do so. They trade their knowledge to others for whatever they can get in exchange. THUNDERBIRD Thunderbird is a majestic creature who is storm incarnate. His wings are dark clouds, his beak and claws lightning, and his cries the clap of thunder. He is a primal force, often savage but necessary to the survival of the land and the continuation of the cycle of life. Thunderbird is a force to be respected and approached with great care, lest his anger be roused. TRICKSTER The Trickster is the clever one, swift of mind and body, master of disguises and deception. He is always thinking up new pranks and ways to outwit his enemies rather than fighting them. He prefers to work in the service of others, turning and stealing behind their backs when they aren’t looking. His tricks can often backfire, resulting in trouble for everyone, but the Trickster’s cleverness always wins out in the end. WISE WARRIOR The Wise Warrior is skilled in the art of war, for battle is an art to her, an exercise in the powers of the mind as well as the body. She studies the tactics of her foes and overcomes them through a combination of superior strategy and battle prowess. The Wise Warrior does not act out of savagery or battle-lust, but from a position of knowledge and wisdom. Wise Warriors must follow the warrior’s code of honor and conduct themselves properly or risk the loss of favor. WOLF Wolf is recognized as a hunter and warrior worldwide. He is devoted to the other members of his pack. As the ancient saying goes, Wolf wins every fight but one, and in that one, he dies. Wolf magicians are loyal to friends and family unto death. They do not show cowardice in battle and their word is their bond. GATOR Found among mages living near swamps or rivers, Gator also flourishes among urban mages, since legend has it that he dwells in the sewers and storm drains of the city. He is ill-tempered and lazy, a strong fighter and a big eater. Gator mages like big payoff that allow them to take it easy for a while. It can be a hefty argument to talk a Gator mage into any unnecessary exertion, but once a Gator mage decides to do something, it is just as difficult to talk him out of it. THE MATRIX In 2029, a mysterious virus devastated worldwide computer networks, nearly bringing civilization to its knees. A new virtual reality Matrix was built in its stead, creating a digital realm for both data transactions and computer-aided socializing. In 2064, a second Crash brought down the Matrix once again. By 2070, the Matrix of old—from the datajacks and cyberdecks of its users to the wired computer hosts and mile upon mile of fiberoptic cable spaghetti—is no more. A new Matrix has arisen, a world of augmented perceptions and wireless connections. In Shadowrun, nearly everyone is part of this interlinked electronic world, whether they will it or not. Your personal commlink allows you to be online wherever you go, 24-7-365, so that you are always in touch by phone or messaging. Augmented reality allows you to access data from the Matrix just about anywhere, overlaying it upon your physical senses like a personal heads-up display. Want to see a map, a restaurant’s menu, or an incoming email message? It’s just a mental click away. Wireless networking also allows you to engage in computer-aided socializing with anyone in your immediate vicinity, whether you want to read that hot elf ’s profile, sell an extra pair of Speed Coma tickets, or take on a gaming contender in a round of Avatar Assassin. Certain shadowrunners, however, manipulate the wireless world to their advantage. These hackers specialize in commanding programs and machines to do their bidding, manipulating data, or ferreting out information locked away in digital vaults. Hackers are not the only pirates navigating the electronic seas: technomancers—the evolved children of the Matrix—possess the ability to transform the wireless world with nothing but the power of their naked minds. Both hackers and technomancers excel in accessing and exploiting wireless (and wired) networks. Together they fill a vital role in any shadowrunning team, not just for their net-ninja abilities to compromise security systems or gather vital pieces of data, but also for their skills in controlling armies of drones and fully interfacing with vehicles—giving them an edge that even cybered street samurai cannot match. Most importantly, hackers and technomancers are no longer leashed to the clunky cyberdecks and wired systems that limited their predecessors. They are now mobile and integrated members of any shadowrunning team. Matrix 2.0 Basics The Matrix of 2070 is composed of a near-infinite number of overlapping wireless mesh networks used to control nearly every aspect of modern life. The new Matrix is built to ensure that it is omnipresent, accessible from all locations, and integrated into daily life. Augmented world Augmented reality (AR) includes all types of sensory enhancements overlaid on a user’s normal real-world perceptions. This allows the average citizen to see, hear, touch, and even smell the Matrix continuously while still interacting with the normal everyday world around them. AR is not to be confused with virtual reality (VR), where artificial sensations from the Matrix overwhelm your real-world perceptions and immerse you in a simulated reality—mentally separating you from your physical body. Using the Matrix Every Shadowrun character possesses basic computer and electronics skills and has personal experience with networking, searching for data, and using the Matrix in general. Standard denizens of the Sixth World use their commlinks/PANs on a constant basis to make telecom calls, experience augmented reality, search for data, keep in touch with teammates, and manage their finances. This, of course, does not make them hackers or technomancers. For characters who want to maximize their Matrix use, however, the skill of Matrix is invaluable. Interface You are represented in the Matrix by your persona, the graphical user interface that executes all of your commands. Your persona icon is what other Matrix users see when they interact with you online. A Persona Icon can look like anything you desire. Technomancers The Matrix teems with message archives and chat logs filled with tales of ghosts in the machine, unstoppable core-war viruses, secret “ultraviolet” grids, and other mysteries and dangers of the digital world. Many of these stories are no more than rumors and fictions created to frighten newbies and burnish the reputations of the Matrix elite. In the decades before the Crash of ’64, however, a recurring myth became reality: stories of the otaku, the so-called children of the Matrix. It wasn’t long before the rumors were proven true. All over the world, children were touched by something residing deep within the Matrix, and it changed them. These otaku could journey through the Matrix without cyberdecks, commanding it with their wills alone. A new phenomenon had evolved in the Sixth World—but unlike other paranatural events, this one was rooted in technology. Was this a new stage in metahuman evolution? Signs of a sinister meddling in the brains of children by artificial intelligences? Or was it a subconscious mystical Awakening brought about by so many metahuman minds interacting with an artificial reality? Those who studied it only found more questions than answers, and even otaku viewpoints contradicted each other. Before anyone could get a firm grasp on the situation, it took another leap forward with the Crash of ’64 . All over the world, thousands of people found their consciousnesses trapped within the Matrix at the height of the Crash, some of them surviving there for hours or even days. Many died from lethal biofeedback stress, but many others survived … only realizing later that their minds were fundamentally changed. It took several years for the new rumors and reports to cohere, but undoubtedly something was different. A new generation of otaku had been born—only this time they were no longer just children. Most of the young otaku of old had also undergone a transformation, and they found that their powers no longer faded with age. This new breed rechristened themselves as technomancers—specialists in manipulating the Matrix with nothing more than their minds. These new technomancers had a sixth sense about them that surpassed the abilities of the previous otaku. In accordance with their affinity for the technological world, technomancers have an instinctive awareness of the fluctuations of data around them. This subliminal sense not only functions in the VR of the Matrix, but in the real world as well, where technomancers can “feel” the wireless data traffic flowing through the airwaves around them. In fact, the neural pathways and brain chemistry of technomancers are altered to such an extent that they can reach out and tap in giving them instant access to the wireless Matrix, no electronics or cyberware required. Though scientists and even magicians are at a loss to explain the exact mechanics of this organic wireless link, the technomancers themselves have no complaints that they are constantly in tune with the Matrix, with the buzz of the dataflow always whispering in their ear. Perhaps significantly, technomancers who are removed from this digital background hum tend to get grumpy and agitated. Hacking the Matrix For hackers and technomancers, it’s not enough to merely use and understand technology and the Matrix—they must explore and exploit it to its full potential. No shadowrunning team can expect to get by for long without a hacker (or technomancer) on their side. Hacking is called for whenever you wish to manipulate the programming of computers and electronics—especially Matrix nodes—in ways that are not authorized. A character's ability to manipulate the Matrix to his or her own ends is based on their "Smart" descriptor plus their Matrix Skill. This is further modified by the quality of equipment (Commlink) and software they have purchased. For Cybermancers, their "Smart" descriptor plus Matrix Skill still determines their ability, but since their equipment and software is all in their own mind, they use their "Smart" and "Willful" descriptors to determining the quality of their "equipment". This essentially means that a Decker's ability (MR or Matrix Rating) can be measured on a scale of 1-12 (A "Smart x2" character with "Matrix x4", a 9,500 nuyen commlink and 50,000 nuyen worth of programs would be considered an MR of 12, as would a Technomancer with "Smart x3", "Matrix x4" and "Willful x2" (Two times the Smart descriptor, plus the Willful descriptor, plus your levels in the Matrix skill), while a character with "Smart x1, "Matrix x2", a commlink worth 5,000 nuyen and 30,000 nuyen worth of programs would have rating 7 MR.) A hacker, whether they use tech or cybermancer powers compares his or her MR to the security rating of the system they're trying to hack. Security ratings range from 4 to 20. You're more likely to find a higher security rating in AAA megacorps or government systems. Sometimes even the best hacker with the best equipment isn't enough to overcome a system alone. Every extra hacker involved raises the effort's effective MR by 1.... however, the more hackers involved, the less likely they are to crack the security undetected. Hackers have two ways of hacking... the first is going in cold, which means they are still only in AR, and can still interact with the real world. They are safer from biofeedback damage (damage is stun) but not as effective at hacking. The second is going in hot, which means they are completely immersed in the Matrix and are not aware of what is happening in the real world. Someone would have to watch their body for them until they jacked out. Going in hot has the advantage of raising your MR by 1 as long as you're in. However, should you be attacked while in the Matrix by another hacker or by a guardian program (IC... Intrusion Countermeasures, or "ICE"), you suffer increased biofeedback damage (damage is lethal) and should your Matrix persona be destroyed, you run a real risk of dying for real. Intrusion Countermeasures Though the term intrusion countermeasures (IC) is widely used to describe any of the defenses a node employs against intruders, it specifically refers to a specialized type of agent program that is used to defend a system. When an intruder alert is triggered, the node will launch an IC program and direct it to engage the intruder(s). Once launched, IC programs act independently of each other and the node. An IC program has an MR separate from the system's rating. Normally, IC programs won't attack lethally. Damage is typically stun, even when a hacker is going in hot. However, certain IC programs have such safety protocols disengaged and are armed with lethal attacks. These are known as "Black ICE" and they are very dangerous. Fortunately, Black ICE are expensive to maintain so you're less likely to find them guarding systems below rating 10. Rigging and Drones Hackers (and technomancers) who focus on rigging drones and vehicles tend to favor different gear and programs than regular system hackers. Drones Nearly any kind of vehicle—matchbox-sized cars, dwarf-sized rotorcraft, ground patrol vehicles the size of a large dog, even modified sports cars—may serve as drones. The key difference that sets drones apart from ordinary vehicles is the rigger adaptation that provides drones with a Pilot program, which enables the drone to act independently of its controller to a limited degree. All drones that are incapable of carrying passengers are usually automatically pre-adapted for rigger control. Passenger vehicles or larger passenger drones are not usually pre-adapted, but can be adapted quickly by the manufacturer, a mechanic, or even a rigger character.