Shadowrun Lore

Shadowrun Lore
There is a lot of Shadowrun. As in, five editions of source books, four video games, and dozens of novels. It would be impossible to cover the entirety of Shadowrun in a single page. Luckily, there's a wiki.

This page provides a cliffnotes of the Shadowrun setting. GM's should start with the Shadowrunning 101 page before reading on.

The World
Shadowrun is set in the year 2050. Megacorps (nation-corporations) are now the strongest players in the international scene. The United Nations and many other governing bodies have been swept away by the changing times. The appearance of metahumanity (humans, elves, dwarves, orks, trolls) from 2011-2021 has resulted in all-time highs for racial violence. Cybernetic augmentation has become common, as has magical talent.

The world has become a patchwork quilt of dystopias with advanced technology. It's denizens are often described as "high tech low lifes", civilizations filled to the brim with poverty despite the miraculous advancements in science. Many eke out a comfortable living as "wage slaves", corporate employees that are, for all intents and purposes, owned by their employers.

Among this brave new world are a small number of criminals, persons that either have nowhere to belong or choose not to. They exist outside the structures and laws of megacorps. They work dangerous jobs as mercenaries, thieves, and contractors, fighting quiet wars where no one can see. So called "Shadowrunners" are free agents in an increasingly regimented world.

The Slang

 * The Johnson: A client, usually an employee of a rival megacorp.
 * The Fixer: A shadowrunning team's point person for finding jobs. They find the Johnsons, negotiate terms, and keep their ear to the ground for trouble.
 * The Milkrun: An imaginary run where everything goes to plan, nobody gets hurt, and The Johnson keeps their end of the bargain.
 * The Muscle: Shadowrunners whose job is violently dealing with problems. Includes Street Samurai (cyborg weapon specialists), Adepts (magical kung-fu hitmen), Riggers (wrench monkeys) with the proper loadout, and anyone else that fits the bill.
 * The Decker: The computer specialist, and an indispensable part of any shadowrunning team. Hacks into security systems and keeps everything quiet while the others do their jobs.
 * The Face: A social engineer in charge of misdirection. The Face can sweet-talk their way into and out of places that others can't.
 * The Getaway: Riggers are vehicle experts, a role that becomes critically important once cover is blown (which is depressingly often). They also have a knack for operating other machines, like automated turrets.
 * The Mage: Someone that can handle the security defenses no one else can see. They often provide supplemental support as medics or through fireball barrages.

Big Corps

 * Ares Macrotechnology: A Detroit megacorp specialized in weapons production, private security, and vehicles.
 * Aztechnology: A shady Aztlan (Mexico) based megacorp with an interest in consumer goods, chemistry, and magic.
 * Renraku Computer Systems: A Japanese megacorp involved in computer technologies development. One of the premier producers of Cyberdecks.
 * Shiawase Corporation: The first megacorp to be granted Extraterritorial Status (independence from nations). A Japanese business heavily involved with nuclear technology.
 * Fuchi Industrial Electronics: Another Japanese megacorp, the main rival of Renraku for control over the computer systems market.
 * Lone Star: A Texas megacorp famed for its security contracts. Lone Star acts as a contracted police service for many major cities, including Seattle.
 * Doc Wagon: An Atlanta megacorp that provides armed ambulance services, famous for it's guarantee "get medical aid within ten minutes, or your on-site care is free". Frequented by shadowrunners.

North American Geopolitical Situation

 * UCAS: The United Canadian and American States, a direct hold over from the old United States.
 * CAS: The Confederate American States, a resurgence of Southern rebellion.
 * California Free State: An independent nation, often feuding with Aztlan (formerly Mexico).
 * Native American Nations: A collection of Native American countries formed after Native American shamans regained magical powers (Salish-Sidhe, Sioux Nation, Ute Nation, Pueblo Council).
 * Tir Tairngire: An isolationist nation that incorporated much of the Northwest U.S. (including Portland).