TEXT: 1
  10 gangs
  your life’s on the line, though, you might want to double-check that. 
  Gang membership and leadership can change abruptly. This informa-
  tion is current, but a lot of it won’t be in three months. Don’t blame me 
  if you don’t do your homework.
  This file ended up covering a pretty diverse group of gangs. Most 
  aren’t the stereotypical turf gangs that runners like to use as distrac-
  tions. They do, however, all play roles in the shadows. In many cases, 
  I’ve heard of gangs that fill the same niches in other sprawls, too. Keep 
  the nature of those roles in mind when you’re working with these—or 
  any other—street gangs. Different gangs can help out best with differ-
  ent aspects of a job. They’re not all just raving, gun-toting, bike-riding 
  lunatics, but they’re not shadowrunners either. 
  If you approach a ganger to hire his crew, make sure you know 
  what you’re getting beforehand. There’s the right tool for every job—
  not that you want them to thinking they’re your tools. Sometimes you 
  need a smuggler, sometimes you need a fence, and other times you 
  need a monofilament-chainsaw-wielding lunatic. Getting the wrong 
  one is going to lead to people getting hurt, and that’s going to affect 
  your reputation and your bottom line. 
  To a ganger, reputation and the gang are the most important things 
  in life. If you’re trying to persuade gangers to help you, make sure you’re 
  offering something that will help their cred without much risk to the 
  gang. Nuyen’s always good, but headlines, novahot gear, or anything 
  with a high street value can be even better. Just like you need to find a 
  gang that’s suited for the job, make sure you tailor your offer to the gang.
  10 gangs
  Delinquents
  1
  Babakku
  2
  Blindfish
  4
  TheGentlemen
  6
  Konton-Shi
  8
  Laésa
  10
  TheLáíyà
  12
  LosHermanosdelMar
  14
  Merlyn’sPride
  16
  MidwestPiratesGuild
  18
  ThePanopticons
  20
  DeLinquenTS
  PoSTeDBy:RiSeR
  FastJack tagged me to work on his Vice project—which really sounds 
  like a lot more fun that it was. I worked up some gang profiles from my 
  experiences, and I did a fair bit of digging to gather intel on gangs that 
  I hadn’t dealt with. But I also decided that it’d be a good idea to talk to 
  a few friends, and friends of friends, to get some other opinions. This 
  file represents a compilation of what I heard. My sources have all at 
  least been guests here before, so they knew the drill. 
  Now, I owe some favors, so my Rep Score better go up from this one. 
  >	I’m	leaving	this	in,	but	I	don’t	want	to	see	a	run	of	members	begging	for	reputa-
  tion.	It’s	childish	and	unprofessional.
  >	FastJack
  >	You’re	calling	a	ganger	childish	and	unprofessional,	‘Jack.	Think	about	that.
  >	Slamm-0!
  >	Coming	from	a	punk	hacker.	Pot:Kettle
  >	Riser
  I haven’t dealt with all of these gangs, but I’ve met some of them. I 
  also asked around after I looked through the profiles. My fact-checking 
  came back pretty confident, so I’ve got faith that this intel is solid. If 
  I sent out a rating system when I put out my call for summaries. Here’s the 
  skinny: These gangs are rated from one to five, in four fields, plus a membership 
  estimate. Fives are experts; ones are wannabes.
  Resources covers their gear, magic, and numbers. gangs with bleeding-
  edge gear and major mojo rate a five. Those with a one probably have some 
  salvaged chains and run with their tails between their legs when they see a wizkid. 
  Threat Rating covers their street rep. If they’ll kill you as soon as look at 
  you, especially if you’re a heavily chromed troll, then they’ll get a five. Those 
  that don’t maintain a turf, and have a strategy that starts out with running and 
  hiding get a one. 
  Numbers is a best guess for the total membership. This one ain’t a rating, 
  it’s a raw number. In most cases, though, gangs have contacts or alliances that 
  let them bring many more than this to a rumble.
  Professionalism covers their reliability. If they’re true to their word, con-
  sistently accessible, and know their stuff, then they’re scored a five. If you can’t 
  count on them or communicate with them, or if they’re chipped out of their 
  minds, then they get a one. 
  Training links to Professionalism. If you can get in touch with them, but 
  they don’t know what they’re doing, then they’re not a great resource. Those with 
  sophisticated training—or good skillsofts—get a five. Those who are as likely to 
  blow themselves—or you—up as their target score lower. 
  
  2
  10 gangs • BaBakku
  BaBakku
  >	Those	who	don’t	survive	probably	supplement	Tamanous’s	successful	biz	in	
  Lagos.
  >	Hannibelle
  Prior to 2071, community pressure against the gang did not de-
  velop because of the Babakku’s strict targeting of non-Hausa and the 
  Five Stripes paying a portion of their profits to the family elders. This 
  changed when a copycat gang began a series of public crimes while 
  wearing Babakku colors and stocking-masks. Their victims included a 
  number of Hausa and half-Hausa targets. The Babakku have yet to find 
  the perpetrators of these crimes and were forced to make restitution 
  to the victims and their families to save face and retain the goodwill 
  of the community.
  CoLoRS
  The Babakku rarely wish to advertise their status except when intimi-
  dating an enemy during a public assault. At that time, members wear 
  five handkerchiefs or cloths tied around their left arms: red, yellow, 
  black, green, and brown; the colors of the Hausa flag.
  HieRaRCHy
  In the context of the Babakku, all of the gang members—who must be 
  ethnic Hausa and male—are brothers, and are nominally equal. There 
  are no ranks in the gang, but senior members are denoted as “elder 
  brothers” or “big brothers” and take the initiative in executing assaults 
  and kidnappings.
  The Five Stripes are the leaders of the Babakku, planning the large-
  scale activities. They control the gang’s finances from the backrooms of 
  houses in Hausa-controlled neighborhoods using a network of cheap 
  and disposable commlinks. The brothers emerge only to induct new 
  members in their first activities.
  Fa’izu Danlami Bayajida, 33, is the eldest brother; a competent 
  strategist and tactician. He handles the coordination of the gang’s ac-
  tivities in Lagos. Fa’izu takes it upon himself to set the example for 
  how the gang should operate and to impose discipline in his brothers. 
  In Fa’izu’s case, this normally involves ensuring Babakku protect their 
  identities to maintain anonymity, and teaching new members how best 
  to dominate their victims without damaging them past sale value.
  Faisal Danjuma Bayajida, 32, handles the logistics and money 
  for the Babakku operations—commlinks, vehicles, safe houses, food, 
  clothing, and currency go through him. Faisal has strong ties to the 
  Hausa hacker community and regularly relies upon them to set up vir-
  tual private networks to facilitate the Babakku’s crimes and launder any 
  electronic currencies that the gang acquires.
  >	Simple	two-way	radio	links	are	cheaper	and	more	reliable	than	commlinks	in	
  much	of	Lagos,	and	the	Babakku	use	a	frequency-hopping	scheme	borrowed	
  from	last	century’s	intelligence	and	military	agencies	as	an	additional	layer	of	
  security.	It’s	nothing	a	competent	hacker	couldn’t	handle,	though.
  >	Fianchetto
  The date-rape twins—Hassan Danladi and Hussain Danladi 
  Bayajida, 28—interact directly with the brothels, pimps, and other 
  metahuman traffickers the Babakku deal with. Unlike their brothers, 
  the twins are openly bisexual and licentious, frequenting many clubs 
  and brothels throughout Lagos. Together, they oversee the bulk of the 
  Babakku’s recruitment and initiations, as well as interactions with the 
  greater Hausa family.
  BaBaKKu
  PoSTeDBy:BLaCKMaMBa
  The Babakku are a native Lagos criminal organization that specializes 
  in kidnapping and metahuman trafficking, but has developed an unsa-
  vory reputation for disproportionately high violence against their vic-
  tims and enemies. While relatively small, the Babakku are a cut above 
  the rest in terms of the coordination that goes into their crimes, and 
  the brutal way they are carried out.
  Babakku members are predominantly human, drawn exclusively 
  from young adolescent males of the Hausa people. Information on the 
  gang is sketchy, both because of the close-knit nature of Hausa culture 
  to outsiders and because their victims are rarely left in any state to talk.
  The hallmarks of the gang and its current mode of operation can 
  be traced back to five Hausa brothers (the Five Stripes), who publicly 
  tortured the leader of an Igbo gang in 2066 that had been working 
  its way into Hausa-controlled Oshodi-Islo. They disappeared back 
  into the Hausa-controlled neighborhoods, where their close-lipped 
  extended family protected them from retaliation.
  >	From	what	I	heard,	the	Babakku’s	punishment	was	at	least	partly	sexual	in	
  nature.	As	a	tactic,	the	public	defilement	of	an	enemy	in	this	manner	carries	
  terrific	shock	value.	The	victim,	if	they	survive	the	initial	assault,	is	also	often	
  ostracized	by	their	friends	and	family	and	unable	to	seek	proper	medical	care	
  for	their	injuries.
  >	Fianchetto
  Underground, the Five Stripes began recruiting their cousins for 
  sophisticated low-tech, large-scale procurement operations under the 
  nominal guise of Hausa tribal nationalism using the image of the ba-
  bakku, the pre-Muslim spirits of the syncretic Bori religion to which 
  many Hausa in Lagos ascribe. The majority of the gang’s activities were 
  committed discreetly in and around Hausa neighborhoods until 2068, 
  when the Babakku faced their first real challenge.
  The Apostles of Allah, a strident Muslim gang, were cracking 
  down on prostitution and other violations of Islamic law in Lagos. 
  After many individual Babakku brothers were assaulted by the 
  Apostles, the Babakku responded with the infamous Rape of Ajegunle. 
  In the largest mass kidnapping in Lagos history, the Babakku rounded 
  up as many of the Apostles’ brothers and sisters as they could and beat, 
  abused, and defiled them in the public market within the urban slum 
  of Ajegunle. Thirty minutes into the event, the Babakku began broad-
  casting the spectacle to the Apostles, who converged on the area, only 
  to find that they had been set up. Babakku brothers were watching all 
  entrances to the market and killing the Apostles as they came into view. 
  Most of the Apostles died, and the few remaining members haven’t 
  dared to move against the Babakku for fear of subjecting their kin to 
  the same fate.
  Without major opposition, the Babakku have intensified their 
  human-trafficking operations. Some of their victims show signs of im-
  prisonment, starvation, sleep-deprivation, repeated brutalization, and 
  forced consumption of various street drugs.
  >	Common	and	effective	tactics	to	“break”	a	victim;	typically	used	by	law	enforce-
  ment	and	intelligence	agencies	to	wear	down	the	subject’s	resistance	and	make	
  them	more	compliant.	This	suggests	they	must	have	a	house,	apartment,	or	
  basement	room	where	they	can	condition	their	victims	until	ready	for	sale.
  >	Fianchetto
  
  3
  BaBakku • 10 gangs
  PLoTHooKS—BaBaKKu
  A surviving member of the Apostles of Allah is attempting to identify 
  Babakku members to attain long-overdue vengeance. Garnering this 
  information means infiltrating at least a segment of the Hausa popula-
  tion of Lagos. The team is hired to perform this infiltration, but dis-
  creetly and without identifying Mr. Johnson. 
  SaMPLenPCS—BaBaKKu
  BaBaKKuBRoTHeR
  The typical Babakku members are driven by their hatred and loathing. 
  Loyalty to their people and their gang is much less important than the 
  anger that they keep bottled up.
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  Armor Rating: 4/0
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Close Combat Group 2, Infiltration 2, Intimidation 3 
  (Physical+2), Perception 3, Shadowing 3
  Gear: Armor clothing (4/0), Microtransceiver (Rating 3), 3 doses 
  of eX, strip of condoms
  Weapons: Ceramic Knife [Blade, D 3P]
  FiveSTRiPe
  The Five Stripe brothers train other Babakku members and coordinate 
  the public gang rapes. Though they are undoubtedly depraved, they 
  also are driven and scheme towards a better life for their people.
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  9(11)
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  1
  Armor Rating: 6/4
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 11
  Skills: Close Combat Group 4, Pistols 3, Intimidation 5 (Physical 
  +2), Instruction 4 (Sex Ed +2), Negotiation 4, Perception 3, 
  Shadowing 4
  Cyberware: Wired Reflexes (2)
  Gear: Armor vest (6/4), Contacts (Rating 1 with Smartlink), 
  Disposable Commlink, 2 Doses of Galak, Box of Condoms
  Weapons: Ceramic Knife [Blade, D 3P], Walther PB-120 [Pistol, 
  DV 4P, smartgun link, 30 rounds regular ammunition]
  Isa Dansade Bayajida, 25, is the youngest of the Five Stripes. He 
  Goblinized into a hobgoblin at the age of twelve. Beaten and alleg-
  edly molested by his older brothers during his youth, Isa Dansade has 
  developed into the most physically imposing, predacious, and brutal 
  of the brothers. The gang uses him as their public enforcer when it 
  becomes necessary.
  TuRF
  The Babakku lack a well-defined territory. Their kidnapping operations 
  can target nearly any part of Lagos, though they strictly avoid high-
  security sections like Victoria Island. When faced with opposition, the 
  Babakku flee into Hausa-dominated neighborhoods like Oshidi-Islo 
  and Festac Town.
  PRiMaRyoPeRaTionS
  The Babakku make a business of metahuman-trafficking operations. 
  Any given job consists of five to eight active kidnappers and an equal 
  number of look-outs, spotters, sugarmen, and drivers. Likely subjects 
  (male and female) are identified by spotters and communicated im-
  mediately to sugarmen though disposable commlinks or even crude 
  radio links. Victims in well-protected or public areas are usually en-
  ticed by offers of khat or eX to static or dead zones where they can 
  be captured.
  Initial encounters last for up to sixteen hours, with the victim 
  being moved constantly to disorient them, and subject to periodic 
  physical and mental abuse. After that, they are subject to confine-
  ment and further degradation for a period of three to sixteen days 
  before being sold to a brothel, factory, or other metahuman traffick-
  ers. Awakened and Emerged individuals are not intentionally target-
  ed, and the Babakku will discreetly abandon victims who display any 
  magical or technomantic abilities.
  
  RiSeR’SRanKinG
  BABAkku
  Territory: Hausa-controlled Lagos
  Colors/Symbol: Red, yellow, black, green, and brown bands
  Resources: (Firepower) 1; (Magic) 1; (Personnel) 1
  Threat Rating: 2
  Numbers: 25–45
  Professionalism: 1
  Training: 1+
  
  4
  10 gangs • BLIndFIsH
  Blindfish
  >	That’s	because	the	Blindfish	are	actually	anthropoid	drones	riding	remotely	
  controlled	motorcycles.
  >	Plan	9
  >	Nah.	Blindfish	bleed	red.
  >	Stone
  Another chillingly distinct feature of the Blindfish is the fact that 
  they do not speak. At all. To anyone. A repair shop owner once told me 
  about a time when a group of them rolled into town. One of them just left 
  his bike in her garage and walked away. She poked around it and found it 
  had a timing problem, fixed it, and made up an invoice. When the ganger 
  came back, she greeted him and offered the invoice, but he ignored her 
  and started his bike. Just as she started to protest, he dropped a credstick 
  on the floor and drove off with his buddies. It more than covered the cost 
  of the repair, but she couldn’t help but feel the man had been rude.
  >	She’s	smart—or	lucky.	There’s	a	similar	tale	about	a	guy	in	Colorado,	but	he	
  didn’t	take	the	hint.	They	beat	the	crap	out	of	him	and	shot	up	his	shop	when	
  they	came	back	and	the	bike	hadn’t	been	serviced.
  >	Turbo	Bunny
  >	I’ve	seen	them	beat	up	a	guy.	They	started	out	hassling	him	and	pushing	him	
  around	and	finally	beat	him	until	he	pissed	himself.	Then	they	laughed	and	
  left	him	sobbing	in	an	alley.	The	eeriest	thing	was	that	none	of	them	uttered	
  a	sound,	even	when	they	were	laughing.	The	taunting,	the	jeering,	all	of	it	was	
  pantomimed	perfectly,	but	you	could	clearly	hear	the	scrape	of	boots	on	the	
  pavement,	the	creak	of	sythleather,	and	the	poor	sod	weeping.	It	was	chilling.
  >	Traveler	Jones
  >	Sounds	like	they	communicate	with	each	other	wirelessly.
  >	/dev/grrl
  >	Duh.	Just	another	part	of	their	psychotic	little	group	thing.	I	don’t	let	‘em	near	
  my	shop.
  >	Banshee
  >	Not	psychotic,	just	different.	Different	things	set	them	off.	Their	violence	is	just	
  a	result	of	a	culture	clash,	that’s	all.
  >	Haze
  BLinDFiSH
  PoSTeDBy:2XL
  If you’ve traveled around North America as much as I have, you’ve 
  probably seen a go-gang called the Blindfish. If you have, I hope it was 
  from a distance. Up close, the Blindfish can be plain nasty. I mean, most 
  of the time they’re fine and are content to ignore those who don’t ac-
  tively annoy them. But, from time to time, they’re violent and merciless. 
  Whether peaceful or not, they’re always inscrutable. They wear full-body 
  biking leathers and opaque full-faced helmets, so you can’t identify them, 
  and sometimes you can’t even tell what metatype or sex you’re looking at. 
  Here’s some information I’ve compiled on the Blindfish.
  HiSToRy
  In the height of the orxploitation craze back in ‘64, a large biker club 
  calling itself the Orkland MC appeared in the California Free State. 
  They were a go-gang, but insisted on using the older term, “one-per-
  center club.” They were a mixed crowd, but about half of them were 
  orks. They drove around the western half of North America, picking 
  up individual members and absorbing smaller go-gangs. Shortly after 
  Crash 2.0, the Orkland MC imploded, and the Blindfish was one of 
  the fragments that broke off from the main group.
  >	Imploded	is	the	wrong	word	for	what	happened.	A	better	word	would	be	
  hyperexplodingdeathblossomrunninggunfight.	Nobody	knows	why	it	hap-
  pened,	though.
  >	Slamm-0!
  >	It	happened	because	there	were	a	number	of	philosophical	disagreements	
  between	internal	factions.	Some	believed	the	gang	should	switch	to	wireless	
  control	rigs	with	the	rest	of	the	world,	while	others	believed	they	should	stay	
  with	the	tried-and-true	cable	interfaces.	Some	wanted	to	allow	only	orks	to	join,	
  some	orks	and	trolls,	and	some	wanted	to	leave	it	open	to	anyone.	There	was	
  even	a	faction	that	wanted	to	ditch	all	of	the	female	members.	Lively	debate	
  gave	rise	to	heated	words,	which	gave	rise	to	heated	gun	muzzles.	After	reading	
  the	rest	of	this	post,	I	believe	the	Blindfish	are	of	the	wireless-adopting	faction.
  >	Riser
  A group of bikers just broke off from the fighting and rode away. 
  Not long afterward, the Blindfish’s signature look appeared in Western 
  North America. They started recruiting solitary riders or subsuming 
  other go-gangs, building to their current numbers.
  I should note that the Blindfish did not name themselves. The 
  earliest use of the name comes from a go-gang fan site run by a then-
  teenage blogger. The name caught on, but no one knows what the gang 
  calls itself.
  DeSCRiPTion
  The Blindfish colors are white, gray, and black … sort of. Each member 
  dresses in a single shade of one color from head to toe; each member’s 
  motorcycle is the same color as his or her leathers. They never remove 
  their helmets, at least in the presence of outsiders. I have never seen a 
  report of a Blindfish eating or drinking (even with a straw).
  
  RiSeR’SRanKinG
  BLINdfISh
  Territory: Western north america
  Colors/Symbol: Black, white, and gray
  Resources: (Firepower) 4; (Magic) 2; (Personnel) 2
  Threat Rating: 3
  Numbers: ~1000
  Professionalism: 2
  Training: 3
  aeTHeRPeDiaSeaRCHKeywoRD:one-PeRCenTeRCLuB
  This term refers to motorcycle clubs who embraced their identity as outlaws. It was coined when an american Motorcyclist association representative stated that 99 percent 
  of motorcyclists were law-abiding citizens, after an incident in 1947.
  
  5
  BLIndFIsH • 10 gangs
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  Armor Rating: 8/8
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Dodge 2, Electronic Warfare 1, Firearms Skill Group 2, 
  Gunnery 3 (Ballistic +2), Intimidation 3, Pilot Ground 
  Vehicle 3(Bike +2), Unarmed Combat 3
  Qualities: More than Metahuman
  Augmentations: Commlink (Firewall 3, Response 4, Signal 3, 
  System 3), Control Rig
  Gear: Armored Synthleather Biker Armor, Full-Face Helmet 
  (Image Link, Smartlink, Flare Compensation), Motorcycle 
  (any type w/ concealed visibility weapon mount and rigger 
  adapatation), Analyze 3, ECCM 3
  Weapons: Ares MP-LMG (mounted) [LMG, DV 6P, AP -1, 250 
  rounds regular ammunition, smartlink], Ares Predator IV 
  [Pistol, DV 5P, AP -1, 30 rounds regular ammunition] or 
  Ingram Smartgun X [SMG, DV 5P, RC 2(3), 60 rounds regu-
  lar ammunition]
  BLinDFiSHLieuTenanT
  As silent as their fellows, Blindfish lieutenants are often difficult to 
  identify, as they do little to distinguish themselves. Visually, their hand 
  gestures are the most significant identifier.
  B
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  Armor Rating: 8/8
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Dodge 2, Electronic Warfare 1, Firearms Skill Group 3, 
  Gunnery 4 (Ballistic +2), Intimidation 4, Leadership 2, Pilot 
  Ground Vehicle 4 (Bike +2), Unarmed Combat 3
  Qualities: More than Metahuman
  Augmentations: Commlink (Firewall 4, Response 5, Signal 4, 
  System 4), Control Rig
  Gear: Armored Synthleather Biker Armor, Full-Face Helmet 
  (Image Link, Smartlink, Flare Compensation), Motorcycle 
  (any type w/ concealed visibility weapon mount and rigger 
  adaptation), Analyze 3, ECCM 3
  Weapons: Ares MP-LMG (mounted) [LMG, DV 6P, AP -1, 250 
  rounds regular ammunition, smartlink], Ares Predator IV 
  [Pistol, DV 5P, AP -1, 30 rounds regular ammunition] or 
  Ingram Smartgun X [SMG, DV 5P, RC 2(3), 60 rounds regu-
  lar ammunition]
  aReaoFoPeRaTionS
  The gang’s membership is close to a thousand, give or take a few 
  hundred. It travels around North America in groups of six to twelve. 
  Once a year, they all gather in one place, a city or a town that usu-
  ally isn’t ready for them. There they meet and … do something. No 
  one really knows why they meet, or why they even need to with the 
  modern wireless Matrix.
  Gang members are always armed, often heavily. They take great 
  pains to follow local carry and concealed carry laws, or at least appear 
  to, so law enforcement grudgingly leaves them alone. This goes 
  double for their bikes.
  Aside from weapon possession, the Blindfish also participate in 
  various types of criminal activity of the sort one would expect from 
  a free-riding go-gang: drug smuggling, gun running, petty theft, and 
  even some strong-arm enforcement.
  >	How	can	they	get	these	jobs	if	they	do	not	make	deals	with	the	outside	world?	
  Perhaps	they	do	the	deed	and	then	stand	around	until	they	get	paid,	hoping	
  their	reputation	precedes	them?	No,	someone	from	the	inside	must	talk	to	
  someone	from	the	outside.	This	is	how	commerce	works.
  >	Am-mut
  noTaBLeMeMBeRS
  THeBiGBLaCKBLinDFiSH
  The Big Black Blindfish is reputed to be the largest member of the 
  go-gang, topping out at nearly three meters by most accounts. He (or 
  maybe she) is likely a giant, or a large troll who has had his horn(s) 
  removed. He is notable because he has patience with outsiders who 
  cannot guess what he wants. He doesn’t exactly communicate, but he’s 
  willing to let people make guesses and even react to them a little bit.
  PLoTHooKS—BLinDFiSH
  Zach Hong was the star forward for the Texas Rattlers combat biking 
  team, and kept up a reputation as a rich playboy for the media. Secretly, 
  Zach was married with three adopted children. When the paparazzi 
  discovered his family, he panicked and fled. His agent thinks he joined 
  Blindfish. The Rattlers have a game in three days that decides whether 
  or not they’ll make the playoffs. The agent needs a team to track Zach 
  down and make sure he plays on Thursday.
  SaMPLenPCS—BLinDFiSH
  BLinDFiSHBiKeR
  The Blindfish’s opaque viewscreen and eerie silence are as distinctive as 
  their riding abilities. The thick racing leathers conceal any distinguish-
  ing characteristics, and their commlinks, running stock iconography, 
  stay in hidden mode.
  
  6
  10 gangs • THe genTLeMen
  The GenTlemen
  actions against the corps to better the lives of the working class. 9x9 
  leaders consider the Gentlemen selfish and arrogant, while the gangers 
  consider 9x9 idealistic fools. However, as they find each other mutually 
  useful, they coexist peacefully.
  LeaDeRSHiP
  The Gentlemen are led by David Long, a magician following the 
  Wuxing way. He goes by the name Gentleman Long. Each of the 
  members of the gang uses an appellation of “Gentleman” followed by 
  THeGenTLeMen
  PoSTeDBy:LeiKunG
  The Gentlemen are a gang that developed out of the Kwun Tong dis-
  trict. In the heart of Hong Kong’s manufacturing center, Kwun Tong 
  is a harsh, working-class district that offers little future for workers 
  aside from long hours of tedious manual labor on assembly lines. The 
  Gentlemen are a product of this oppressive environment. They began 
  as a group of friends, local orphans who kids survived through petty 
  shoplifting and picking pockets. They would obsessively watch old 
  American gangster movies and dream of becoming old-style crime 
  lords like Al Capone or Don Corleone. 
  They wouldn’t have amounted to much, except that the leader of 
  the then fledgling gang, David Long, Awakened at puberty and landed 
  a corporate scholarship. He left Kwun Tong for several years, riding his 
  scholarship through graduate studies.
  A few years later a well-educated Long returned to his home. 
  Long never forgot where he came from, and, despite the op-
  portunities his education offered him, he eschewed the good life of 
  a wagemage. Instead, the well-educated Long returned to his child-
  hood neighborhood and his old friends. Life in the factories had been 
  hard on them, but Long resurrected their old dreams and reformed 
  the gang. The group started wearing the 1930s tuxedos and hats of the 
  classic American gangsters and went to work making money.
  The gang, masterminded by Long, had a flair for planning indus-
  trial B&E jobs against the factories in Kwun Tong. They had no trouble 
  recruiting youths willing to do the actual work for them. This turned 
  out to be a winning formula for them. After a few early successes, they 
  began calling themselves the Gentlemen.
  The Gentlemen rarely get their hands dirty. They plan the jobs 
  meticulously, then outsource all of their grunt work, both physical 
  or Matrix-based, to eager up-and-comers. The best and brightest are 
  recruited as new members. The Gentlemen are effectively a gang of 
  unusual fixers. They command a lot of respect in Kwun Tong—almost 
  every local hood has worked for them at one point or another, and 
  they’ve kick-started a few shadowrunning careers. 
  Image is a way of life for members of the Gentlemen. Members 
  take the 1930s mobster image to extremes. They dress like gangsters, 
  act like gangsters, and talk like gangsters. They spread money around 
  their communities, gaining the gratitude of the locals, and party with 
  their “dames” in the nightclubs. All of the Gentlemen know some 
  English from their favorite flatvids, so they even speak the part. 
  >	If	you’re	a	gwailo,	you	can	get	on	a	Gentleman’s	good	side	by	acting	the	part	
  yourself.	Just	watch	a	couple	of	movies	and	talk	about	it	like	you	were	there.	
  They	love	that.
  >	Traveler	Jones
  The disadvantage of their model is that the gang has limited 
  growth potential. Also, outsourcing all of the work means less money 
  in their pockets. However, the Gentlemen seem content to stay small-
  time, earning enough money and respect to live like gangster barons. 
  The Gentlemen’s home turf of Kwun Tong is also the breeding 
  ground for the anti-corporate 9x9 movement. The Gentlemen are said 
  to be intertwined with the group. Many of the Gentlemen’s hirelings 
  are also card-carrying 9x9 members. However, none of the core mem-
  bers of the Gentlemen are thought to be 9x9 members, as ideology 
  separates the two. The Gentlemen steal for profit; 9x9 seeks affirmative 
  
  RiSeR’SRanKinG
  ThE GENTLEMEN
  Territory: kwun Tong district, Hong kong
  Colors/Symbols: Retro 1930s suits
  Resources: (Firepower) 2; (Magic) 2; (Personnel) 1
  Threat Rating: 2
  Numbers: 20
  Professionalism: 4
  Training: 1 
  
  7
  THe genTLeMen • 10 gangs
  The Gentlemen do not appreciate it when assets deviate from 
  their carefully laid plans. Even successful operatives who disregard 
  their instructions never get work from the gang again. Those that 
  fail because they deviated from the plan tend to disappear. The 
  Gentlemen will sometimes work with non-members who come to 
  them with plans for a heist. If the plan is solid and the job works out, 
  the associate may be offered membership. In effect, this is the gang’s 
  initiation rite. 
  PLoTHooKS—THeGenTLeMen
  The Black Chrysanthemums have decided that the Gentlemen are 
  infringing upon their business. They want a clear message sent to the 
  Gentlemen, and then an agreement to start giving the triad a cut of 
  all their jobs. The runners may be hired as enforcers for the triad or 
  bodyguards for the Gentleman, or they may simply be caught in the 
  middle when they try to collect payment on a job that came from 
  either party.
  SaMPLenPCS—THeGenTLeMen
  GenTLeManMeMBeR
  Most gentlemen are low-level fixers, who coordinate wannabes to work 
  small-scale heists, cons, and computer crimes.
  B
  A
  R
  S
  C
  I
  L
  W
  Ess
  Init
  IP
  3
  3
  3
  2
  4
  3
  3
  3
  5.5
  6
  1
  Armor Rating: 5/3
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Perception 3, Computer 2, Data Search 2, Pistols 2, 
  Influence Group 3, Shadowing 3
  Augmentations: Datajack, Skillwires (Rating 2)
  Gear: Tailored 1930s gangster suit, Novatech Airwave (with Iris 
  Orb and FTL Matrixware Net Wizard program suite)
  Weapons: Streetline Special [Hold-Out Pistol, DV 4P, AP 0, SS, 
  RC 0, 6c]
  GenTLeManLieuTenanT
  Experienced members of the gang are better-connected operatives, who 
  oversee the less-experienced members while managing their own scams.
  B
  A
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  S
  C
  I
  L
  W
  Ess
  Init
  IP
  3
  3
  3
  2
  4
  4
  4
  4
  5.05
  7
  1
  Armor Rating: 5/3
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Perception 4, Computer 3, Data Search 3, Pistols 3, 
  Automatics 3, Influence Group 4, Shadowing 3, Intimidation 2, 
  Forgery 2
  Augmentations: Attention Coprocessor (Rating 1), Math SPU, 
  Datajack, Skillwires (Rating 2) 
  Gear: Tailored 1930s gangster suit, Hermes Ikon (with Novatech 
  Navi, FTL Matrixware Net Wizard, Agent Rating 3 with 
  Blackhammer 3)
  Weapons: Cavalier Scout [Hold-Out Pistol, DV 6S(e), AP 0, SA, 
  RC 0, 7c, 14 rounds Stick-n-shock]
  a name of their choosing. Long chose to keep his last name, but most 
  take a different one. Gentleman Long’s second in command, a child-
  hood friend, is called Gentleman Corleone, for example.
  >	Corleone	and	Long	grew	up	together	as	best	friends.	But	there	are	rumors	that	
  Long	and	Corleone	are	in	fact	more	than	friends.	It	would	explain	why	Long	
  came	back	to	form	the	gang.	Maybe	there	was	something—or	someone—else	
  waiting	for	him	there.
  >	Ma’fan
  Long is a man of few words, but he has an intense, forceful pres-
  ence and commands absolute loyalty from his gang. The senior mem-
  bers, who were with him as kids, never forget how he threw away his 
  ticket to an easy life and came back for them. Newer members may 
  not feel the same attachment, but Long’s commanding presence and 
  the loyalty of the core members ensures that no one can gain enough 
  momentum for a leadership challenge. It helps that Long is an accom-
  plished ritual sorcerer rumored to fry people in their sleep when they 
  step out of line.
  The gang’s organization is basically a pyramid structure based 
  upon length of membership. Members must come up with money-
  making jobs, though cooperation between Gentlemen is common. 
  Senior members receive kickbacks from the profits of newer mem-
  bers. In return, the older members share resources and contacts with 
  their underlings.
  TuRF
  The gang operates from the industrialized Kwun Tong district of Hong 
  Kong, though they claim no turf. Gentlemen “fixers” usually meet in 
  the small noodle shops nestled in residential areas. Each member favors 
  his or her own locations for meets. The Gentlemen thrive on respect. 
  When meeting a Gentleman, it is essential to be respectful and even 
  bring small gifts. Gentlemen may not seem tough, but they close ranks 
  when threatened and can bring overwhelming support from their small 
  armies of petty crooks, hitmen, and enforcers.
  >	I	knew	a	razorboy	with	more	brawn	than	brain	who	gave	a	solid	beating	to	a	
  Gentleman	one	day,	because	he	thought	he	could.	He	didn’t	make	it	two	days	
  before	getting	caught	up	in	an	alley	by	a	flow	of	street	urchins	who	stabbed	him	
  from	all	sides.	The	Gentleman	he’d	beaten	finished	him	with	a	.38	shot	between	
  the	eyes.
  >	Jimmy	No
  The Gentlemen do not like paying tribute to the bigger fish, such 
  as the Triads. They try to plan jobs on unclaimed turf, but they don’t let 
  that stop them. Their usual line is to claim they had nothing to do with 
  a job, should a Triad come looking for a cut of the profits. This has not 
  endeared them to the bigger syndicates, but so far they’ve managed to 
  avoid any lessons in humility.
  oPeRaTionS
  The Gentlemen specialize in industrial B&E, hijackings, robberies, 
  and computer crimes. Their modus operandi is to carefully plan 
  out jobs, then have them executed by hired guns. The gang is ill-
  equipped to perform any activities that require a sustained pres-
  ence—racketeering, drugs, prostitution, etc.—due to their small 
  membership. In a way, this is a good thing, as they avoid stepping 
  on the toes of the Triads.
  
  8
  10 gangs • konTon-sHI
  Konton-Shi
  pirate trid and set up a business of making mayhem and snuff trids 
  as well as adrenaline-rush BTLs. He gave the games a darker twist by 
  hooking victims up to simrigs to make terror recordings. Under Xian, 
  the Konton-Shi engendered fear through attacks such as immolating 
  themselves and driving their vehicles into malls or down sidewalks 
  while randomly striking pedestrians—all recorded, naturally. To pro-
  tect the Konton-Shi from an all-out war with every other gang in Neo-
  Tokyo, Xian eventually made a deal to ally with the Kodachi-gumi.  
  >	This	was	a	smart	move.	Konton-Shi	couldn’t	sit	on	the	fence	between	families	
  any	longer.	Every	other	gang	had	ties	to	the	Yakuza	in	some	form.	They	would’ve	
  been	pinched	sooner	or	later.	It’s	surprising	that	they	survived	that	long.
  >	Rigger	X
  Initiation into the Konton-Shi can be brutal. The most common 
  ceremony is a gladiatorial combat between candidates—the one still 
  breathing at the end is accepted into the gang. Several Konton-Shi 
  members are current or former urban brawlers. Drug use and abuse are 
  prevalent; a variety of chemicals help them ignore the risks they take, 
  enhance the rush, and escape the consequences. In spite of the gang’s 
  high mortality rate, there are currently over three thousand Konton-
  Shi members in East Asia, from Neo-Toyko to Hong Kong.
  >	If	you	don’t	make	it,	well,	at	least	there’s	a	nice	recording	of	your	demise	to	give	
  to	your	next	of	kin.
  >	Slamm-0!	
  KonTon-SHi
  PoSTeDBy:MiHoSHioni
  HiSToRy
  This Tokyo-based turf gang can be summed up in three words: Thrill 
  Kill Psychos. They didn’t start out that way. They were anarchists, 
  challenging the authorities’ right to limit or monitor their movements. 
  They followed the bōsōzoku and sukeban in their rebellious manner-
  isms. They tried to get many of their activities on the air, giving them 
  a daring reputation. This was until a westerner, William Lox, became 
  leader of the Konton-Shi in the late forties. 
  >	A	little	history:	Konton-Shi,	or	Chaotic	Death,	challenged	all	the	rules	that	the	
  Nippon	government	applied,	including	suicide.	They	dressed	up	as	anime	char-
  acters,	rebelling	against	conformity	with	wild	colored	hair,	mismatched	clothes,	
  etc.	They	banded	together,	breaking	repressive	laws	covering	things	like	curfew	
  and	noise	levels.	They	also	assisted	each	other	in	holding	suicide	parties.
  >	Baka	Dabora
  >	William	Lox	grew	up	in	Japan	as	a	son	of	a	retired	electronics	CEO.	Lox	was	
  obsessed	with	anime,	especially	hentai.	He	got	the	idea	of	creating	live	action	
  anime,	reenacting	his	favorite	episodes.	He	managed	to	hook	members	of	the	
  Konton-Shi	on	the	idea.	They	started	making	money	though	viral	trids	that	Lox	
  filmed.	This	was	the	beginning	of	Konton-Shi	becoming	a	gang.
  >	Riser
  He was a few sandwiches short of a picnic. He wanted other gangs to 
  fear the Konton-Shi as well as the corps and took random acts of violence 
  to the extreme. It wasn’t just a challenge anymore; it was a strike against 
  everything in Tokyo. The political motives were gone, and the Konton-
  Shi became a turf gang as they consolidated power. Their criminal activi-
  ties combined destruction of private property and aggravated assault.
  >	He	appealed	to	the	darker	side	of	people.	He	gave	purpose	to	those	wanting	
  death	with	macabre	challenges	and	a	trideo	epitaph.	To	consolidate	his	power,	
  he	challenged	other	gangs	and	established	a	territory	that	he	could	work	from.
  >	Riser
  The Konton-Shi financed themselves by stealing from other 
  gangs. They would hijack cars or drive motorcycles in their attacks in 
  Kawasaki or firebomb gang turfs in Tokyo. Lox made up life-and-death 
  games and aired them on pirate trid channels. Few would challenge 
  Lox and the Konton-Shi, lest they end up a victim in their games. By 
  2050, the Konton-Shi were one of the largest and most dangerous 
  gangs on the Pacific Rim. 
  In 2053, Lox was finally caught and put in a maximum-security 
  prison. The Konton-Shi staged several attempts to break him out, but 
  they never succeeded. They finally gave up when Lox died in a prison 
  riot four years later.
  >	It’s	rumored	that	Lox	was	offered	a	deal	by	one	of	the	Yakuza	families	where	
  they	would	help	him	if	the	Konton-Shi	would	pledge	allegiance	to	their	gumi.	
  He	refused	and	the	rest	is	history.
  >	Riser
  Taking Lox’s place over the Konton-Shi required an ambitious 
  and deviant mind; enter Xian Sugiura. Xian had the habit of dress-
  ing himself as an Oni when conducting business. He reorganized the 
  Konton-Shi into what it is today. He took the Konton-Shi games and 
  
  RiSeR’SRanKinG
  ThE koNToN-ShI
  Territory: neo-Tokyo
  Colors/Symbol: no specific colors/Biohazard symbol of skulls is their 
  trademarked symbol on their products
  Resources: (Firepower) 3; (Magic) 1; (Personnel) 3
  Threat Rating: 3
  Numbers: 3000
  Professionalism: 2
  Training: 2
  
  9
  konTon-sHI • 10 gangs
  >	Don’t	mess	with	Yuko.	He’s	got	a	separate	deal	with	one	of	the	Yakuza	clans.	
  I	don’t	know	all	the	details,	but	if	Xian	goes,	Yuko	might	become	the	next	
  Konton-Shi	leader,	regardless	of	anything	Xian	sets	up.
  >	Riser
  PLoTHooKS—KonTon-SHi
  Mr. Johnson’s wife and son were bystanders killed during a high-speed 
  Konton-Shi chase through a supposedly secure district. He’s given up 
  hope on the police finding and punishing those responsible, so he has 
  turned to the shadows. He wants to stare into the eyes of the guilty par-
  ties as he dispenses justice. The problem—the gangers involved died a 
  few days later, and Mr. Johnson won’t pay nearly as well for dead bodies.
  SaMPLenPCS—KonTon-SHi
  KonTon-SHiMeaT
  These maniacs dress in garish colors and often flagrantly brandish their 
  weapons. They have no respect for any authority outside of their gang, 
  and gleefully risk—and often lose—their lives to show their disrespect.
  B
  A
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  C
  I
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  Ess
  Init
  IP
  4
  4
  4(5)
  4
  3
  3
  3
  4
  4.9
  7(8)
  1
  Armor Rating: 7/5
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Blades 3, Etiquette 2 (Street +2), Infiltration 1, 
  Intimidation 3, Perception 2, Pilot Ground Craft 3, Pistols 2, 
  Shadowing 2, Unarmed Combat 2
  Augmentations: Cybereyes (Rating 2 with Low-Light Vision, 
  Smartlink, Thermographic Vision), Dermal Plating (Rating 1), 
  Nanotattoos, Reaction Enhancers (Rating 1)
  Gear: Armored Vest, Suzuki Mirage (Handling +2, Accel 20/50, 
  Speed 200, Pilot 1, Body 6, Armor 4, Sensor 1)
  Weapons: Ares Predator IV [Pistol, DV 5P, AP –2, 15(c) EX 
  Explosive rounds], Survival Knife [DV 3P, AP-1]
  KonTon-SHiSeConDLieuTenanT
  Marginally saner than the Meat, these gangers remain just as garish in 
  their clothing choice, but are less aggressive with their weapons and 
  their threats towards outsiders. Those who survive to reach this rank 
  tend to at least give some forethought to their plans.
  B
  A
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  S
  C
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  Ess
  Init
  IP
  5
  4
  4(5)
  5
  3
  3
  3
  4
  3.2
  7(8)
  2
  Armor Rating: 6/4
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 11
  Skills: Athletics Skill Group 2, Blades 3, Etiquette 2 (Street +2), 
  Infiltration 1, Intimidation 3, Perception 2, Pilot Ground 
  Craft 4, Pistols 3, Shadowing 2, Unarmed Combat 2
  Augmentations: Cybereyes (Rating 2 with Low-Light Vision, 
  Smartlink, Thermographic Vision), Dermal Plating (Rating 1), 
  Nanotattoos, Wired Reflexes (Rating 1)
  Gear: Armored Vest, Harley-Davidson Scorpion (Handling +2, 
  Accel 15/30, Speed 120, Pilot 2, Body 8, Armor 4, Sensor 1)
  Weapons: Ares Predator IV [Pistol, DV 5P, AP –2, 15(c) EX 
  Explosive rounds], Survival Knife [DV 3P, AP-1]
  There is an established order in the Konton-Shi. The lowest ranks 
  are thrill-seekers and meat. Both are doing the same thing; causing chaos. 
  Most meat don’t seem to care if they survive. Above them are local bosses 
  who control territories, then senior advisors and second lieutenants man-
  aging money and products, and finally Xian himself. Movement up the 
  ranks is limited by the survivability of the experienced members. 
  >	If	a	boss	seems	weak—or	god	forbid,	compassionate—thrill	seekers	will	often	
  create	a	vacancy	above	them.	
  >	Riser
  >	At	least	meat	are	only	in	it	for	the	ride.
  >	Baka	Dabora
  PRiMaRyoPeRaTionS
  Through Xian’s plan, the Konton-Shi make most of their profit by sell-
  ing sims, trids, and poorly done BTLs based upon their activities. They 
  handle the ideas, the recordings, and setting up sites for the shoots. 
  They generally contract out to have others perform the editing, post-
  production, and manufacturing. Then they handle their own local 
  distribution and get a cut of the global sales from their manufacturers.
  Most of the funds from these sales are used to purchase drugs—
  either for their own use or to cut and resell. Since there’s not an equal 
  distribution of money and goods to its members, some of them also 
  rely on raiding other gangs. Others manage their own protection rack-
  ets rather than appear in Konton-Shi recordings.
  >	What’s	most	popular	are	the	game	shows	on	the	trid.	They	have	a	pirate	sub-
  scription	network	where	they	sell	all	kinds	of	deviant	games.	Their	distribution	
  extends	across	the	Pacific	Rim,	where	they	run	and	sell	variations	of	the	games	
  Xian	created.	A	few	of	their	current	shows	include:
  DeathRace—Contestants	are	thrown	in	a	car	rigged	without	brakes	and	
  unable	to	go	under	80	kph	as	they	speed	through	a	course	in	Toyama.
  Rats!—Victims	are	trapped	in	a	warehouse	without	lights.	These	involuntary	
  contestants	must	survive	until	dawn	in	the	company	of	numerous	of	demon	
  and	devil	rats.	
  LifeBoat—Left	on	a	derelict	ship	adrift	in	international	waters,	contestants	
  must	survive	until	they	are	picked	up	by	authorities.
  >	Slamm-0!
  KnownMeMBeRS
  At sixty, Xian Sugiura still leads the Konton-Shi. He could be consid-
  ered an ork poser as he loves the fear he instills in those around him 
  when he dresses up as an oni. His deviant mind has come up with many 
  of the “games” that the Konton-Shi record and distribute.
  >	His	artistry	has	mixed	results.	Sure	people	fear	him,	but	his	peers	don’t	respect	
  him.	It’s	a	mix	of	prejudice	and	dislike	of	his	conduct.
  >	Riser
  Second in command is Kuni “Max” Makino. While the typical 
  Konton-Shi member is a garden-variety, adrenaline-pumped psycho-
  path, Max is a smart, quiet deviant. He oversees the production of 
  the trids and sims and manages sales on the Matrix. He also purchases 
  equipment and materials for the Konton-shi gang. 
  Yuko Tonda, a Troll from Yomi, runs the protection rackets and 
  finds contestants for the game shows. Still bitter from exile, he takes a 
  particular pleasure in destructive activities. Both of Yuko’s horns were 
  broken when he was sent to Yomi, and he has kept them sharp and 
  jagged since then.
  
  10
  10 gangs • Laésa
  Laésa
  >	The	Organized	Crime	Division	at	Lone	Star	classifies	these	guys	as	a	“second-
  tier	political/ethnic	gang,”	because	they	wanted	to	differentiate	them	from	the	
  “terrorist”	Rinelle	ke’Tesrae.	I’d	call	them	a	minor	ethnic	syndicate—except	
  members	have	no	common	cultural	ties.	They’re	a	new	breed	of	organization,	
  and	law	enforcement	has	had	zero	luck	in	figuring	out	how	they	tick.
  >	Riser
  >	One	group	has	figured	them	out.	Supposedly,	a	Dawkin’s	Group	adept	infiltrated	
  them.	Since	they’re	still	up	and	running,	and	profiting	more	than	ever,	I	guess	
  that	whatever	the	adept	found,	he	or	she	liked—not	a	lot	of	groups	survive	
  Dawkin’s	scrutiny.
  >	Dr.	Spin
  Laésa are all elven. They don’t have any colors or symbols, but they 
  all speak Sperethiel and train in the martial arts of carromeleg. They 
  don’t have an initiation rite, either, or at least not like any other gang. 
  Potential members must agree to meet with the leaders of the Laésa 
  and take a dose of laés after the meeting, regardless of the outcome. If 
  they’re not accepted, they never hear back—and don’t remember any-
  thing that might incriminate the group or leaders. If they are accepted, 
  they’re contacted later by the organization. Either way, whatever hap-
  pens at that meeting remains a mystery.
  The group doesn’t have titles among their members, but they are 
  highly aware of social status—both inside the organization and in their 
  greater community—and expect the type of respect that status would 
  normally demand. This is likely a leftover from the Tír political scene, 
  blended with the Sinsearach’s rigid tribal class system. 
  KnownMeMBeRS
  The leadership of the Laésa remains unknown, although the rumors sug-
  gest someone with legitimate businesses and local influence. Membership 
  includes people from all walks of life—ex-Tír military, Sinsearach 
  shamans, Tír government clerks, accountants, doctors, even police of-
  ficers. There aren’t a lot of members, but they’re spread across the Pacific 
  Northwest. There’s no concentration anywhere outside of Tarislar, but 
  there are members everywhere. A large part of their success in smuggling 
  and in obtaining their goods—like the Tír-government-controlled drug, 
  laés—comes from their extensive network of members and contacts.
  Laésa’s leaders aren’t known, but a few of the more active members are: 
  Driscoll is an ex-Tír military officer, who lost his post for sup-
  porting the wrong person at the wrong time. He’s a taciturn, surly, and 
  grouchy SOB, with a short fuse and a nasty temper. He’s also an enforc-
  er for the Laésa, the guy they call if a “problem” needs to be removed. 
  The younger ex-Ancients members of the Laésa look up to Driscoll—I 
  assume because he’s a master of carromeleg, not because of his charm. 
  Amanda Brooks (née Telestrian) is the widow of Richard Brooks, 
  executive VP of Telestrian’s Willamette Orchards conglomerate. She 
  lives outside of Portland and remains closer to her large, extended 
  family. Willamette Orchards has the lucrative government contract for 
  processing and refining laés—and although Brooks is no longer with the 
  company, her contacts likely provide Laésa with their trademark drug.
  >	Brooks’s	known	involvement	with	Laésa	also	fuels	rumors	that	Telestrian	
  covertly	supports	them.
  >	Kay	St.	Irregular
  Star Crow is a Salish shaman who follows Crow. He’s the Salish 
  elf with half his face covered in a tribal crow tattoo. Star Crow is a 
  public contact, of sorts, for the Laésa in Tarislar—he’s easy to find and 
  most people in the elven community know he’s involved in the group. 
  LaéSa
  PoSTeDBy:FRoSTy
  The Laésa were born from the remnants of the Rinelle ke’Tesrae, politi-
  cal revolutionaries who were instrumental in toppling the Tír regime. A 
  portion of the Rinelle ke’Tesrae, extremists who found no place in the 
  new Tír government, fled the country, blending in with the Tír refugees 
  who flooded Tarislar and found places among the Sinsearach tribe in 
  the Salish-Shide. These revolutionaries already had a strong relationship 
  with Sinsearach smugglers, who had supported and supplied their revo-
  lution. Removed from their original cause, but still criminally inclined, 
  the original members slowly abandoned their political leanings. The 
  core group renamed themselves the Laésa, “The Forgotten” in Sperethiel
  Based in Tarislar, the insular elven community in Puyallup, Laésa 
  have an ideal power base that the government of Seattle had aban-
  doned. The people of Tarislar saw the Laésa as a blessing—many of the 
  refugees, and their families, were political exiles. The group merged 
  with a number of Sinsearach smugglers and talisleggers. In the last few 
  years, younger members of the Ancients and a few smaller elven gangs 
  have joined the new organization, the promise of advancement oppor-
  tunities a tempting lure. With the influx of new members, the politi-
  cal purpose has faded, and the gang has become more profit-oriented, 
  elevating them from a small criminal operation to a second-tier gang.
  
  11
  Laésa • 10 gangs
  B
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  Ess
  M
  Init
  IP
  3
  4
  4
  3
  5
  4
  2
  4
  6
  8
  1
  1
  Armor Rating: 6/6
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Dodge 2, Etiquette 3 (Underworld +2), Perception 3, 
  Palming 3, Pilot Ground Craft 3 (Bike +2), Pistols 3, 
  Negotiation 3, Running 3 (Urban +2), Shadowing 3  
  (Tail Evasion +2), Survival 2 (Urban +2),  
  Unarmed Combat 2 (Caromeleg +2)
  Qualities: Common Sense, School of Hard Knocks, Sense of 
  Direction
  Gear: Urban Explorer Jumpsuit, Urban Survival Kit, Commlink 
  (Device Rating 5, running Analyze 5 and Fetch Module),  
  AR Glasses (Rating 3 with Smartlink, Image Link, and Vision 
  Magnification), 2 Fake IDs (Rating 5, Salish citizen,  
  UCAS citizen), 1 pack laés cigarettes
  Weapons: Survival Knife [DV 3P, AP –1, Reach 0], 
  Ares Predator IV [Heavy Pistol, DV 5P, AP -1, SA, RC 0, 15 
  (c), regular ammunition and laés-filled capsule rounds]
  Vehicle: Suzuki Mirage [Bike, Handling +2, Accel 20/50, 
  Speed 200, Pilot 1, Body 6, Armor 4, Sensors 1]
  LaéSaSenioRMeMBeR
  Senior members of the organization have the authority to negotiate 
  necessary deals with outsiders. They’re reliable sources for drug smug-
  gling and can offer an array of elves who can be made to forget their 
  actions on an assignment.
  B
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  Ess
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  IP
  3
  4
  5 (7)
  3
  5
  4
  4
  4
  6
  9 (11)
  1
  Armor Rating: 8/6
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Athletics Group 3, Electronics Group 2, Firearms Group 3, 
  Influence Group 4, Mechanic Group 3, Outdoors Group 4, 
  Infiltration 4, Perception 5, Pilot Aircraft 3, Pilot Ground 
  Craft 4, Pilot Watercraft 3, Unarmed Combat 4  
  (Caromeleg +2)
  Qualities: Lightning Reflexes
  Gear: Armor Jacket, Commlink (Device Rating 5, running 
  Analyze 5 and Fetch Module), AR Goggles (Rating 3 with 
  Smartlink, Image Link, and Vision Magnification, 2 Fake IDs 
  (Rating 5, Tír Citizen, UCAS Citizen), 1 pack laés cigarettes
  Weapons: Survival Knife [DV 3P, AP –1, Reach 0], Ares Predator 
  IV [Heavy Pistol, DV 5P, AP -1, SA, RC 0, 15 (c), regular 
  ammunition and laés-filled capsule rounds]
  If you’re trying to track them down, look for him at any of the small 
  bars or nightclubs in the area. He can also be found at Underworld 
  93. Just be aware that he’s not above using his talents to judge you … 
  FRienDLyReLaTionS
  The Laésa are known in the Seattle area for relying on negotiation more 
  than most gangs. The truth is, they don’t have the resources to go toe-to-
  toe with any sizable street-gangs, and certainly can’t challenge any of the 
  syndicates. To compensate, they’ve made alliances with groups interested 
  in the products the Laésa move. They have a good working relationship 
  with the Kumon’go, using their shared Salish connections. Based out of 
  Tarislar, they’ve been forced into working with the Ancients—although 
  the antagonism between the two groups is rumored to have evolved into 
  a much more positive relationship since Green Lucifer’s recent promo-
  tion took him out of Tarislar. In addition, the Laésa have members—and 
  contacts—in a variety of strategic positions, from inside the new Tír 
  government, to inside the Salish-Sidhe council.
  >	It’s	said	that	Knight	Errant	patrols	Tarislar	through	a	contract	negotiated	by	the	
  Laésa,	and	Laésa	works	with	them	in	the	elven	community	to	keep	the	peace.	They’re	
  also	rumored	to	be	connected	to	Horizon,	Charisma	Associates,	and	Telestrian.	
  >	Cosmo
  BuSineSSinTeReSTS
  The Laésa are smugglers, transporting people, drugs, and telesma 
  throughout the Pacific Northwest. They provide a major pipeline for 
  goods of all sorts into Tarislar, one that keeps the people of Tarislar 
  loyal to the group. They bring a variety of Sinsearach-gathered telesma, 
  as well as Sinsearach-produced foci, fetishes, and other magical goods, 
  into Seattle. They’re best known for their monopoly on the under-
  ground market for laés, as well as their home-brewed leäl, although 
  they prefer to sell their product to others for the actual dealing. 
  >	The	Laésa	developed	a	laés	brothel;	a	place	where	patrons	could	spend	an	
  evening	with	an	elven	beauty	in	guaranteed	privacy	and	anonymity—because	
  after	their	session,	their	host	or	hostess	would	be	dosed	with	laés.	The	brothel	
  flopped,	but	the	idea	turned	out	to	be	immensely	profitable.	They’ve	shifted	to	
  providing	high-priced	call	girls	and	boys	for	businessmen	who	want	to	take	their	
  “companions”	to	evening	business	dinners,	and	after-hours	activities,	and	know	
  that	at	the	end	of	the	night,	their	date	will	be	dosed	with	laés.	Service	starts	at	
  5k	an	hour.	Perfect	discretion	comes	with	a	high	price	tag.
  >	Kat	O’Nine	Tales	
  PLoTHooKS—LaéSa
  A Laésa courier was the victim of a recent Spikes assault. The body was 
  found, but her package wasn’t. Laésa agents are looking for someone to 
  recover the package and garner a little vengeance. The runners get to 
  play middlemen between a gang of orks and trolls with a passion for kill-
  ing elves and a syndicate of elves with no qualms about extreme action.
  SaMPLenPCS—LaéSa
  LaéSaCouRieR
  These messengers know are focused on safely delivering their pack-
  age of the moment. They’ll go to great lengths to make certain that 
  it reaches its destination, and won’t hesitate to call in support. Upon 
  delivery, they’ll immediately find a safe place and dose themselves with 
  laés so that they have no memory of the assignment.
  
  RiSeR’SRanKinG
  LAéSA
  Territory: Pacific northwest (Tír Tairngire, salish-sidhe, seattle)
  Colors/Symbol: none
  Resources: (Firepower) 3; (Magic) 4; (Personnel) 1
  Threat Rating: 2
  Numbers: > 500
  Professionalism: 5
  Training: 2+
  
  12
  10 gangs • THe Láíyà 
  The Láíyà 
  The current leader—at least as of the last time I was in Lagos—is a 
  burly dwarf they call Abiodun. When hunting groups go out, Abiodun 
  puts the most experienced hunter in charge, based on the prey they 
  seek, the territory they’re traveling through, the omens of the gang’s 
  Olorishas, any prophetic dreams by the hunters themselves, and, oh, 
  hell, probably the weather or the shape of the steak Abiodun had for 
  breakfast. (I once saw a hunting party led by a twelve-year-old boy. 
  Since they came back with a pair of shapeshifter pelts, and no deaths, I 
  guess Abiodun knew what he was doing. Beats the hell out of me why 
  twelve grown men would listen to a kid who wasn’t even old enough to 
  shave, but there you go.) The hunting parties obey the lead hunter with 
  an unquestioning manner that would make any army sergeant proud. 
  >	None	of	them	have	military	training,	but	they	use	small-group	tactics	surpris-
  ingly	well.	
  >	Black	Mamba
  The Láíyà also capture live critters for sale, or even training. They 
  have more than their share of animal-adepts—who are identifiable by 
  their trained hunting “partners.” Like, oh, a fucking lion. And yeah, 
  that’s a story for another day.
  Finally, the Láíyà deal with the various potion-makers and poison 
  sellers in Lagos. Many of the critters in the jungles and savannahs 
  around Lagos are highly toxic and their venoms are in high demand. 
  Mostly because getting said venom is very dangerous …
  >	They	also	use	potions	to	enhance	their	abilities,	potions	specific	to	West	Africa.	
  One	is	a	distilled	potion	of	the	Akwukuo-Nwosinaka’s	flowers.	They	say	a	drop	in	
  each	eye	opens	your	vision	to	the	astral	plane	…	even	for	mundanes.	Steaming	
  the	leaves	of	the	Aroro	tree	in	water	supposedly	protects	against	magical	
  spells—useful	if	you’re	hunting	critters	with	the	ability	to	bespell	you.
  >	Black	Mamba
  wHeReToFinDTHeM
  If you want to deal with the Láíyà, you’ll need to go to Lagos. They don’t 
  have a central node or a main number you can call. You can wind your 
  way through contacts—assuming you have the right contacts—to get a 
  message to them, but it’s frequently easier to just track them down directly. 
  >	The	Hawala	system	works	fairly	well.	It	isn’t	particularly	fast—might	take	any-
  where	from	a	few	days	to	a	few	weeks	to	get	a	response—but	at	least	you	can	
  trust	the	Hawalas	not	to	lie	or	“forget”	your	message.
  >	Am-mut
  In Lagos, you can always find some of the extended gang family 
  at the Amulet Market of Oshodi-Isolo. If they’ve got material to sell, 
  they’ll have a booth or tarp set out with their wares for display. Of 
  course, there are dozens of vendors selling “real” Ammit teeth or the 
  pelts of a “real” Enwontzane. The ones selling authentic ones are likely 
  part of the Láíyà, or purchased their wares from them. Ask around, and 
  word will get back to the Láíyà. If they think you have a commission, 
  and a way to pay, they’ll find you. Although they generally stick to the 
  Yoruba kingdom for their hunting ventures, with the right commission 
  they’ve been known to travel further abroad. 
  >	If	you	have	to	travel	into	the	Interior,	you	can’t	do	much	better	than	traveling	
  with	one	of	the	Láíyà	hunting	parties.	They	know	the	jungle,	they	know	the	
  political	nightmare	of	the	warring	tribal	factions,	they	know	the	dangers,	and	
  they’re	the	top	predators	out	there.	I’ve	hired	them	before	simply	to	escort	
  THeLáíyà
  PoSTeDBy:TRaveLeRJoneS
  Gangs in Lagos are a nuyen a dozen. Between the omnipresent Area 
  Boys—which is a gang or a tribe or a boys club, take your pick—and 
  the various slum gangs, Lagos probably has the highest gang affiliation 
  per capita. However, if you’re looking for something unique—rape 
  gangs, mugging gangs, flesh-traders, drug runners, human traffickers, 
  and others of that ilk are found on every other corner—the Láíyà are 
  the gang to know. I’ve traveled to Lagos specifically to meet with these 
  men and women—and more importantly, brought clients to Lagos to 
  do business with them. 
  Why? The Láíyà provide a product that’s hard to come by, for a 
  reasonable price. Nah, it’s not drugs. It’s paracritters. The Láíyà hunt 
  paracritters, bring them to market. Alive or dead, doesn’t matter. The 
  jungles and mangrove swamps around Lagos are teeming with exotic an-
  imals. Corporations, research facilities, public and private zoos, telesma 
  sellers, and private individuals pay well for paracritters. The suppliers of 
  these lucrative rarities need their wares … and believe me, if you’ve ever 
  hunted an Enwontzane through the awakened jungles of Africa, you’d 
  be pretty happy to pay someone else to get the goods for you to resell.
  GanGoRGanizaTion
  The Láíyà are all Yoruba, with a range of families, tribes, and regional 
  origins—although they are all based out of Lagos. Like most Yoruba, 
  the Láíyà do not discriminate on metatype. 
  >	Maybe	they	don’t	care	if	your	ears	are	pointed	or	round,	but	they	sure	as	hell	
  care	if	your	plumbing’s	on	the	inside	or	outside.	Especially	for	their	magic-types.	
  To	be	fair,	if	a	woman	can	hold	her	own,	they’ll	respect	her.	
  >	Black	Mamba
  >	By	“hold	her	own”	Black	Mamba	means	capture	and	milk	an	adult	Ekyelebenle	
  barehanded,	which	they	still	talk	about,	you	know.	You’re	a	bit	of	a	legend	to	the	
  gang,	Mamba.
  >	Traveler	Jones
  >	Not	one	of	my	more	intelligent	moments.
  >	Black	Mamba
  >	You	have	intelligent	moments?
  >	Ma’fan
  The gang itself has around a hundred members, with their families 
  forming an extended membership who help handle the more mundane 
  aspects of being big (and little) game hunters: skinning the pelts, har-
  vesting the valuable parts, selling the exotic bits and pieces in the mar-
  kets. Hunting groups are generally five to ten members, although when 
  the Láíyà take a particularly dangerous (or lucrative) commission, they’ll 
  form larger hunting parties for safety (or to get a share of the wealth). 
  They have a well-organized and consistent hierarchal structure. 
  Many small gangs consider leadership a nebulous concept, and leaders 
  are frequently disposed by their own more-ambitious gang members. 
  Which, of course, can make it a pain in the ass to deal with them—an 
  agreement made with the leader-of-the-day may turn into smoke when 
  said leader is disposed and a new guy takes the role. Not so with the 
  Láíyà. Maybe because of attrition or maybe because of their tribal ties, 
  the Láíyà follow their leaders without the vicious infighting you see in 
  other gangs. 
  
  13
  THe Láíyà  • 10 gangs
  SaMPLenPCS—THeLáíyà
  LáíyàHunTeR
  Hunting venomous paracritters is lucrative job, but one with a high 
  attrition rate. Only those with the best instincts and skills survive past 
  their first hunts. 
  B
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  Init
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  4
  4
  5
  4
  2
  4
  2
  3
  6
  9
  1
  Armor Rating: 6/4
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 11
  Skills: Athletics Group 4, Blades 5, Longarms 3, Outdoors Group 
  4, Perception 5, Heavy Weapons 4, Shadowing 3, First Aid 2
  Qualities: Guts, Resistance to Pathogens and Toxins, High Pain 
  Tolerance, Uneducated
  Gear: Survival Kit, Tribal Remedies, Armor Vest
  Weapons: Survival Knife [DV 3P, AP-1], 
  Remington 990 [Shotgun, DV 7P, AP –1, 8 (m), regular 
  ammo],  
  Ingram White Knight [LMG, DV 6P, AP -1, RC 5 (6), 100 
  (belt), regular ammo]
  HunTinGPaRTyLeaDeR
  A hunter by nature, this dwarf’s adept abilities are focused to make him 
  tougher than the prey he hunts. Together with his attuned animal, a 
  leopard, and the men who follow him, he can bring down the most 
  dangerous of paracritters in the West African jungles. He takes full re-
  sponsibility for the men he leads, but he knows that the jungle extracts 
  a price for the bounty she gives.
  B
  A
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  C
  I
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  W
  Ess
  M
  Edg Init
  IP
  5
  4
  5
  5
  3
  4
  3
  5
  6
  4
  4
  9
  1
  Armor Rating: 10/8
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Animal Handling 3, Animal Training 3, Athletics Group 4, 
  Close Combat Group 4, Etiquette 1, First Aid 4, Leadership 4, 
  Longarms 4, Outdoors Group 6, Perception 6, Heavy Weapons 
  3, Infiltration 3(Wilderness +2), Shadowing 3 (Wilderness 
  +2)
  Qualities: Animal Empathy, Quick Healer, Resistance to 
  Pathogens and Toxins, Uneducated
  Metamagics: Animal Attunement (Leopard)
  Adept Powers: Combat Sense 2, Mystic Armor 4, Natural 
  Immunity 4
  Gear: Survival Kit, Tribal Remedies, Armor Vest, Leopard Hunting 
  Partner
  Weapons: Survival Knife [DV 3P, AP-1], Remington 990 
  [Shotgun, DV 7P, AP –1, 8 (m), regular ammo]
  me	and	my	crew	to	specific	places.	They’ll	take	the	money,	and	you	can	be	
  somewhat	assured	of	getting	in	(and	out)	alive.	
  >	Elijah
  >	Yeah,	but	they	also	have	a	rather	brutal	philosophy.	I’ve	seen	them	shoot	a	
  teammate	in	the	head	when	bitten	by	a	venomous	snake.	They	believe	that	
  what	the	jungle	takes,	the	jungle	keeps.	
  >	Traveler	Jones
  PLoTHooKS—THeLáíyà
  Several dilettantes from the Grand Tour have decided that it would be 
  “simply smashing” to spend a vacation engaged in a classic big-game 
  expedition. They’ve hired the runners to serve as bodyguards for the 
  job, and their fixers recommended the Láíyà as the perfect guides for 
  the hunt. Things get interesting when one (or more) of the dilettantes 
  becomes the target of a politically-motivated assassination or kidnap-
  ping during the expedition.
  
  RiSeR’SRanKinG
  Láíyà
  Territory: Lagos & yoruban kingdom 
  Colors/Symbol: Cured leather jackets from first kill
  Resources: (Firepower) 1; (Magic) 2; (Personnel) 1
  Threat Rating: 1
  Numbers: 100
  Professionalism: 1
  Training: 2
  
  14
  10 gangs • Los HeRManos deL MaR
  Los Hermanos deL mar
  cash cow for these guys is exploring and recording areas of the Lacuna. 
  Sometimes, their sims end up on P2.0, especially when they catch 
  something alive or lucrative. Other times, the gang has been hired 
  by legitimate agencies that don’t want to go in on their own. Since 
  the PCC has been turning away all legitimate requests to explore the 
  Deep, except those from universities, everyone from the Dunklezahn 
  Institute to the Atlanteans needs someone to do their dirty work.
  Los Hermanos focus on smaller craft, even single-person vehicles. 
  Think of them as a go-gang, but without roads or wheels. They replace 
  bikes with jet-skis, cars with speedboats, and vans with small cargo ships. 
  Since their operations usually keep them close to LA, they don’t need 
  much larger than that. However, I’ve heard that they’ve got a few bigger 
  ships that can move cargo longer distances holed up in some coves north 
  of the sprawl. For their underwater gigs, they do have a two-person 
  mini-sub. Rumor has it that they “liberated” it from the Japanese when 
  they were ousted from San Francisco and the Central Valley. 
  >	That’s	not	all	they	have.	Los Hermanos	shows	a	surprising	lack	of	prejudice	
  when	it	comes	to	their	work.	Just	because	you	look	a	little	funny—like	you	have	
  gills	or	something—doesn’t	mean	you	can’t	be	useful.	
  >Sounder
  CuLTuRe
  The gang started life in the late fifties, far as I can tell, when they orga-
  nized to try and bring water and supplies into El Infierno. Some early 
  troubles with the Burning Angels pushed them out of the East LA area 
  and further south. While their leadership is Hispanic, ethnicity is not 
  a requirement for joining the gang. You can find Native Americans, 
  Caucasians, Pacific Islanders, and others either within the gang or sup-
  porting them as mechanics, fences, information brokers, etc. They’re 
  not too worried about metatype, either. 
  Joining up is hard. Los Hermanos consider themselves a family and, 
  in some cases, live and work on their boats, while their relatives remain 
  safely on shore. This separation makes the group close-knit and distrust-
  ful of outsiders. Browse up some information on the fishing communi-
  ties of Massachusetts from back in the day, and you’ll see similar pat-
  terns. Dedicated individuals have been known to successfully join the 
  gang, while others have been recruited for specific skills or knowledge.
  LeaDeRSHiP
  The gang is run by a Mestizo ork by the name of Jorge. Styled el 
  Capitán by members, he’s getting a little long in the tooth for an ork.
  >	Watch	it,	pinky	…
  >	Butch
  >	Sorry,	I	couldn’t	resist.
  >	Skinny	Dipper
  LoSHeRManoSDeLMaR
  PoSTeDBy:SKinnyDiPPeR
  >	Some	of	you	may	remember	Skinny	Dipper	from	our	file	on	Los	Angeles.	I’ve	
  asked	her	back	to	fill	us	in	on	this	waterborne	gang	that	works	on	the	southern	
  outskirts	of	Tinseltown.	
  >	FastJack
  Los Hermanos del Mar (the Brothers of the Sea) are a group of 
  thrill-seeking modern day pirates who “sail” the waters surrounding the 
  decimated remains of San Juan Capistrano to the south of LA. 
  >	Don’t	let	them	hear	you	call	them	pirates.	They	prefer	the	term	“wave	runner.”
  >	Traveler	Jones
  >	Why?	They	got	a	problem	with	pirates?
  >	Kane
  Their turf puts them just south of the no-man’s-land where the 
  PCC keeps a close eye on the Aztlan forces moving north from San 
  Diego. Neither side considers los Hermanos large enough to constitute 
  a problem. When they want to move supplies north or south to their 
  supporters, they sometimes find the need to work with those whose 
  fingerprints don’t always inform others of one’s country of origin.
  oPeRaTionS
  Los Hermanos smuggle just about anything you can move on watercraft. 
  They focus on three areas of expertise: water, shadow gear, and under-
  water exploration. The first—and smallest—outfit moves potable water 
  out of the LA sprawl and to surrounding areas. They’ll move food, when 
  they have the chance, and have even been known to take supplies out 
  to the Kingdom of Hawai’i when the price is right. Water, while harder 
  to move due to its weight, brings in a better profit. The gang’s connec-
  tions in Azzie-controlled southern California handle transporting the 
  water inland towards the Mojave, while their networks to the north 
  help keep Free State communities hydrated as well. These guys like to 
  call themselves “the Water Boys,” but they’re all a part of los Hermanos.
  >	Don’t	let	the	fact	that	providing	water	seems	downright	humanitarian	fool	you	into	
  thinking	these	are	the	good	guys.	Water’s	expensive	to	move	and	it’s	expensive	to	
  buy.	If	you	need	it,	you	have	to	find	it.	I’ve	moved	water	for	a	few	groups	in	my	day	
  and	they	can	be	more	cutthroat	than	the	guys	who	move	your	guns.
  >	2XL
  In addition to water, the group does more run-of-the-mill smug-
  gling activities. They’ll move weapons through the cold warzone be-
  tween the PCC and the Azzies, and they have some contacts within 
  the PCC’s mercenary units to deliver drugs, hookers, and other vices. 
  Most of the time, these guys act as couriers for larger or more organized 
  syndicates. They’ve got some triad connections to buy CalHots, for ex-
  ample, and move them into areas where the triads won’t send their own 
  people. This relationship isn’t formal, and los Hermanos aren’t afraid 
  to work with other syndicates, including the Koshari, if the mood hits 
  them. Their offshore mobility and their knowledge of the Deep Lacuna 
  give them enough places to hide if they piss off the wrong person.
  Speaking of the Deep Lacuna, these guys might know it as well, 
  or better, than just about anyone else in LA. I’ve been down there a 
  few times myself, but if I’m headed underwater, I’m not above asking 
  for a little help from the Brothers. After smuggling, the next biggest 
  
  RiSeR’SRanKinG
  LoS hERMANoS dEL MAR
  Territory: Los angeles (san Juan Capistrano)
  Colors/symbol: Blue wave pattern on a field of black 
  Resources: (Firepower) 2; (Magic) 2; (Personnel) 1 
  numbers: 60 
  Threat Rating: 2 
  Training: 3
  
  15
  Los HeRManos deL MaR • 10 gangs
  PLoTHooKS—LoSHeRManoSDeLMaR
  Jorge’s crew has had a ship fall off the map when making a cargo run to 
  Hawai’i. He doesn’t have the resources right now to send his own people 
  out to investigate, so he hires a team of runners. When the team tracks down 
  the ship, they find it abandoned and discover that it was badly damaged in 
  a lightning storm. Once they’re able to get things back online, they discover 
  that a clan of merrows has captured the crew and much of the cargo.
  SaMPLenPCS—LoSHeRManoSDeLMaR
  LoSHeRManoSDeLMaRMeMBeR
  Most members are capable combatants, equally adept on the deck of a 
  ship or while diving.
  B
  A
  R
  S
  C
  I
  L
  W
  Ess
  Init
  IP
  4
  4
  5
  3
  3
  4
  3
  3
  4.75
  9
  1
  Armor Rating: 8/6
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Con 3, Exotic Ranged Weapon 3 (Gyrojet Pistol +2), 
  Infiltration 3, Perception 4, Pilot Watercraft 4, Swimming 3, 
  Unarmed Combat 2
  Gear: Armored Jacket, SeaDoo Bolt [Handling +2, Accel 15/25, 
  Speed 45, Pilot 2, Body 5, Armor 4, Sensor 1], Sony Emperor 
  with Renrak Ichi
  Cyberware: Cybereyes (Rating 2 with Low-Light Vision, 
  Vision Enhancement 2, Vision Magnification), Cyberears 
  (Rating 1 with Balance Augmenter), Cyberfins, Internal Air 
  Tank, Orientation System
  Weapons: FN-AAL Gyrojet Pistol [Exotic Ranged, D 6P, AP –1, 
  10(c)] 
  DeeP-SiX
  One of Jorge’s senior members is a changeling who is naturally well-suited 
  to managing the gang’s underwater recovery and smuggling assignments.
  B
  A
  R
  S
  C
  I
  L
  W
  Ess
  Init
  IP
  3
  5
  3
  5
  4
  4
  3
  4
  6
  7
  1
  Armor Rating: 0/0
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Blades 3, Etiquette 3, Intimidation 3, Leadership 4, 
  Pilot Watercraft 5, Swimming 5, Unarmed Combat 4 
  (Underwater +2)
  Metagenetic Qualities: Gills, Paddle Tail, Electrosense, 
  Bioluminescence, Scales (fishlike)
  Gear: Diving Gear, Novatech Airware (with Iris Orb and modi-
  fied with waterproof case)
  Weapons: Harpoon [Thrown, DV 5P, AP –], Survival Knife 
  [Blades, DV 4P, AP –1]
  Luckily for him, his seven kids—four men, three women—are all 
  members of the gang as well. There’s no clear indication who’ll take up 
  the reins from el Capitán when he decides to retire, but the kids get along 
  well together so violence is not expected. Jorge’s past is murky, though it’s 
  said that he smuggled himself out of El Infierno back in the fifties and put 
  together Los Hermanos to support friends and family still inside.
  He runs most of the day-to-day activities of the gang, but now leaves 
  the water smuggling to a human woman by the name of Jill. She’s one of 
  those rare individuals who joined the gang rather than be born into it. 
  Seems she came out of the Pacific one day with six or seven ships claim-
  ing to have left Hawai’i after “business troubles.” Her gift of the ships and 
  her piloting skills made her an asset the gang couldn’t ignore. Since then, 
  she’s run the Water Boys for Jorge. Several of her more exciting run-ins 
  with the local authorities have shown up on the Pito networks, and her 
  notoriety garners her high Membership and Subscription ratings.
  No one is quite sure if there’s another officer who handles the 
  underwater gigs. Rumors of amphibious changelings or disaffected 
  Japanese submarine commanders have been bandied about, but so far 
  nothing’s come to light. El Capitán doesn’t seem to get personally in-
  volved, nor does Jill, but someone pulls the strings and makes the con-
  nections for the gang, so I suspect there’s someone else in charge that 
  we don’t know about yet. 
  >	The	insular	nature	of	the	gang	makes	it	easy	for	them	to	hide	members	from	the	
  authorities.	It’s	only	about	7	km	to	the	horizon	line	and	a	ship	with	a	low	profile	
  can	hide	pretty	quickly	just	over	the	curve	of	the	Earth.
  >	Traveler	Jones
  >	Sounds	like	you	speak	from	experience	…
  >	Skinny	Dipper
  
  16
  10 gangs • MeRLyn’s PRIde
  Merlyn’s Pride
  one knows how powerful Bags was, but he and a few others went to 
  the Cloister and stole some very personal items from members of the 
  New Crusade. To make sure that he had their attention, he killed the 
  one who burned down the building while he attended a New Crusade 
  meeting. O’Malley told them that he held each of their lives in one of 
  his many bags and not to mess with Merlyn’s Pride again.
  >	As	the	story	goes,	there	were	no	effective	ways	of	stopping	Bags.	The	news	
  described	the	horrific	death	of	Mr.	Hucks	when	his	face	melted	before	his	body	
  ignited,	courtesy	of	NightSight.	The	material	links	to	each	of	the	members	of	the	
  New	Crusade	from	that	time	are	still	believed	to	be	held	at	the	Society	of	Hawks.
  >	Plan	9
  Bags O’Malley eventually retired and joined the Society of Hawks. 
  He passed away recently, but his bags are said to still be in Belvedere 
  Castle. Merlyn’s Pride continues on with 30–50 members. The gang has 
  branched out into the Westside, Lower West Side, and Southside as a 
  turf gang. Initiation into the Merlyn’s Pride requires committing to an 
  Oath. This magical oath is meant to prevent corporate infiltration.
  MeRLyn’SPRiDe
  PoSTeDBy:Haze
  HiSToRy
  Merlyn’s Pride had its early beginnings in Manhattan. It was not named 
  after the legendary wizard Merlin, but rather for Abigail Merlyn, a 
  latent magically-talented child of blue-collar parents. Abigail was 
  born in February 2021, had minimal education, and worked with her 
  parents on the lower west side. Once she realized that she had magi-
  cal talents, she tried to find someone to teach her. She attempted to 
  join the Children of the New Crusade, but was rejected because of her 
  blue-collar background and limited magical skills. They called her a 
  “hedge witch.” So, she headed back to her home turf to find someone 
  to teach her magic. 
  Enter Otis “Bags” O’Malley. He was a hermetic magician living on 
  the streets of the Pit, earning money recycling cans and making wards 
  of protection. It took Abigail a while to cajole Otis into teaching her, 
  but he finally relented. She was a good student and learned fast. Word 
  spread about Bags and Abigail, and soon there were others who wanted 
  to join them—untalented Awakened, criminally marked wizards and 
  adepts, and young people from families afraid of the corporations. By 
  2050, Merlyn’s gang had begun. 
  >	They	don’t	care	about	race	or	species.	Abigail	was	tolerant	of	everyone.
  >	Jimmy	No
  Initially called Aether Eyes, the crew had four core members: 
  Otis, Abigail, Pherris, and NightSight. Another eight Awakened were 
  regular associates. While Abigail initially considered it a club, it soon 
  became a turf gang as a matter of self-defense. They created astral sigils 
  to mark places of safety or danger, performed rituals to attack other 
  gangs, and funded themselves with petty theft by magic. 
  >	NightSight	was	originally	from	a	Triad.	His	previous	history	is	unknown,	but	he	
  provided	Aether	Eyes	with	specific	rituals	related	to	attacking	other	gangs.	These	
  rituals	were	crucial	to	the	gang’s	success	in	2050.	
  Pherris	is	a	bastard	thief	who	mastered	kinetic	manipulations	for	picking	
  pockets	and	shoplifting.	She	set	up	a	loft	for	a	while	with	a	telescope	and	would	
  pass	her	lifted	goods	to	other	members	or	hiding	spots.	A	few	of	her	caches	can	
  still	be	found	around	NYC.
  Bags	O’Malley	was	an	interesting	character.	While	he	lived	on	the	street,	
  some	of	the	items	he	is	rumored	to	have	had	in	his	bags	could	have	made	him	
  comfortably	wealthy.	I	heard	that	he	made	a	collapsible	doorframe	that	allowed	
  him	to	bypass	any	wall	or	ward	without	detection.	
  >	Jimmy	No
  >	Bags	was	supposed	to	have	a	lot	of	toys	tucked	into	each	bag.	Rumors	either	
  connected	him	to	dragons,	or	said	he	was	one.
  >	Plan	9
  It was 2060 when the Children of the New Crusade became in-
  terested in the group and wanted to recruit them. Abigail remembered 
  how they had treated her and snubbed their representative. The New 
  Crusade didn’t take this too kindly and staged an assassination of 
  Abigail. The Children trapped Abigail and two others in a safe house 
  and burned it down on them. 
  Instead of disbanding, it catalyzed the gang. Bags O’Malley 
  became leader and, under him, renamed the gang, Merlyn’s Pride. No 
  
  RiSeR’SRanKinG
  MERLyN’S PRIdE
  Territory: Manhattan Westside
  Colors/Symbol: Blue is their gang color. each wears a picture of a merlin 
  hawk, generally as a crest for their symbol.
  Resources: (Firepower) 1; (Magic) 4; (Personnel) 1
  Threat Rating: 3
  Numbers: 30–50
  Professionalism: 3
  Training: 3
  
  17
  MeRLyn’s PRIde • 10 gangs
  >	I	wouldn’t	be	surprised,	though	I	haven’t	seen	any.	Of	the	original	leaders,	
  Pherris	and	NightSight	are	still	alive,	but	neither	takes	a	very	active	role.	Master	
  Pherris	is	a	kleptomaniac	and	just	can’t	get	away	from	the	good	old	days	of	
  picking	pockets.	Master	NightSight	has	moved	on,	presumably	his	organized	
  crime	obligations	caught	up	with	him	and	he	headed	back	east.
  >	Glasswalker
  PLoTHooKS—MeRLyn’SPRiDe
  A newly Awakened teen has fled from her parent’s corp-sponsored 
  housing complex. The corp wants her back—she’s a valuable asset. 
  However, she’s found a home and an education in Merlyn’s Pride that 
  she doesn’t wish to leave. Runners are hired by the corp to recover the 
  girl and make an example of the meddling gang. 
  SaMPLenPCS—MeRLyn’SPRiDe
  MeRLynHawK
  Hawks are still learning their magic. Most come from a background 
  with another gang, only having gained membership once they 
  Awakened. They tend to be showy and very cocky about their talents.
  B
  A
  R
  S
  C
  I
  L
  W
  Ess
  M
  Init
  IP
  3
  3
  2
  2
  4
  3
  4
  4
  6
  3
  5
  1
  Armor Rating: 8/6
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Etiquette 3 (Street +2), Assensing 3, Conjuring Group 3,
  Sorcery Group 3, Infiltration 2, Blades 2, Shadowing 2, 
  Perception 2, Data Search 1
  Qualities: Magician (Hermetic)
  Gear: Fake Travel Pass (Rating 3), Armored Jacket, 
  Fake SIN (Rating 3), Lockpick Set,  
  Sony Emperor Commlink (Renraku Ichi OS)
  Spells: Improved Invisibility, Stun Bolt, Armor, Ignite, Magic 
  Fingers, Stun Ball
  Weapons: Survival Knife [Blades, D 3P, AP –1]
  MeRLynTeaCHeR
  Teachers help to train Hawks in the hermetic ways. Hardly experienced 
  magicians, these wizkids have still proven themselves to a certain 
  degree, and demand respect from outsiders and their fellows.
  B
  A
  R
  S
  C
  I
  L
  W
  Ess
  M
  Init
  IP
  3
  3
  3
  3
  4
  3
  3
  4
  6.0
  4
  6
  1
  Armor Rating: 8/6
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Etiquette 3 (Street +2), Assensing 3, Conjuring Group 3, 
  Sorcery Group 4, Infiltration 2, Dodge 1, Unarmed Combat 
  2, Blades 2, Pistols 2, Shadowing 2, Perception 2, Data Search 
  2
  Qualities: Magician (Hermetic)
  Gear: Fake Travel Pass(Rating 3), GloMoss, Armored Jacket, 
  Fake SIN (Rating 3), Sustaining Focus (Rating 3),  
  Sony Emperor Commlink (Renraku Ichi OS), 
  Spells: Improved Invisibility, Stun Bolt, Armor, Fireball, 
  Magic Fingers, Influence, Increase Reflexes, Ball Lightning
  Ranks are very loose with fledglings and hawks comprising most 
  of the members. Fledglings become hawks when they turn eighteen. 
  Teachers hold a nominally higher rank, given to those who have the 
  gang’s permission to educate others in magic. They are led by masters 
  and the headmaster. Masters each oversee an aspect of the gang’s liveli-
  hood: magic, theft, espionage, etc. The headmaster makes sure every-
  thing works together.
  PRiMaRyoPeRaTionS
  By Abigail’s wishes, Merlyn’s Pride supports members of their group for 
  initiation. While the gang has evolved, the core ideal of teaching magic 
  and support remains the same. Educating those outside of the gang is 
  not unheard-of for teens or the children of gang members.
  The gang’s funding used to come from picking pockets and petty 
  theft, but now extortion is their primary operation. They use magic 
  as well as hacking existing security systems to spy on corporate execu-
  tives, watching for information that’s marketable. With these same 
  tools, they burglarize homes and steal from delivery trucks. Theft and 
  burglaries are kept small so as not to bring NYPD, Inc., down on them. 
  On the whole, their criminal activities are basic; however, they are very 
  much into manipulating magic as far as possible for their goals. Their 
  surveillance work has gotten the attention of runners and Johnsons 
  alike allowing them to sell information for cash.
  >	I’ve	seen	them	pull	off	some	sweet	jobs.	For	instance,	I	saw	a	whole	deli	truck	
  arrive	at	Prometheus	Spire	totally	empty	and	still	locked.	The	driver	didn’t	notice	
  anything	either	and	never	stopped	along	the	route.
  >	Mika
  >	Pherris	still	keeps	a	condo	downtown	for	a	bird’s-eye	view	of	NYC.	She’s	prob-
  ably	got	a	little	Clairaudience/Clairvoyance	blackmail	going	on	for	the	gang	to	
  keep	some	execs	turning	a	blind	eye.
  >	Glasswalker
  KnownMeMBeRS
  Current Headmaster is Phoetaspi, a dwarf from a Greek family. He isn’t 
  believed to be a skilled magician, but he’s effectively coordinated the 
  talents of the gang. He has a thick accent and a receding hairline, but 
  those hardly detract from his charismatic smile and manners. Phoetaspi 
  has worked to expand Merlyn’s Pride and maintain its success. 
  One of the unusual teachers in Merlyn’s pride is a pixie named 
  Master Mairead. How this blonde pixie got to New York still eludes 
  the gang, as she doesn’t speak of it. There’s no question of her devotion 
  to the gang in educating those who wish to learn magic, however. In 
  return, Merlyn’s Pride has created a classroom for her with as much 
  greenery as possible in the Lower West Side.
  Leading the Gang’s magical activities is Master Danny O’Malley, 
  grandson of Bags. He follows in the footsteps of Bags, but has had the 
  support of Merlyn’s Pride since childhood. His red hair and lanky body 
  makes him the spitting image of Bags in his youth. He’s been studying 
  from his grandfather’s notes for years, though he’s believed to be less 
  skilled. He hopes to petition the Society of Hawks to release some of 
  his grandfather’s items to him.
  >	Don’t	they	have	a	few	Free	Spirits	in	their	gang?
  >	Plan	9
  
  18
  10 gangs • MIdWesT PIRaTes guILd
  Midwest Pirates Guild
  THeSaFeHouSe
  The Safehouse is the main headquarters for MPG. It is located on 
  the Northside in Harwood Heights. It’s a solid building, formerly a 
  five-story mall. It is highly defensible, complete with reinforced doors, 
  automated defenses, and its own water supply and power generation. 
  The area around it is patrolled by members of the Meat division. The 
  gang is on friendly terms with its neighbors, but likes to be careful.
  On the inside, the Safehouse is a true hacker’s den. It is a maze 
  of technology old and new, from tape drives to quantum comput-
  ers. It is heavily decorated in AR and real life with an array of geeky 
  imagery and toys. The building houses nearly half of the computing 
  power in Chicago.
  In the Matrix, the Safehouse is a massive icon that dominates 
  the Chicago grid (such as it is). They’ve hacked out most of the 
  Northside and O’Hare Subsprawl grids as their digital turf. For all 
  their dominance of the more civilized networks, they have been 
  either unable or unwilling to make inroads towards controlling 
  NooseNet. They do provide some connectivity to the Zone, although 
  I don’t know whether it’s just plain old-fashioned hacker altruism or 
  the opening moves in a new game.
  aReaoFoPeRaTionS
  As you would expect, the MPG doesn’t really go in for much in the 
  way of physical crime. The occasional tussle with the other natives leads 
  to some violent crime, of course, but they acquire most of their supplies 
  through legitimate means.
  >	I	heard	about	the	MPG	hacking	the	UCAS	military	once.	They	created	a	fictional	
  operation	and	fooled	them	into	airdropping	a	month’s	supplies	for	a	combat	
  brigade	into	Harwood.	They	did	it	cuz	one	of	the	locals	said	that	you	couldn’t	
  make	food	rain	out	of	the	sky.
  >	/dev/grrl
  In the Matrix, it’s a different story. MPG is involved in the usual 
  digital criminal activity—phishing, ID erasure, forgery—but their real 
  specialty is cracking copy protection. They are the foremost distribu-
  tor of cracked warez. Nearly forty percent of all warez sold in 2071 
  displayed one of the MPG’s trademark splash screens when they were 
  run. This is the Guild’s main source of income.
  The hackers of the MPG have a friendly rivalry going, and are 
  quite competitive. Each new hack is placed before a randomly selected 
  review board, who issue a number of points for the feat. Hacks are 
  judged on merit, originality, difficulty, and “coolness factor,” which are 
  MiDweSTPiRaTeSGuiLD
  PoSTeDBy:PiSTonS
  When somebody says gang, everybody thinks of alleys and synthleath-
  er jackets, switchblades and streetline specials, and maybe a motorbike. 
  I’m here to tell you that not every gang member is a knife-wielding, 
  chain-wearing punk with shades and big hair. You can find gangs in 
  cyberspace just as easily as in the meat, if you know where to look. The 
  best example I can think of is the Midwest Pirates Guild.
  HiSToRy
  The Midwest Pirates Guild started as a social network of about two 
  dozen hackers in the Twin City Sprawl. Its initial members were en-
  thusiasts for the 2064 Wireless Matrix Initiative. Over time, the group 
  became more fascinated with the WMI copy protection protocols, 
  which, without going into too much nerdy detail, do some clever 
  things to maintain updates while managing intellectual property 
  rights. It didn’t take long for members to start comparing cracking 
  methods and trying to one-up each other.
  MPG was one of the first groups in the world to start selling 
  cracked versions of programs intended for wireless use. The amount of 
  money that poured in startled them, I think. They began to sink some 
  real resources into cracking programs, but also into Matrix security and 
  digital territory. This was about when they crossed the line between 
  social network and gang.
  The MPG had a few problems over the next few years. It lost two 
  members to Crash 2.0, but since the group was local, it managed to get 
  through it without falling apart. Two years later, its main servers were 
  raided by the UCAS FBI and GOD, and the gang lost another five 
  members to arrest and thousands of nuyen in equipment.
  The Twin City Sprawl was getting too hot for the gang. They 
  took what they had left and moved to Chicago’s Northside. There, 
  they turned their hacking genius to securing and defending turf. Their 
  borders are protected by a hodgepodge of defensive emplacements, 
  sensors, and drones; one will often encounter jury-rigged equipment 
  operating right next to cutting-edge technology, all of it deadly to the 
  unwelcome intruder.
  DeSCRiPTion
  The Midwest Pirates Guild is an informal group, even for a gang. They 
  don’t wear colors, but they all use an identifying ARO that looks like 
  a cybernetic gopher with an eye patch and pirate hat that you can see 
  in AR. Most of the group’s muscle wear some sort of physical patch; 
  however, so that interlopers without AR know on whose turf they’re 
  treading.
  The gang is made up of two de facto divisions: the Matrix and the 
  Meat. These divisions aren’t all that separate—there’s plenty of overlap. 
  The Matrix division handles all of the business, cracking, and hacking 
  the gang needs to do. The Meat division is pretty much everyone else 
  in the gang, including physical security, transportation, and even the 
  odd magician.
  In terms of real estate, the Midwest Pirates Guild controls about 
  a hundred hectares of Harwood Heights, about seven clicks east of 
  O’Hare Airport. They patrol this territory regularly, and offer real pro-
  tection to those trying to eke out a living there. 
  
  19
  MIdWesT PIRaTes guILd • 10 gangs
  PLoTHooKS—MiDweSTPiRaTeSGuiLD
  Mr. Johnson has some data, but it’s stored on some archaic magnetic 
  media. He’s heard rumor that there’s a crew of technophiles in North 
  Chicago that might have the tools to read it. He needs the team to track 
  down the people with the talent and persuade them to bring their gear to 
  a private meeting. He assumes that the runners should be able to arrange 
  this with an appropriate amount of force—they’re just hackers after all.
  SaMPLenPCS—MiDweSTPiRaTeSGuiLD
  MiDweSTPiRaTeSGuiLDMeaT
  The gang’s physical enforcers are well equipped for gangers, especially 
  by Chicago standards. They’re always aware of the latest Matrix memes, 
  and more adept with their commlinks than their physical presence 
  would suggest.
  B
  A
  R
  S
  C
  I
  L
  W
  Ess
  Init
  IP
  4
  4
  3
  3
  2
  3
  2
  3
  6.0
  6
  1
  Armor Rating: 6/4
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Athletics Skill Group 2, Blades 2, Clubs 1, Computer 2, 
  Data Search 1, Dodge 2, First Aid 1, Gunnery 1, Infiltration 1,  
  Intimidation 2, Longarms 3, Pistols 2, Survival 1, Unarmed 
  Combat 2
  Gear: Armor Vest, AR Glasses (Rating 3 with Low-Light, Image 
  Link, Smartlink), Commlink (Device Rating 3).
  Weapons: Franchi SPAS-22 [shotgun, DV 7P, AP -2, SA/BF, 
  RC 1, Ammo 10 (magazine), smartgun, explosive ammo], 
  Monofilament sword [melee, Reach 1, DV 5P, AP -1]
  MiDweSTPiRaTeSGuiLDveTeRanHaCKeR
  A veteran hacker may coordinate several novices on a larger hack or 
  may work solo in cracking through megacorporate systems to get new 
  warez to release. In either case, they always have access to the latest 
  software and hardware that’s capable of running it.
  B
  A
  R
  S
  C
  I
  L
  W
  Ess
  Init
  IP
  3
  3
  3
  2
  4
  5
  4
  4
  5.1
  8
  1
  Matrix Init: 10
  Matrix IP: 3
  Armor Rating: 6/4
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Artisan 1, Computer 4, Con 3, Cybercombat 4, Data 
  Search 3, Electronic Warfare 3, Etiquette 2, Forgery 1, 
  Gunnery 3, Hacking 5, Hardware 3, Locksmith 1, Pilot 
  Aircraft 3, Pilot Ground Vehicle 3, Pistols 1, Software 4, 
  Unarmed Combat 1
  Augmentations: Custom Commlink (Firewall 5, Response 5, 
  Signal 3, System 5), Sim Module (Hot Sim), Control Rig
  Gear: Armor vest, Analyze 5, Armor 5, Attack 5, Bio-Feedback 
  Filter 5, Black Hammer 5, ECCM 4, Exploit 5, Spoof 5,  
  Track 5, combat drone, random junk.
  Weapons: SA Puzzler [light pistol, DV 4P, AP -4, SA, Ammo 12 
  (clip), APDS ammo]
  then added to a random number (just to keep things interesting). Since 
  almost everything a member does can be considered a hack, including 
  cracking commercial programs, optimizing outdoor patrol routes, or 
  erecting astral wards, most members have scores in the millions.
  >	They’ll	also	give	points	to	non-members.	I’ve	got	the	highest	score	for	an	
  outsider	at	the	moment.
  >	Clockwork
  noTaBLeMeMBeRS
  MiKey
  Michael Desmond was one of the founding members of the Midwest 
  Pirates Guild. He was in the Matrix during the Crash 2.0 and flatlined. 
  After the gang moved to Chicago, they discovered an icon claiming 
  to be Desmond, confused and frightened, in one if their new nodes. 
  Though none of its members actually believe he is Desmond risen from 
  the dead, the gang adopted this “ghost in the machine,” humoring him 
  and calling him Mikey after the person he resembles.
  CMoS
  CMOS is the leader in the MPG’s point system. She cranks out 
  cracked software almost daily, and with such flair that her work in-
  cludes some of the most highly valued warez on the black market. She 
  is also extremely popular in nightclubs on the Matrix and in Seattle, 
  her hometown. 
  
  RiSeR’SRanKinG
  MIdWEST PIRATES GuILd
  Territory: Harwood, Chicago 
  Colors/Symbol: Cybernetic Pirate gopher
  Resources: (Firepower) 2; (Magic) 1; (Personnel) 1
  Numbers: ~120
  Threat Rating: 3
  Professionalism: 2
  Training: 3
  >	 I	think	your	rating	system	is	a	bit	misleading	in	this	case,	Riser.	
  Your	numbers	are	good	for	stacking	them	up	against	other	gangs	
  in	the	physical	world,	but	that’s	not	where	this	gang	operates.	
  You	should	add	“Chicago	Grid”	to	your	territory	listing,	and	add	
  Matrix	resources	around	5.	Their	threat	rating	and	training	should	
  also	be	around	5	in	the	Matrix,	and	while	they	are	a	bunch	of	
  goofballs	at	times,	if	you’re	actually	doing	business	with	them	
  their	professionalism	is	4	or	5.
  >	 FastJack	
  
  20
  10 gangs • THe PanoPTICons
  The PanoPTicons
  >	Psychologically	damaged	technomancer	is	redundant.
  >	Clockwork
  oPeRaTionS
  The Panopticons occupy an important niche in LA. Runners looking 
  for a secure way to add professional production values to their reels can 
  contract the Panopticons to shadow them on jobs. Relying heavily on 
  handheld trideo cameras and drones, teams of Panopticons closely, but 
  discreetly, monitor the team. Typically, this footage is edited afterwards 
  to create a reel runners can use to build a rep and enhance the ratings 
  on their P2.0 accounts. 
  On the fly editing is also an option, but it is costly and, of course, 
  incredibly dangerous for both runner and crew. Generally speaking, 
  the Panopticons charge a straight fee paid in advance. However, if 
  you’ve got the street cred, they may negotiate for a cut of the sales and 
  credit for the footage. Their Matrix resources allow them to torch the 
  footage and planning info if the situation gets too hot.
  >	Don’t	bank	on	it.	The	stringers	that	do	their	camera	work	don’t	have	the	most	
  secure	equipment.	I	had	a	“friend”	who	was	on	a	run	when	one	of	the	stringer’s	
  ‘links	got	hacked.	
  >	Mihoshi	Oni
  Despite this focus on production, the gang still does a fair 
  amount of reporting. Their small army of stringers is the gang’s eyes 
  and ears. They use their commlinks to capture developing stories and 
  to summon operators and their assistants as the stories break. Stringers 
  are incredibly aggressive about covering a scene, even by LA standards. 
  News nodes are constantly buzzing about the latest Panopticon string-
  er to be shot, stabbed, run over, or blown up while trying to get the 
  best footage of a run gone sour. 
  The gang also sells BTLs of runs to help cover their production 
  costs and to promote the runners who have exclusive deals with them. 
  They do some drug dealing, mostly providing comfort drugs for their 
  runners or professional drugs for their crews. If you’re looking to score 
  long haul or a cognitive accelerator, these guys generally have plenty 
  of hits of the stuff on hand. After a brush with elimination, this gang 
  knows that survival is predicated on filling their niche and avoiding 
  the big boys. Instead of growing their power through numbers, the 
  Panopticons depend upon the influence their most successful members 
  exercise via P2.0. In fact this is the primary draw of this gang—actively 
  marketing themselves as a springboard into legitimate business. 
  LeaDeRSHiP
  Rorz: This ork Executive Producer is the head of the Panopticons. In 
  his mid-thirties, he’s one of the gang’s oldest members and is generally 
  thought to be a blackballed company man. He’s surprisingly amenable 
  to discussing new script ideas with friends—both his own and his con-
  tacts’ ideas. The Panopticons probably don’t have the funding to orga-
  nize a major production, but he seems to be familiar with the process.
  Mackie: Exotic and beautiful, even by elf standards, this girl is 
  rumored to have fled Awakened Yakut for political reasons. Despite 
  being under twenty, she’s risen rapidly through the ranks with her over-
  whelming presence and ice-cold nerves under fire. She also has a knack 
  for being in the right place at the right time to be the first on the scene 
  to cover breaking stories. 
  THePanoPTiConS
  PoSTeDBy:SKinnyDiPPeR
  GanGHiSToRy
  The Panopticons started life as a Neo-Anarchist thrill gang, operating 
  primarily from the Matrix. Members were typical bored corp kids and 
  burnouts, priding themselves on “Guerilla Reporting;” unmasking 
  the hypocrisy of corporate culture through gonzo tabloid reporting. 
  Their trid and screamsheet reports became a hit throughout LA in 
  the late fifties. Despite their popularity, the gang nearly died out after 
  the Twins. After the twins hit, victims of their past reporting took the 
  Panopticons to task for their work. Gang numbers plummeted amidst 
  bouts of violence, both on and off the Matrix. As the new decade 
  dawned, their numbers hovered in the teens after a particularly vicious 
  run-in with the Los Àngeles Ardientes. 
  After the introduction of P2.0, the Panopticons reinvented 
  themselves. Learning from the past, they built upon their strengths 
  in the Matrix while expanding their presence in the meat world. 
  Turning from reporting to production, they have honed their tech-
  nical skills to provide services to aspiring LA runners. Today, the 
  Panopticons appear content to operate on the fringes of LA society. 
  They have established a shadow Hollywood that provides a way for 
  runners, writers, producers, and technicians to make a big splash in 
  the highly competitive P2.0 scene. 
  >	Horizon	might	have	quietly	pointed	those	“interested	parties”	in	the	right	direc-
  tion.	From	the	Panopticon’s	background	I	doubt	they	were	willing	to	play	ball	
  when	Horizon	made	LA	its	personal	playground.	Sounds	like	the	current	leader-
  ship	made	their	peace	with	Horizon.	Almost	all	the	senior	members	are	on	P2.0.
  >	Dr.	Spin
  >	That’s	not	really	how	they	do	business.
  >	Sunshine
  oRGanizaTion
  The Panopticons closely resemble a trade association. The leaders 
  are specialists in a given field: trideo operations, editing, hacking, 
  etc. Senior members typically take titles like Production Manager or 
  Cinematographer. Each senior member has a handful of “assistants” 
  who learn the trade in the field and under fire. These assistants work 
  like slaves for the senior members until they’ve proven that they are 
  capable of working on their own. Burnout rates are high, but this only 
  serves to drive competition as assistants attempt to climb the ladder of 
  success. Most members start out as “stringers,” little more than hopefuls 
  with souped-up commlinks. Stringers often risk life and limb to record 
  a feature intriguing enough to attract the attention of the Panopticons. 
  They get a few nuyen for their footage and feedback on their style. 
  It’s becoming a popular past time for the desperate and the terminally 
  bored. There’ve been rumors that the gang will let stringers buy into 
  positions as assistants for the right price. 
  There are a lot of stringers. Even in a city with vast P2.0 member-
  ship, it isn’t hard to see how the Panopticons can benefit from their 
  independent surveillance net. 
  >	They	seem	to	attract	technomancers	who	have	been	psychologically	damaged.	
  These	technomancers	are	apparently	rehabilitated	and	serve	as	a	vital	element	
  of	their	Matrix	presence.	Dark	rumors	run	rampant	of	course	…
  >	Nephrine
  
  21
  THe PanoPTICons • 10 gangs
  PanoPTiConJunioRPRoDuCeR
  This is a Panopticon’s first crack at the big leagues. Having been judged 
  worthy by their producer, they are now delegated tasks that require 
  independent operations. If a junior producer can manage these tasks 
  easily, then they will likely be cut loose with their producer’s blessings, 
  free to roam the streets of LA looking for the next big thing.
  B
  A
  R
  S
  C
  I
  L
  W
  Ess
  Init
  IP
  3
  3
  3
  3
  4(5)
  5
  3
  4
  5.8
  8
  1
  Armor Rating: 8/6
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Athletics Group 2, Con 2, Dodge 2, Electronics Group 4,
  Etiquette 4, Infiltration 3, Leadership 3, Negotiation 2, 
  Perception 4, Pistols 2
  Qualities: Addiction (Moderate)
  Augmentations: Tailored Pheromones (Rating 1)
  Gear: Armor Jacket, Micro-Transceiver 6, Satellite Link, Transys 
  Avalon (with Novatech Navi, FTL Matrixware Power Suite)
  Weapons: Morrissey Alta [Pistols, DV 5P, AP –1, 12 (c)]
  Note: It really does not matter what they are addicted to, as long 
  as it is expensive and plays well at parties.
  >	Her	timeliness	is	more	likely	from	all	the	mods	on	her	racing	bike,	than	any	
  knack	for	divination.	The	girl	rides	fast.
  >	2XL
  The Eye: The jury is out on whether the Eye is an extremely secre-
  tive hacker or something else entirely. What is known is that the Eye 
  has been around since the Panopticons’ founding and his assistants 
  conduct virtually all the trideo editing and hacking for the gang.
  >	The	Eye	is	a	weird	one,	but	he	has	a	fascination	with	optics	and	recording	
  equipment.	His	assistants	pay	good	nuyen	for	antique	cameras	or	SOTA	trideo	
  equipment.	Never	met	him	personally	though.
  >	Dr.	Spin
  PLoTHooKS—THePanoPTiConS
  A headhunter at Amalgamated Studios recently saw some footage on 
  Pito that impressed them, and they want to find the person responsible 
  for the camera work. The team is hired to track down the cameraman, 
  who turns out to be a producer for the Panopticons. They’ll need to 
  convince the ganger that a career at Amalgamated really is a good idea 
  and Mr. Johnson that the brilliant cameraman really is the ganger.
  SaMPLenPCS—THePanoPTiConS
  PanoPTiConaSSiSTanT
  Assistants are either proven stringers or people with enough native 
  talent to vault into the junior ranks of the Panopticons. At this level, 
  members can begin to draw upon gang resources like trideo equipment. 
  This equipment is very basic so it is a rite of passage among assistants to 
  acquire their own personalized gear. 
  B
  A
  R
  S
  C
  I
  L
  W
  Ess
  Init
  IP
  2
  3
  3
  2
  3
  4
  3
  3
  6
  7
  1
  Armor Rating: 6/4
  Condition Monitor Boxes: 10
  Skills: Athletics Group 1, Dodge 2, Electronics Group 3, 
  Etiquette 3, Infiltration 2, Perception 3, Pistols 1
  Qualities: Addiction (Mild)
  Gear: Armor Vest, Novatech Airware (with Iris Orb, Edit 3)
  Weapons: Ares Viper Sliver Gun [Pistols, DV: 8P(f), AP +5, 30(c)]
  Note: Novacoke is usually the drug of choice, but Long Haul and 
  persona fix BTLs are also popular.
  
  RiSeR’SRanKinG
  ThE PANoPTICoNS
  Territory: Los angeles 
  Colors/Symbol: Bloodshot eye
  Resources: (Firepower) 1; (Magic) 1; (Personnel) 1 
  Numbers: 200
  Threat Rating: 2
  Professionalism: 3
  Training: 3
  
  22
  10 gangs • 10 gangs CRedITs
  10 GanGs Credits
  10GanGSCReDiTS
  wRiTinG
  Robert Derie, John Dunn, Olivier Gagnon, Jennifer Harding,  
  David Dashifen Kees, Adam Large, Ando Muneno, Aaron Pavao
  PRooFReaDeRS
  Mark Dynna, Mason Hart, Jeremy Weyand
  aRTiST
  Jeff Preston
  SHaDowRunDeveLoPMenT
  Jason Hardy
  SHaDowRunPDFeXCLuSiveSDeveLoPMenT
  Stephen McQullian
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Shadowrun [multi]/4th Edition/Shadowrun 4e - 10 Gangs {CAT26504}.pdf