{{Infobox
|title = {{PAGENAME}} 
|image= [[File:Asmodeus.png]] 
|label5 = Reddit Username
|data5 = [https://www.reddit.com/user/Archdevil_Asmodeus Asmodeus]
|label13 = Timezone
|data13 = GMT+2
|label14 = Country
|data14 = Finland
|label15 = GM Level
|data15 = 3
|label16 = GMP Tracker
|data16 = [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fZLJCIphOx1ZWX2IiMpT0x-5sN4R40NEfvRw8rIuwNg/edit?usp=sharing]
}}

<blockquote><div style="text-align: center;">''" ʜᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴛʀᴇᴍʙʟᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴs, ᴋɪɴɢᴅᴏᴍs ᴛᴏ ғᴀʟʟ ᴏɴᴇ ʙʏ ᴏɴᴇ''
''ᴠɪᴄᴛɪᴍ ᴛᴏ ғᴀʟʟ ғᴏʀ ᴛᴇᴍᴘᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴs, ᴀ ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ғᴀʟʟ ғᴏʀ ᴀ sᴏɴ''

''ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ sᴇʀᴘᴇɴᴛ ᴅᴇᴄᴇɪᴠᴇʀ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀssᴇs sᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴀᴡᴇ''

''ʜᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴀsᴄᴇɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴs ᴀʙᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀʀs ᴏғ ɢᴏᴅ "''</div></blockquote>

=Characters=
<blockquote>
* <big> [[Gigabite]] </big>- Ex-FTD Decker turned into a social butterfly.
* <big> [[Iron]] </big>- A man so bitter, coffee beans run for light.
* <big> [[Angra Mainyu]] </big>- Null Wizard dedicated to refining her ability to deny the mage.
* <big> [[Sephiroth]] </big>
* <big> [[Stacy]] </big>- Sociopath Face that wouldn't hurt a fly... physically, at least.
* <big> [[Veles]] </big>- Ukrainian Monolith member and cognitively suppressed cyborg.
* <big> [[Black Sabbath]] </big>- Fomoraig doppelgänger of a notorious villain and whispered healer of the Redmond Barrens.
* <big> [[Wychking]] </big>- Patriot and Invae hunter aiming to protect her country from Saeder-Krupp's greed.
* <big> [[Zero]] </big>- Should've been Delta Force if it weren't for her broken anti-magic aug prototype.
* <big> [[Saladin]] </big>- Islamic Alchemist hoping not to end up like his father.
* <big> [[Skynet]] </big>- E-Ghost Major in the UCAS Army
</blockquote>

=Gamemaster Foundation=
<blockquote><div style="text-align: center, justify;">
==Declining A Run==
Generally I prefer to choose characters that will accept the run so that the ones that do accept will not need to work at a handicap. Refusing to do a job to its completion after gaining more information during a run, however, is acceptable. I will assume a general amount of informedness owed to the communication between a fixer and a runner they're in contact with, so there shouldn't be a situation where this will become an issue at the meet outright. I make an attempt to write job postings that are direct about the job's contents; this should prevent a meet-'n-dash from happening.

==Derailing A Run==
Derailing or counteracting a run, however, is perfectly fine with me. Even if the run is part of a metaplot, or perhaps exactly because it might be part of a metaplot, giving players freedom to carve their own path is something I aim to encourage and enable. This does not mean going your own way will be easy. On the contrary, most likely going against the Johnson will have serious ramifications for the runner in most cases. Sometimes, however, taking the harder path is more acceptable for their moral compass or just plain survival. I do not aim to make the Johnsons so disagreeable that the players are thirsting to stab them in the back, but know that if for some reason you intend on going against the grain, it is at least an option for you. '''Please consult your fellow players out of character''' before you do, however.

==Cause And Effect==
I aim to create a balanced reality for the players. They are powerful, but even they are not invulnerable. Going loud in a AAA-rated security zone will bring the wrath of GOD and HTR on your head, but the same applies to your enemies if you can provoke them into it. Your enemies will be subjected to the same forces as you are. As far as the things you do during a run go, even seemingly minute things might develop in unpredictable ways. I enjoy giving players smaller details during runs that might end up appearing as significant changes in other runs they're not even a part of. Continuity is a key part of my GMing style and consequences for your actions is a key part of this. Feed a poor elven child? Spare a ghoul? Kill a witness? Who knows how these will come back to you down the road? It's hard to say beforehand, but with thoroughly laid out plans you can reduce the volatility of your consequences. '''''Understand that on my table, dangers are quite real. I do not recommend joining my higher-threat runs if you're not comfortable with the potential of failure or even character death.'''''

==The Grimdark Reality==
Generally speaking, I lean towards the more depressing aspects of a dystopian corporate world with supernatural elements. Things that crawl in the dark and inhumane experimentation, certainly, but also plain human negligence can be themes. I do not do this for shock value, but to test the players' characters and give them trials and tribulations to develop. Moral, ethical and even spiritual struggles develop character and are a great catalyst for growth as far as narrative goes. That said, I dislike excessive gore and guilting players by railroading them into 'difficult' choices. If you see an option to turn a grim run into something you can feel proud of, do so. Player agency is important and to turn a dark world into a slightly brighter one is, in my opinion, part of the Shadowrun fantasy. The darker moments make the brighter events meaningful, after all. '''I will always list content warnings in a run posting if I believe it may be sensitive to some people.'''

==Previous Runs==
{{#ask: [[Category:Runs]][[hasGM::Asmodeus]]
|mainlabel=-
|format=datatables
|?=Name
|?hasMetaplot=Metaplot
|?hasDate=Date
|limit=66
|sort=hasDate
|order=descending
}}</div></blockquote>

Adeptus

2026-08-02T00:19:43Z

Asmodeus: /* Overview */

Wychking

2026-07-31T09:23:38Z

Asmodeus: /* Seattle Chapter */

{{Infobox
|title = {{PAGENAME}}
|image= [[File:Taru1.png]]
|header1= <center>Necromancer of the North</center>
|header2= <center>''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlWM1OXTjIA Just one more time before I'm done.]''</center>
|header3=
|header4=
|label5 = Player
|data5 = [https://shreloaded.net/wiki/User:Asmodeus Asmodeus]
|label6= Metatype
|data6 = Troll (Giant Metatype)
|label7 = Street Cred
|data7= 39
|label8 = Notoriety
|data8 = -3
|label9 = Public Awareness
|data9= 17
|label10 = Titles and Awards
|data10 = 0
|label12 = CDP
|data12 = {{CDP|
|Expenses=150
|Bonuses=102
|}}
|label13 = D.O.B.
|data13 = 10.02.2046
|label14 = Age
|data14 = {{Age|
|Month=10
|Day=02
|Year=2046
|}}
|label15 = Folder
|data15 = [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11RwqQEacB25EpSMQ-kHvcosFX-2b5XFG?usp=sharing]
|label16 = Priority
|data16 = Metatype - A Attributes - E Magic/Resonance - A Skills - E Resources - C
|label17 = Initiate Grades Unlocked
|data17 = {{IGTracker| 
|Month=5
|Day=2
|Year=2083
|AwakenedStatus=1
|}}
|label18 = Next Initiation Unlocked
|data18 = September 30th, 2085
}}

'''''"Deathly fevers burn my head, delirium takes over me. Beyond the gulf of death, pain dissipates for the freshly passed.'''''

'''''"Hell sweats from my wounds, dreams broken by cauterizing irons, sweat rags damp on my forehead, I can't stay any longer.'''''

'''''I cast the peace of death behind me, a battlefield before me once again. Freshly risen, pain wakes in me once more."'''''

 

==Background==
Savo is not a fun place to live in the Sixth World. The Bible Belt southern states equivalent of Finland, it's full of remote towns full of hicks that most people wouldn't really miss if they just disappeared into thin air. And yet, that's where Taru grew up, for better or for worse. Originally an Erika designer child, more specifically a prototype military template in response to constant tensions with Russia, a daring shadowrun funded in part by a researcher that grew a conscience and political funding from the True Finns got her 2-year old self out of an infant nursery facility and off grid to live with other giants as an adopted, SINless child. While she grew up as quietly as she could, sticking to those she trusted and remembering to keep her abilities hidden, she made the mistake of falling in love as a stupid nineteen-year old brat and ran off with her girlfriend into the forests of Central Finland. This didn't get the privilege of being a long-lasting relationship.

As avid hikers, the two of them found an ancient Winter War-era bunker and went looking inside, only to spy chitinous forms within. Stumbling into a nascent insect spirit nest, they tried to run for it but Taru's significant other was stabbed right through the gut with a spear-like forelimb. It was then, shoulder jammed against the front door and desperately trying to keep the things inside from coming out, holding her dying girlfriend in her arms and filled with panic that she heard a voice in her head. A voice offering help. Power. Salvation. The power to make a difference. It warned of a price, of a cost to this power, but Taru didn't listen. She took it in a heartbeat and with a jolt of ice cold chills down her spinal cord, Awakened her latent ability. This was later noted to be purely accidental and it's still unknown what about her genetics allowed her to Awaken.

Slashing those inside the bunker into pieces, she attempted to heal her girlfriend, but as a freshly Awakened novice nothing she did could stem the flow of blood. The help had come too late and she had to watch her first love die in her arms. Ever since that day her life's been nothing but a downwards spiral. Unable to hide her powers any further, Taru ran off on her own, finding work in the shadows to no-one's surprise. This didn't fit her calling all that much, however, and she spent over a decade hunting insect hives across the globe. Many individuals were willing to fund her and a select few others that were willing to do whatever it took to ensure the critters didn't get a foothold in the world. News articles began cropping up of vigilantes uncovering and uprooting Invae colonies across the world, leaving only scorched and charred corpses in their wake. Some saw them as terrorists, others saw them as first responders keeping monsters down.

Collapsing into narcotics and alcoholism in a no-name Hong Kong bar and motel, her past finally caught up to her. Having tried to push away the idea of processing her loss no longer worked and Taru went into a dark, dark place for years. When she began feeling like she might actually recover, Taru booked a ticket to Seattle to run the shadows, as far from Europe as possible since Finland didn't feel like a safe option given her history. Twelve steps out of Seattle's airport she was mugged by the Crimson Crush, robbed of practically everything but her clothes. Taru had found a new life in a new country, but she'd lost everything she had as well.

Nowadays, gotten relatively well back on her feet. Putting her skills as an investigator to use, Taru's become a PI in seattle as a front to her shadowrunning operations. Her fame always looms over her head with hundreds of news reports of her activities and face easily found for those that know what to look for. With a new name and a near-constant use of a Faceless system, she's managed to minimize her exposure, but there's no telling when she faces enough drek to cave into old habits, if Erika discovers their lost wayward child isn't so lost after all and connects the dots, or worse, insect spirits decide to get rid of a particular thorn in their sides.

==Claim to Fame==
Taru was featured often as part of the IID - Interpol Insecticide Division. Many of their accomplishments have been publicized across the world, ranging from a queen mother's nest in Sudan inhabited by hundreds of workers and soldiers to outing a senator in the UCAS House of Representatives as being a True Form Ant. Composed of seven members, each with their own code names, they've been called either worldwide heroes that chase evil across borders or thinly veiled vigilantes murdering anyone like a zealous inquisition. When they showed up to a town, a mixed feeling of security and fear turned up as one could either be saved from a future death or grabbed and brutally interrogated for even the slightest hint of infestation.

In a few choice cases, the IID was reported to have burned down entire rural villages down to the last soul, considering them unsalvageable. They were given undisputed authority once the presence of insect spirits was confirmed, but prior to that piece of information their actions were highly scrutinized and limited. As a result, they often were relentless in chasing trails and intimidating locals into giving up anyone and anything to be rid of the IID's harassment. To captured victims of insect shamans, however, they were uncompromisingly protective and more often than not put themselves in harm's way if the alternative was to let innocents die to the Invae. '''Wychking, Napalm, Agent Orange, Oppenheimer, Anthrax, Hollowpoint and Cluster''' were the codenames that the team had, and while she wasn't the most well known of the members, Taru's imposing physique and wide Slash spells cutting swathes of insect spirits down are easily recognizable.

==Seattle Chapter==
When she first began her rehab in Seattle, Taru's arcane strength returned but her body lagged behind. She made allies in powerful circles such as the likes of [[Orianna Cazador]] and even [[Kalanyr]] himself and equipped herself with cutting edge magical paraphernalia which she later upgraded into greater artifacts with Kalanyr's assistance. Despite this, she maintained a strong relationship with [[Adeptus]] and the [[Lady of Pain]], an avatar of a lesser death god sent forth from the underworld and stalwart companion on her crusade against Invae. Three great hives fell by her hand in Seattle in short order.

A grave turning point was a job to investigate a cult blacksite in the Seattle Sprawl. Signs of demonic incursions were rampant, toxic background counts and eldritch tomes laden all over, Wychking came out of the job intact but burdened with an affliction - she heard muted, distant whispers inside of her mind. Exposure to forbidden knowledge tainted her soul and tempted her to tap into the power it promised. Between struggling to handle the extremely powerful dragon-crafted foci she wielded, the physical dependence on booze and drugs and now the cognitohazardous temptations in her head, Taru felt the burden of her years beginning to pull her once proud and upright posture downwards.

Eventually, however, she managed to fight off her addictions after years of struggling and completely purged her body of withdrawals and urges to take any substances. Her actions against the Elder God cult in Providence and Seattle earned her the ire of the '''Burned Man,''' the last survivor of the dark cult. When she tracked him down in Finland, Taru dreamed - or perhaps hallucinated - a vision of her late love forgiving her for what happened all those years ago. It was a weight off her shoulders and for over a year, Wychking dwelt in Erika's ranks performing corporate security and reinforcing the company's procedures against insect infiltration.

When she re-emerged in the shadow business, it was with a foreboding kind of magic of black flame, iron and grim fatalism. Her attempts to contain the spirit of a folk legend into a suitable weapon backfired, trapping some malevolent scrap of her subconscious in an axe. What was meant to be Lalli, the berserk peasant of Köyliönjärvi, instead became something profane that she couldn't explain. Trying to complete her original mission to find more information about S-K's efforts to subvert Erika's control of Finland is all the more complicated now that she has to contest with the cognitohazardous temptations of forbidden knowledge, an unknown malice in her cursed axe and the ever-present threat of Invae loathing her as much as they loathe Ares.

==Significant Things for Narrative==
* '''The Witch King''' - ''You know me by reputation. I am the Bane of the Brotherhood. I am Chitin's Anathema. I am the sorcerer you despise.''
*# '''Global Fame''' - ''There are those more well known than me, but all around the world people know what I have dedicated my life to and the lines I will cross without hesitation to do so.''
*# '''Spirit Bane (Invae)''' - ''There are those in mage circles who slighted a particular kind of spirit. I am the most obvious example. Hatred towards me transcends boundaries. All Invae seek my blood.''
*# '''Legendary Rep: Interpol''' - ''I know the Corporate Court's agencies seek profit, but they also have the funds and resources to wage a war of terror against insect spirits. I have good ties with them even now.''
*# '''Solid Rep: FBI''' - ''No matter the branch of government, even the Federal Bureau favors those that reave astral threats off their radar.''
*# '''Day Job: Private Investigator''' - ''Ten hours a week isn't a giant workload, but that's just when I'm out meeting and talking and investigating. Back home I do a lot more research to solve these cases.''

* '''Apprentice of Louhi''' - ''Louhi, Pohjolan emäntä, Pohjan akka harvahammas. Annapa voimaa tytöllesi, Pohjan naekkoselle uuvelle. Sovin minä luppauksen rattoesan nimmees suuren ja karmean.''
*# '''Astral Bouncer''' - ''I can see into your soul deeper than others. Reveal to me your secrets in the name of the Matriarch!''
*# '''Spirit Whisperer''' - ''The spirit world knows my quest. They know I have committed all of myself to this struggle. To that end, they answer the call.''
*# '''Spirit Affinity: Guardian''' - ''The Daughters of the North favor me. We are both family and bound to Louhi, the great and terrible matriarch.''
*# '''Mentor Spirit: Oak''' - ''Tammi vahva ja väkevä, sisuinen olento metsän ikkuisen. Juurestas ammennan vastaan väkivaltaa ja raivoa sitä vakuutta ja rauhaa.''
*# '''Chosen Follower''' - ''Steadfast. Calm. Stoic. These are the traits that my guiding light approves of. Louhi watches over me and instils these Northern traits in me.''

* '''Cursed Soul''' - ''No-one is free from wear and tear. Entropy claims all, and while I stand tall against the ravages of time... I am tired. I am flawed. And I grow weak.''
*# '''History Is Not As Certain As We Thought''' - ''I've seen beyond the veil...''
*# '''A Terrible Fascination 2''' - ''...and it saw me too. Its power. I hear the whispers in my mind. The '''Burned Man''' stalked me, but he was only the surface of the eyes looking for me.''
*# '''Insomnia''' - ''My dreams cease and a darkness overtakes me. I'm tired, yet I can't sleep. It's there, when I close my eyes. It looks at me and I know it's known me my whole life. But what is it?''
*# '''Prototype Transhuman''' - ''I don't tell people about it, but I know where I am from. Interpol checked the designs. I am not a natural creature. My efforts are great, but not entirely my own.''

==Run History==
{{RunHistory}}

==Affiliations==

===Contacts===
{{ContactTable|
{{HasContact|
|Name=Adeptus
|Loyalty=5
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Fan Yang
|Loyalty=3
|Chips=-2
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Woedica Kryptman
|Loyalty=4
|Chips=-1
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Orianna Cazador
|Loyalty=4
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Doctors Malcolm & Ian Crichton
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Bubblegum
|Loyalty=2
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Kalanyr
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Rachel Rosen
|Loyalty=4
|Chips=Even
|}}
}}

{{GroupContactTable|

{{GroupContact|
|Group=Erika
|Position=Black Ops Magician
|RepBonus=0
|RepExpense=0
|DateJoined=2084-09-11
|}}

}}

* '''Positive Reputation'''
{| class="wikitable"
!Faction!!Reputation
|-
|Interpol
|32
|-
|Ex-Firewatch
|10
|-
|Streets of Renton
|10
|-
|FBI
|10
|-
|Seattle Volunteer Firefighter Department
|3
|-
|Knight-Errant
|1
|-
|Delta Green
|2
|-
|Black Lodge
|2
|-
|DIMR
|1
|-
|}
* '''Negative Reputation'''
{| class="wikitable"
!Faction!!Reputation
|-
|Black Crysanthemum
|40
|-
|Streets of Everett
|4
|-
|}

==Matrix Search Table==

{{SearchTable|
|LowResult=Private investigator of astral phenomena. Very famous due to her past as an international insect spirit exterminator. Recently appeared in news due to crushing an insect spirit infestation in the UCAS FBI.
|MidResult=Greatest public achievement is disrupting an insect queen in Sioux eight years ago all by herself and burning her nest to ashes before her team arrived. Presumably skilled in forensic necromancy. Horizon possesses rights to continue the Insect Slayer line of movies always advertised as being based on a true story
|HighResult=Got kicked from the bug hunters due to serious Aisa addiction, but was famous for her endurance, even for a giant. Eyewitness reports claim increasingly astounding feats: leading shambling hordes of the walking dead, ripping queens in half with her bare hands, divining a hiding insect host from thousands in moments, predicting infestations, lighting herself on fire to exorcise a host and more. Some of these are exceptionally detailed accounts, others seem sensationalist.
}}

==Shadow Community Table==
{{SearchTable|
|LowThreshold=1
|LowResult=Follows an obscure tradition involving a mythos from Finland.
|MidThreshold=3
|MidResult=Lanky and far from as strong as most giants, Helix had rumors of her being hunted by someone.
|HighThreshold=5
|HighResult=Her origins are mysteriously vague. She is tight-lipped about it in interviews, though given her metatype and slight accent, she's presumed to be Nordic.
}}

==Assensing Table==

{| class="wikitable" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 10px"
! style="text-align:left;" |Threshold
! style="text-align:left;" |Description
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |1
|Awakened.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |2
|A Magician. Appears to have two powerful foci, a power focus as an iron ring and a centering focus as a metallic belt buckle.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |3
|Bears a grim, depressing aura where-ever she goes.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |4
|Pain editor, platelet factories and a biolink, all a natural, organic part of her anatomy. Full six Essence. Power Focus is Force 7, Centering Focus is Force 10. Anyone that's assensed Kalanyr can recognize his handiwork.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |5
|Not a technomancer. Has delta-grade memory augs ranging from cranial learning stimuli to mnemonic enhancers. Also has signs of plastic surgery.
|}

==Tradition: Kalevala==
Finnish mythology is a long and ancient oral tradition that has barely been codified in written language. '''Two variants of it exist in modern understanding.'''

The '''first''' of them is the faith of the shamans that follow the teachings of Väinämöinen, the great hero-god, singer, sage and greatest of shamans. He had an instrument made out of a great fish's jaw, played grand songs from it, sunk his enemies into bogs with song and defended the Finnish people from evil. Shamans that follow his edicts often form covenants with the various gods of the polytheistic pagan faith, like Tapio the Forest God, Ahti the Ocean God or Iku-Turso, the Great Beast of the Deep.

The '''second''' variant - Wychking has formed a covenant with Louhi, the greatest of witches and matriarch of the cold, dark North. She represents witchcraft over shamanism and often draws from darker sources of power. Much of her practices are comparable to more widespread Necro Magic, but key differences are noticeable. Summoning "Ironfolk" to do a witch's bidding isn't seen any more evil than crafting a hammer to beat in nails. The dead are a force to negotiate with just like any other, rather than the Western concept of bodies being immutable and sacred shrines. For this reason, necromancy, spells of frosty cold and travels into the Finnish Underworld's metaplane are favored.

Louhi's witches favor matriarchal power structures while Väinämöinen and his disciples have often led a patriarchal system as was tradition back in their day. One focuses on thriving in the cold, the dark, the lifeless wastes of an inhospitable existence. The other pays attention to the lushness of nature, being in harmony with the world and protecting its beauty. While in the past these two sects were highly adversarial, nowadays it's more mellowed out, as they inhabit different areas and have different areas of concern, finding no reason to quarrel with one another.

===Spirits===
* Corpse Spirit - '''Ironfolk,''' Residents of the Dead Land. Visitors from the Underworld can be possible if a corpse is embedded with iron rods, chainmail and other iron items. The element is crucial to the afterlife.
* Carcass Spirit - '''Bear of the Underworld,''' the Great Beast of the Dead. The bear is as vital as the Hound, although the bear is often more protective than a hunting dog off its leash.
* Rot Spirit - '''Kratti,''' The Keeper of Treasures. While Aarni is related to Kratti, they're various guardians of valuable secrets.
* Detritus Spirit - '''Mara,''' Tar-Troll and Nightmare. Known for disrupting the rest of others, it's unwise to keep Mara around if one wants a consistent sleep schedule.
* Palefire Spirit - '''Liekkiö,''' The Burning Bastard. A young child, no older than six, who died a tragic death before blessings. They scream, wail and babble in the woods, annoying travellers or horrifying them with their presence.

==Kaisa Koukonen==
The first ally spirit that Taru created was The [[Lady of Pain]], an avatar of one of the gods of the Finnish underworld, Tuonela. She agreed to aid the giant's quest due to her purpose as a god, to distribute suffering and strife evenly and rightfully among mortals. After Taru found closure in the Dominion of the Black, the pain that had lived in her heart for decades finally began to abate. The Lady of Pain had succeeded in her goal and thus sought to end the contract that the two had made. Knowing better than to anger the deities in such a shamanistic tradition, Wychking agreed. However, this left her with a problem. Beseeching the dead gods for another service would be impudent; she already draws greatly on the resources of the underworld with her necromantic rituals and they rarely suffer the living to tread on their soil freely. Knowing this, Taru began to seek alternatives. The other gods of nature proved unwilling to offer their boons to someone seeking to attack. Most of the spirits and supernatural entities in Finland are defensive, protecting the land from harm but not wandering outside of it. Yet one was found that took to this bargain and happily accepted the terms.

Kaisa is, of course, a false name. In UCAS, she often introduces herself as Kate, making it easier for her to seem local to some degree. In truth, this spirit is known as a Kouko, a herald of death and foul entity of omens. Often it's been described as various forms and shapes: a ghost, a spectre, a parasite, a bear, a giant, a demon. A nightmare to scare children with, harbinger of one's death, its voice alone can bring doom when one hears it. Kouko answered Taru's summons, willing to cross Finland's borders and head to lands unknown in search of more death to spread. Taru is under no illusions of the spirit's intentions. It desires death and destruction and she has to keep it on a short leash to stop it from acting on its nature. Often the spirit disguises itself as a woman with black hair and black clothes, lending to its mythological appearance. She also avoids speaking as much as possible due to Wychking's orders, as hearing it speak is an omen of death.

[[File:Kouko.jpg|1400px|frameless|center|alt=The herald of Death|The Herald of Death]]

==SINs==
*'''Taru Satukanto''' - Corporate SIN, Erika
*# Magician License
*# Private Investigator License
*# Controlled Substance License

==Gallery==
<center><gallery>
Corpse Spirit.jpg|The dead walk the streets when Corpse Spirits are conjured.
Detritus Spirit.jpg|Tar seeps from the earth, becoming a Spirit of Detritus.
Palefire Spirit.jpg|Ashes vaguely in the shape of a person make up a Palefire Spirit.
Rot Spirit.jpg|Death of a forest, skeletal and made of wood embody a Spirit of Rot.
Carcass Spirit.jpg|Bear of the Underworld, rotten and full of iron. Such is the guise of a Carcass Spirit.
Kouko Full.jpg|Kouko's true appearance slips from below its lifelike guise.
Wychking Attire.jpg|Taru's customized attire as a proper Witch of the North.
</gallery></center>
[[Category:Player Characters]]

Wychking

2026-07-31T08:59:57Z

Asmodeus:

{{Infobox
|title = {{PAGENAME}}
|image= [[File:Taru1.png]]
|header1= <center>Necromancer of the North</center>
|header2= <center>''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlWM1OXTjIA Just one more time before I'm done.]''</center>
|header3=
|header4=
|label5 = Player
|data5 = [https://shreloaded.net/wiki/User:Asmodeus Asmodeus]
|label6= Metatype
|data6 = Troll (Giant Metatype)
|label7 = Street Cred
|data7= 39
|label8 = Notoriety
|data8 = -3
|label9 = Public Awareness
|data9= 17
|label10 = Titles and Awards
|data10 = 0
|label12 = CDP
|data12 = {{CDP|
|Expenses=150
|Bonuses=102
|}}
|label13 = D.O.B.
|data13 = 10.02.2046
|label14 = Age
|data14 = {{Age|
|Month=10
|Day=02
|Year=2046
|}}
|label15 = Folder
|data15 = [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11RwqQEacB25EpSMQ-kHvcosFX-2b5XFG?usp=sharing]
|label16 = Priority
|data16 = Metatype - A Attributes - E Magic/Resonance - A Skills - E Resources - C
|label17 = Initiate Grades Unlocked
|data17 = {{IGTracker| 
|Month=5
|Day=2
|Year=2083
|AwakenedStatus=1
|}}
|label18 = Next Initiation Unlocked
|data18 = September 30th, 2085
}}

'''''"Deathly fevers burn my head, delirium takes over me. Beyond the gulf of death, pain dissipates for the freshly passed.'''''

'''''"Hell sweats from my wounds, dreams broken by cauterizing irons, sweat rags damp on my forehead, I can't stay any longer.'''''

'''''I cast the peace of death behind me, a battlefield before me once again. Freshly risen, pain wakes in me once more."'''''

 

==Background==
Savo is not a fun place to live in the Sixth World. The Bible Belt southern states equivalent of Finland, it's full of remote towns full of hicks that most people wouldn't really miss if they just disappeared into thin air. And yet, that's where Taru grew up, for better or for worse. Originally an Erika designer child, more specifically a prototype military template in response to constant tensions with Russia, a daring shadowrun funded in part by a researcher that grew a conscience and political funding from the True Finns got her 2-year old self out of an infant nursery facility and off grid to live with other giants as an adopted, SINless child. While she grew up as quietly as she could, sticking to those she trusted and remembering to keep her abilities hidden, she made the mistake of falling in love as a stupid nineteen-year old brat and ran off with her girlfriend into the forests of Central Finland. This didn't get the privilege of being a long-lasting relationship.

As avid hikers, the two of them found an ancient Winter War-era bunker and went looking inside, only to spy chitinous forms within. Stumbling into a nascent insect spirit nest, they tried to run for it but Taru's significant other was stabbed right through the gut with a spear-like forelimb. It was then, shoulder jammed against the front door and desperately trying to keep the things inside from coming out, holding her dying girlfriend in her arms and filled with panic that she heard a voice in her head. A voice offering help. Power. Salvation. The power to make a difference. It warned of a price, of a cost to this power, but Taru didn't listen. She took it in a heartbeat and with a jolt of ice cold chills down her spinal cord, Awakened her latent ability. This was later noted to be purely accidental and it's still unknown what about her genetics allowed her to Awaken.

Slashing those inside the bunker into pieces, she attempted to heal her girlfriend, but as a freshly Awakened novice nothing she did could stem the flow of blood. The help had come too late and she had to watch her first love die in her arms. Ever since that day her life's been nothing but a downwards spiral. Unable to hide her powers any further, Taru ran off on her own, finding work in the shadows to no-one's surprise. This didn't fit her calling all that much, however, and she spent over a decade hunting insect hives across the globe. Many individuals were willing to fund her and a select few others that were willing to do whatever it took to ensure the critters didn't get a foothold in the world. News articles began cropping up of vigilantes uncovering and uprooting Invae colonies across the world, leaving only scorched and charred corpses in their wake. Some saw them as terrorists, others saw them as first responders keeping monsters down.

Collapsing into narcotics and alcoholism in a no-name Hong Kong bar and motel, her past finally caught up to her. Having tried to push away the idea of processing her loss no longer worked and Taru went into a dark, dark place for years. When she began feeling like she might actually recover, Taru booked a ticket to Seattle to run the shadows, as far from Europe as possible since Finland didn't feel like a safe option given her history. Twelve steps out of Seattle's airport she was mugged by the Crimson Crush, robbed of practically everything but her clothes. Taru had found a new life in a new country, but she'd lost everything she had as well.

Nowadays, gotten relatively well back on her feet. Putting her skills as an investigator to use, Taru's become a PI in seattle as a front to her shadowrunning operations. Her fame always looms over her head with hundreds of news reports of her activities and face easily found for those that know what to look for. With a new name and a near-constant use of a Faceless system, she's managed to minimize her exposure, but there's no telling when she faces enough drek to cave into old habits, if Erika discovers their lost wayward child isn't so lost after all and connects the dots, or worse, insect spirits decide to get rid of a particular thorn in their sides.

==Claim to Fame==
Taru was featured often as part of the IID - Interpol Insecticide Division. Many of their accomplishments have been publicized across the world, ranging from a queen mother's nest in Sudan inhabited by hundreds of workers and soldiers to outing a senator in the UCAS House of Representatives as being a True Form Ant. Composed of seven members, each with their own code names, they've been called either worldwide heroes that chase evil across borders or thinly veiled vigilantes murdering anyone like a zealous inquisition. When they showed up to a town, a mixed feeling of security and fear turned up as one could either be saved from a future death or grabbed and brutally interrogated for even the slightest hint of infestation.

In a few choice cases, the IID was reported to have burned down entire rural villages down to the last soul, considering them unsalvageable. They were given undisputed authority once the presence of insect spirits was confirmed, but prior to that piece of information their actions were highly scrutinized and limited. As a result, they often were relentless in chasing trails and intimidating locals into giving up anyone and anything to be rid of the IID's harassment. To captured victims of insect shamans, however, they were uncompromisingly protective and more often than not put themselves in harm's way if the alternative was to let innocents die to the Invae. '''Wychking, Napalm, Agent Orange, Oppenheimer, Anthrax, Hollowpoint and Cluster''' were the codenames that the team had, and while she wasn't the most well known of the members, Taru's imposing physique and wide Slash spells cutting swathes of insect spirits down are easily recognizable.

==Seattle Chapter==
When she first began her rehab in Seattle, Taru grew increasingly powerful, her body lagging behind with what her magic could accomplish. She made allies in powerful circles such as the likes of [[Orianna Cazador]] and even [[Kalanyr]] himself and equipped herself with cutting edge magical paraphernalia which she later upgraded into greater artifacts with Kalanyr's assistance. Despite this, she maintained a strong relationship with [[Adeptus]] and Pain Girl, her ally spirit and stalwart companion on her crusade against Invae. A hive of roaches and two great wasp hives fell by her hand in Seattle, yet she further strengthened the ward around her private investigator's office in Everett and bound great spirits.

A grave turning point was a job to investigate a cult blacksite in the Seattle Sprawl. Signs of demonic incursions were rampant, toxic background counts and eldritch tomes laden all over, Wychking came out of the job intact but burdened with an affliction - she heard muted, distant whispers inside of her mind. Exposure to forbidden knowledge tainted her soul and tempted her to tap into the power it promised. Between struggling to handle the extremely powerful dragon-crafted foci she wielded, the physical dependence on booze and drugs and now the cognitohazardous temptations in her head, Taru felt the burden of her years beginning to pull her once proud and upright posture downwards.

Eventually, however, she managed to fight off her addictions after years of struggling and completely purged her body of withdrawals and urges to take any substances. Her actions against the Elder God cult in Providence and Seattle earned her the ire of the '''Burned Man,''' the last survivor of the dark cult. His assault on her lodge led her to losing her lofty manor, yet Taru feels more liberated than ever, feeling like she's rid herself of some of her personal demons. These new astral threats are grave, but she intends to leave them to specialist professionals. When her mind is compromised and it leads her further astray, this is easier said than done. Wychking is healthier and more straightforward, but her journey to conquer herself and her circumstances are far from over. The timing couldn't be worse when she's besieged by vengeful survivors and madmen, not to mention the ever-present threat of Invae rearing its head the second she relents her hunt.

==Significant Things for Narrative==
* '''The Witch King''' - ''You know me by reputation. I am the Bane of the Brotherhood. I am Chitin's Anathema. I am the sorcerer you despise.''
*# '''Global Fame''' - ''There are those more well known than me, but all around the world people know what I have dedicated my life to and the lines I will cross without hesitation to do so.''
*# '''Spirit Bane (Invae)''' - ''There are those in mage circles who slighted a particular kind of spirit. I am the most obvious example. Hatred towards me transcends boundaries. All Invae seek my blood.''
*# '''Legendary Rep: Interpol''' - ''I know the Corporate Court's agencies seek profit, but they also have the funds and resources to wage a war of terror against insect spirits. I have good ties with them even now.''
*# '''Solid Rep: FBI''' - ''No matter the branch of government, even the Federal Bureau favors those that reave astral threats off their radar.''
*# '''Day Job: Private Investigator''' - ''Ten hours a week isn't a giant workload, but that's just when I'm out meeting and talking and investigating. Back home I do a lot more research to solve these cases.''

* '''Apprentice of Louhi''' - ''Louhi, Pohjolan emäntä, Pohjan akka harvahammas. Annapa voimaa tytöllesi, Pohjan naekkoselle uuvelle. Sovin minä luppauksen rattoesan nimmees suuren ja karmean.''
*# '''Astral Bouncer''' - ''I can see into your soul deeper than others. Reveal to me your secrets in the name of the Matriarch!''
*# '''Spirit Whisperer''' - ''The spirit world knows my quest. They know I have committed all of myself to this struggle. To that end, they answer the call.''
*# '''Spirit Affinity: Guardian''' - ''The Daughters of the North favor me. We are both family and bound to Louhi, the great and terrible matriarch.''
*# '''Mentor Spirit: Oak''' - ''Tammi vahva ja väkevä, sisuinen olento metsän ikkuisen. Juurestas ammennan vastaan väkivaltaa ja raivoa sitä vakuutta ja rauhaa.''
*# '''Chosen Follower''' - ''Steadfast. Calm. Stoic. These are the traits that my guiding light approves of. Louhi watches over me and instils these Northern traits in me.''

* '''Cursed Soul''' - ''No-one is free from wear and tear. Entropy claims all, and while I stand tall against the ravages of time... I am tired. I am flawed. And I grow weak.''
*# '''History Is Not As Certain As We Thought''' - ''I've seen beyond the veil...''
*# '''A Terrible Fascination 2''' - ''...and it saw me too. Its power. I hear the whispers in my mind. The '''Burned Man''' stalked me, but he was only the surface of the eyes looking for me.''
*# '''Insomnia''' - ''My dreams cease and a darkness overtakes me. I'm tired, yet I can't sleep. It's there, when I close my eyes. It looks at me and I know it's known me my whole life. But what is it?''
*# '''Prototype Transhuman''' - ''I don't tell people about it, but I know where I am from. Interpol checked the designs. I am not a natural creature. My efforts are great, but not entirely my own.''

==Run History==
{{RunHistory}}

==Affiliations==

===Contacts===
{{ContactTable|
{{HasContact|
|Name=Adeptus
|Loyalty=5
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Fan Yang
|Loyalty=3
|Chips=-2
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Woedica Kryptman
|Loyalty=4
|Chips=-1
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Orianna Cazador
|Loyalty=4
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Doctors Malcolm & Ian Crichton
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Bubblegum
|Loyalty=2
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Kalanyr
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Rachel Rosen
|Loyalty=4
|Chips=Even
|}}
}}

{{GroupContactTable|

{{GroupContact|
|Group=Erika
|Position=Black Ops Magician
|RepBonus=0
|RepExpense=0
|DateJoined=2084-09-11
|}}

}}

* '''Positive Reputation'''
{| class="wikitable"
!Faction!!Reputation
|-
|Interpol
|32
|-
|Ex-Firewatch
|10
|-
|Streets of Renton
|10
|-
|FBI
|10
|-
|Seattle Volunteer Firefighter Department
|3
|-
|Knight-Errant
|1
|-
|Delta Green
|2
|-
|Black Lodge
|2
|-
|DIMR
|1
|-
|}
* '''Negative Reputation'''
{| class="wikitable"
!Faction!!Reputation
|-
|Black Crysanthemum
|40
|-
|Streets of Everett
|4
|-
|}

==Matrix Search Table==

{{SearchTable|
|LowResult=Private investigator of astral phenomena. Very famous due to her past as an international insect spirit exterminator. Recently appeared in news due to crushing an insect spirit infestation in the UCAS FBI.
|MidResult=Greatest public achievement is disrupting an insect queen in Sioux eight years ago all by herself and burning her nest to ashes before her team arrived. Presumably skilled in forensic necromancy. Horizon possesses rights to continue the Insect Slayer line of movies always advertised as being based on a true story
|HighResult=Got kicked from the bug hunters due to serious Aisa addiction, but was famous for her endurance, even for a giant. Eyewitness reports claim increasingly astounding feats: leading shambling hordes of the walking dead, ripping queens in half with her bare hands, divining a hiding insect host from thousands in moments, predicting infestations, lighting herself on fire to exorcise a host and more. Some of these are exceptionally detailed accounts, others seem sensationalist.
}}

==Shadow Community Table==
{{SearchTable|
|LowThreshold=1
|LowResult=Follows an obscure tradition involving a mythos from Finland.
|MidThreshold=3
|MidResult=Lanky and far from as strong as most giants, Helix had rumors of her being hunted by someone.
|HighThreshold=5
|HighResult=Her origins are mysteriously vague. She is tight-lipped about it in interviews, though given her metatype and slight accent, she's presumed to be Nordic.
}}

==Assensing Table==

{| class="wikitable" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 10px"
! style="text-align:left;" |Threshold
! style="text-align:left;" |Description
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |1
|Awakened.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |2
|A Magician. Appears to have two powerful foci, a power focus as an iron ring and a centering focus as a metallic belt buckle.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |3
|Bears a grim, depressing aura where-ever she goes.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |4
|Pain editor, platelet factories and a biolink, all a natural, organic part of her anatomy. Full six Essence. Power Focus is Force 7, Centering Focus is Force 10. Anyone that's assensed Kalanyr can recognize his handiwork.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |5
|Not a technomancer. Has delta-grade memory augs ranging from cranial learning stimuli to mnemonic enhancers. Also has signs of plastic surgery.
|}

==Tradition: Kalevala==
Finnish mythology is a long and ancient oral tradition that has barely been codified in written language. '''Two variants of it exist in modern understanding.'''

The '''first''' of them is the faith of the shamans that follow the teachings of Väinämöinen, the great hero-god, singer, sage and greatest of shamans. He had an instrument made out of a great fish's jaw, played grand songs from it, sunk his enemies into bogs with song and defended the Finnish people from evil. Shamans that follow his edicts often form covenants with the various gods of the polytheistic pagan faith, like Tapio the Forest God, Ahti the Ocean God or Iku-Turso, the Great Beast of the Deep.

The '''second''' variant - Wychking has formed a covenant with Louhi, the greatest of witches and matriarch of the cold, dark North. She represents witchcraft over shamanism and often draws from darker sources of power. Much of her practices are comparable to more widespread Necro Magic, but key differences are noticeable. Summoning "Ironfolk" to do a witch's bidding isn't seen any more evil than crafting a hammer to beat in nails. The dead are a force to negotiate with just like any other, rather than the Western concept of bodies being immutable and sacred shrines. For this reason, necromancy, spells of frosty cold and travels into the Finnish Underworld's metaplane are favored.

Louhi's witches favor matriarchal power structures while Väinämöinen and his disciples have often led a patriarchal system as was tradition back in their day. One focuses on thriving in the cold, the dark, the lifeless wastes of an inhospitable existence. The other pays attention to the lushness of nature, being in harmony with the world and protecting its beauty. While in the past these two sects were highly adversarial, nowadays it's more mellowed out, as they inhabit different areas and have different areas of concern, finding no reason to quarrel with one another.

===Spirits===
* Corpse Spirit - '''Ironfolk,''' Residents of the Dead Land. Visitors from the Underworld can be possible if a corpse is embedded with iron rods, chainmail and other iron items. The element is crucial to the afterlife.
* Carcass Spirit - '''Bear of the Underworld,''' the Great Beast of the Dead. The bear is as vital as the Hound, although the bear is often more protective than a hunting dog off its leash.
* Rot Spirit - '''Kratti,''' The Keeper of Treasures. While Aarni is related to Kratti, they're various guardians of valuable secrets.
* Detritus Spirit - '''Mara,''' Tar-Troll and Nightmare. Known for disrupting the rest of others, it's unwise to keep Mara around if one wants a consistent sleep schedule.
* Palefire Spirit - '''Liekkiö,''' The Burning Bastard. A young child, no older than six, who died a tragic death before blessings. They scream, wail and babble in the woods, annoying travellers or horrifying them with their presence.

==Kaisa Koukonen==
The first ally spirit that Taru created was The [[Lady of Pain]], an avatar of one of the gods of the Finnish underworld, Tuonela. She agreed to aid the giant's quest due to her purpose as a god, to distribute suffering and strife evenly and rightfully among mortals. After Taru found closure in the Dominion of the Black, the pain that had lived in her heart for decades finally began to abate. The Lady of Pain had succeeded in her goal and thus sought to end the contract that the two had made. Knowing better than to anger the deities in such a shamanistic tradition, Wychking agreed. However, this left her with a problem. Beseeching the dead gods for another service would be impudent; she already draws greatly on the resources of the underworld with her necromantic rituals and they rarely suffer the living to tread on their soil freely. Knowing this, Taru began to seek alternatives. The other gods of nature proved unwilling to offer their boons to someone seeking to attack. Most of the spirits and supernatural entities in Finland are defensive, protecting the land from harm but not wandering outside of it. Yet one was found that took to this bargain and happily accepted the terms.

Kaisa is, of course, a false name. In UCAS, she often introduces herself as Kate, making it easier for her to seem local to some degree. In truth, this spirit is known as a Kouko, a herald of death and foul entity of omens. Often it's been described as various forms and shapes: a ghost, a spectre, a parasite, a bear, a giant, a demon. A nightmare to scare children with, harbinger of one's death, its voice alone can bring doom when one hears it. Kouko answered Taru's summons, willing to cross Finland's borders and head to lands unknown in search of more death to spread. Taru is under no illusions of the spirit's intentions. It desires death and destruction and she has to keep it on a short leash to stop it from acting on its nature. Often the spirit disguises itself as a woman with black hair and black clothes, lending to its mythological appearance. She also avoids speaking as much as possible due to Wychking's orders, as hearing it speak is an omen of death.

[[File:Kouko.jpg|1400px|frameless|center|alt=The herald of Death|The Herald of Death]]

==SINs==
*'''Taru Satukanto''' - Corporate SIN, Erika
*# Magician License
*# Private Investigator License
*# Controlled Substance License

==Gallery==
<center><gallery>
Corpse Spirit.jpg|The dead walk the streets when Corpse Spirits are conjured.
Detritus Spirit.jpg|Tar seeps from the earth, becoming a Spirit of Detritus.
Palefire Spirit.jpg|Ashes vaguely in the shape of a person make up a Palefire Spirit.
Rot Spirit.jpg|Death of a forest, skeletal and made of wood embody a Spirit of Rot.
Carcass Spirit.jpg|Bear of the Underworld, rotten and full of iron. Such is the guise of a Carcass Spirit.
Kouko Full.jpg|Kouko's true appearance slips from below its lifelike guise.
Wychking Attire.jpg|Taru's customized attire as a proper Witch of the North.
</gallery></center>
[[Category:Player Characters]]

The Devil You Know

2026-07-29T00:44:20Z

Asmodeus:

{{AARInfobox|
|Date=2087-07-28
|GM=Asmodeus
|Location=Montreal, Quebec
|Ally=Krimelin
|Ally2=Andromeda Crowley
|Ally3=
|Ally4=
|RunnerList={{AARCharacterList|Augur|Roadkill|Hakim al-Ghayb|Renato}}
|RunnerCasualties=
|Threat=Medium
|Metaplot=Hail to the Pumpking
|OppositionFaction=La Gendarmerie
|OppositionUnits={{AARCharacterList|Constable Labeau}}
|OppositionCasualties=
|OppositionFaction2=SEA Triads
|OppositionUnits2={{AARCharacterList|Assassin Bayinna}}
|OppositionCasualties2=
|Notes=
|}}
[[Category:Runs]] 

==Summary==
The gang extracts a Demoncaller from being pinched by angry triads and feds.

==The Meet==
Meet occurs in one of the Sea-Tac Mall's many cafes, where Krimelin elaborates he's got a friend framed for various crimes like murdering Wiccan covens. The friend's in danger and needs extraction, but he can't attend personally. He's offering the runners a fair amount of solid, pure gold as a reward if they agree -- after some checking that they're not about to extract a horrible POS, the team agrees.

==The Plan==
Augur arranges a commercial airliner flight while Roadkill pops Long Haul and starts a long drive across the continent of North America from Seattle to Quebec.

==The Run==
Hakim happens to just perfectly catch a sighting of Andromeda Crowley, the VIP in question, exiting a motel room. Since Augur's heading to Quebec via airliner, they arrive way sooner and inspect the place. Signs of blood magic and struggle are found in the motel room, alongside mentions of Project Babel, Carmilla and some kind of focal point or auction. Seeing a pool of blood in the bathroom and discovering awakened drugs, Augur grabs a sample of both and books it before cops find the crime scene.

Roadkill identifies the blood sample, having seen plenty of bloodwork as a medic. It's human, contains protein markers from all kinds of metahuman tissue instead of just blood and shows traces of Crimson Orchid. Renato's past in the slammer reminds him of some trade routes the South-East Asian crime syndicates, some subservient to Hong Kong's triad had in northern NA. With bribes, investigations and quick thinking in identifying familiar astral signatures with assensing, the team finds a secondary hideout in the industrial sector of Montreal. So far, they've avoided raising any ruckus with evidently illegal ware and kept quiet on the radar, allowing them to sneak in with Augur's illusion magic undetected.

They manage to sneak up on a tattooed man in an armor jacket keeping Crowley imprisoned and find a number of bodies -- they disarm, ambush and memory wipe the man while freeing Crowley, who claims the man is a fed sent to track her down. Later, as they ask Crowley some specifying questions, she asserts to the team that the trails of blood magic in the motel room and the dead bodies weren't hers, but a magical acquaintance she met with when she was on the run and tight on help. After she realized what they were on about, she ran for it and got caught by the fed.

==Aftermath==
Fortunately, with burner fake SINs provided by the runners' contacts, some cosmetic disguise work and driving in Roadkill's ambulance back to Seattle, Crowley's extracted without too much fuss before the authorities can zero in on her. Her accusations of treason and forbidden magics in Quebec, UCAS, CAS, SSC and CFS go unanswered for now. Krimelin is glad and offers the party a dead drop and some old foci he had laying around that he can't use. All of them appear to be related to the transfer of suffering in some way.

==Rewards==
* 13,000 Nuyen (6 RVP + 1,000 Nuyen Bonus)
* 3 Karma (3 RVP)
* 4 CDP (1 RVP)

* '''Optional Contact:''' Krimelin, 3/1 FBI's Most Wanted (6 CDP or 3 RVP)
* '''Optional Gear:''' May exchange Nuyen and Karma at Gear Rates for Qi Foci containing Transmit Damage, Empathic Healing and Kiai

==Player After Action Reports (AARs)==

2026-07-24T05:39:47Z

Asmodeus:

{{Infobox
|YourWikiUsername = Asmodeus
|title = {{PAGENAME}}
|image= <center>[[File:Skynet.jpg|284px]]</center>
|header1= <center>Infantry Rigger</center>
|header2= <center>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJvPyH8WnMw Peace through power.]</center>
|label5 = Discord
|data5 = Asmodeus
|label7= Metatype
|data7 = E-Ghost
|label8 = Street Cred
|data8= 0
|label9 = Notoriety
|data9 = -1
|label10 = Public Awareness
|data10= 0
|label11 = Titles and Awards
|data11 =
|label12 = CDP
|data12 = {{CDP|
|Expenses=0
|Bonuses=0
|}}
|label13 = D.O.B.
|data13 = 11.03.2050
|label14 = Age
|data14 = {{Age|
|Month= 03
|Day= 11
|Year= 2050
|}}
|label15 = Folder
|data15 = [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1sVZSqbxcz-46ElqEgj2cCBsF6guu50Ye?usp=sharing]
|label16 = Priority
|data16 = Metatype - C Attributes - E Magic/Resonance - E Skills - A Resources - A
}}

==Background==
A former rigger for the UCAS Army, Sofia Isomer got dishonorably discharged and stripped of her rank as a major after she was sabotaged by the lieutenant colonel overseeing a weapons demonstration. The officer had grown suspicious of Sofia's constant hunger for promotions and disliked the thought of losing such a comfortable position up in the brass. With a suitable bribe, one of the military deckers under the lieutenant colonel's command snuck in faulty code in Sofia's RCC as a bootstrap protocol, causing her to get faulty calculations for artillery projections during a larger scale operation.

The results are catastrophic. A heavy, 20-kilogramme artillery shell went wide by over a kilometer and slaughtered over thirty corporals and specialists of infantry engaged in the mock battle. The lieutenant colonel was quick to act and have military police arrest her. While she surrendered without a fight, assuming there had to be a mistake, her trial was laughably one-sided and her former service was the only shield preventing her from spending the rest of her life in prison. Still unaware of the sabotage, she went back and looked at her ballistic calculations closely in her last week at the base of operations she used to live at was now going to be kicked out of.

She attempted to bring her discovery of a potential foreign spy to the military police, but her efforts were in vain. Infuriated, she took flight and attempted to find information in the shadows. Without connections and protection as a retired officer, a dishonorably discharged Major was easy pickings for a decker assassin who data spiked her during vain efforts to gather intelligence on her ruined career. Her street callsign, mostly gained due to her propensity for cold and ruthless drone wrangling instead of rigging them directly like most runners, became a reality as a fragment of her psyche lingered on a conscious level on the grid.

Skynet pretends to be Sofia Isomer and even managed to legally get a transfer to her SIN, but now she's on a different kind of radar. And perhaps some people sleep better at night, having taught her a lesson with her death, but the living imprint of Sofia didn't properly copy the mammalian instinct for empathy and is more free than ever to take any means necessary to find the truth.

== Narrative Significant Qualities ==
* '''Major Threat''' ''(National SINner: Russia, Distinctive Style, Dependent: Smoking)'' - Skynet's easy to notice, given that she refuses to be shy about her skill either visually or vocally.
* '''Crude''' ''(Did You Just Call Me Dumb, Vindictive)'' - Slights are not easily mended for some, and Sofiya's ire is easy to earn.

==Run History==
{{RunHistory}}


==Affiliations==

===Contacts===
{{ContactTable|
{{HasContact|
|Name=Whistleblower
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Dial-Up
|Loyalty=2
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Bubblegum
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}
}}

=In Character Information=

=== Matrix Search Table ===
{{SearchTable|
|LowResult=Old early 20th and 21st century trid series referring to a fictional AI.
|MidResult=Failed AI project in early 2013.
|HighResult=Rumored to be a common callsign ámong riggers of various national armed forces.
}}

=== Shadow Community Table ===
{{SearchTable|
|LowThreshold=1
|LowResult=Unorthodox rigger that highly prefers anthro drones. Compulsive smoker.
|MidThreshold=3
|MidResult=Speaks Russian fluently. Operates swarms for overwhelming firepower. Uses artillery as a shield to minimize losses, even in urban combat.
|HighThreshold=5
|HighResult=Has no social media presence whatsoever. Came from Russia with a whole slew of rigging knowledge.
}}

=== Assensing Table ===
{| class="wikitable" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 10px"
! style="text-align:left;" |Threshold
! style="text-align:left;" |Description
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |1
|Mundane.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |2
|Various low-rating cyberware additions in the torso. Synthetic skull.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |3
|Low Essence. Possesses an alphaware control rig.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |4
|Essence is 0.15.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |5
|Not a Technomancer.
|}

==SINs==

*'''Sofiya Pavlovna''' - Legal Russian Federation SIN; possesses various licenses; if searched, one might find oddly scrubbed public information.
*'''Mariska ibn-Zimram''' - Rating 4, Estonia; Has several licenses attached: Driver, Drone, Firearms & Augmentations.

[[Category:Player Characters]]

File:Skynet.jpg

2026-07-24T05:32:11Z

Asmodeus:

Rulings/Awakened

2026-07-20T22:30:30Z

Asmodeus: /* Alchemy */

<section begin=banned /> 
==Banned Awakened Content==

===Banned Items===
*Crucible (FA 193)

===Banned Qualities===
====Positive Qualities====
*Apt Pupil (FA 32)
*Archivist (FA 32)
*Blood Crystal qualities (FA 132) are restricted to NPCs only
*Dark Ally (FA 35)
*Elemental Focus (HT 191)
*Illusionist (FA 37)
*Puppet Master (FA 39)
*Stalwart Ally (FA 42)

====Negative Qualities====
*Wildcard Chimera (DTR 163-164)

===Banned Spells===
Everything involving blood, insect, shadow and toxic magic is restricted to NPCs.

The following spells are banned:

*Calling
*Convert Blood to Ichor
*Convince
*Growth
*Inflict Disease
*Multiply Food
*Rot
*Pollution and Radiation spells, adept powers etc.
*Shape [Material]
*Turn to Goo
*Petrify
*False Impression
*Manascape
*Augury and Sortilege

===Banned Alchemical Preps===

*Lightning Blade (FA 199)
*Drain Away (FA 195)
*Laminate (FA 196)

===Banned Adept Powers for PCs===

*Plague Cloud
*Pollution and Radiation spell, adept powers etc.

===Banned Mentor Spirits for PCs===

*Planar Entity
*Doom
*Pollution
*Disease
*Mutation

===Banned Traditions===

*Draconic Tradition (FA 76) - it is only permitted for the use by claimed drakes taught by a great dragon and serving them, which makes it de facto banned on ShadowHaven.

*Tarot (FA 91)

*Hybrid traditions (FA 101)

*All custom traditions

===Banned Metamagics===

*Paradigm Shift: Insect Shaman (FA 43)

*Paradigm Shift: Toxic (FA 44)

*Spirit Expansion: Shedim (FA 44)

*Predator Feast (FA 131)

*Soul Tether (FA 131)

*Spiritual Sacrifice (FA 131)

*Tarot Summoning (FA 45)

*Quickening (CRB 326)

*Sacrifice (SG 90)

===Banned Arts===

*Geomancy (SG 143)

===Banned Mechanics===

*Fettering (SG 192)
*Updated raw reagents (FA 188)
*Refined reagents uses (FA 188)
**SG uses still allowed
*Radical reagent uses (FA 188)
**SG uses still allowed
*Spirit leashing (FA 182)

<section end=banned /> 

==Altered Awakened Content and Rulings==
*To prevent truly ridiculous damage codes, the [Element] Aura spell, the Energy Aura critter power, and the Elemental Body adept power do not stack on ShadowHaven.
*Physical changes brought about by magic, such as a loup-garou taking Digitigrade Legs, lose all mechanical benefits when the character no longer has a Magic score - however, any visual effects remain. In the example, a loup-garou's legs would still appear digitigrade, but no longer provide a movement speed bonus.

===Awakened Archetypes===
====Apprentice====
*An apprentice can only select UMT spirits (Fire, Air, Earth, Water, Man, Beast, Guardian, Task, Plant, Guidance).
** An Apprentice who takes a tradition that offers tradition-specific spirits (such as necro spirits) can take them so long as the tradition-specific spirits are variants of UMT spirits.
*An apprentice has access to Summoning, Binding, Disenchanting, Spellcasting, Ritual Spellcasting and Counterspelling. However, Summoning, Binding, Spellcasting and Ritual Spellcasting are restricted to their one spirit type and one spell type (unless the apprentice in question takes Chain Breaker, which works at normal).
*Apprentices have access to Assensing and Astral Combat.

====Aspected Conjurer====
*Aspected conjurers receive +1 service from spirits whenever they successfully summon a spirit. This stacks with similar effects (such as the Boar mentor and Shaman Tuxedo).
*Since they are barred from learning Ritual Spellcasting, aspected conjurers may learn the Summon Great Form ritual. Additionally, they may use their ranks in Summoning when performing the Summon Great Form Ritual instead of their ranks in Ritual Spellcasting. This still requires initiation into the Invocation art as normal.

====Aspected Free Spells====
*Aspected magicians are granted free spells, based on their priority selection.
{| class="wikitable"
|'''Priority'''
|'''Aspected Sorcerers and Aspected Enchanters'''
|'''Enchanters'''
|'''Apprentices'''
|-
|B
|8
|NA
|4
|-
|C
|6
|8
|3
|-
|D
|4
|NA
|2
|}

====Aware====
*An Aware can take metamagics/enhancements/focused Awakened as an aspected magician.

====Elementalist====
*Aspected magicians, full magicians and mystic adepts may be elementalists. You must choose to be an elementalist at chargen.
*Elementalists may reduce the drain for a spell they cast or for a spirit they summon by 3 up to Magic/2 (rounded up) times per day. This does not take an action.

====Explorer====
*An explorer can take metamagics/enhancements/focused Awakened as an aspected magician.

====Hedge Witch/Wizard====
*Aspected magicians, full magicians and mystic adepts may become hedge witches/wizards. You must choose to be a hedge witch/wizard at chargen.
*Hedge witches/wizards may reduce the drain for a spell they cast by 3 up to Magic/2 (rounded up) times per day. This does not take an action.

====Mystic Adept====
*Mystic adepts must choose one of the three magical groups (Enchanting, Sorcery, Conjuring) which they will lose access to. Losing Sorcery effectively disables Adept Spell and Barehanded Adept.
*Per CRB 69, mystic adepts do not gain the ability to astrally perceive without purchasing the adept power to do so. The table in FA does not supersede this.
*Mystic adepts are held to the restrictions on their metamagics. This means that they can, by default, only take metamagics from the Undecided Way.
**In order to take metamagics outside of this, they must take another Way.
*In order to access metamagics such as Channeling or Centering, or any other "magician" metamagic, they have to follow the Magician's Way, which permits them to take any non-adept metamagic they qualify for.
*Adding to the above point, even if a mystic adept with the appropriate Adept Way takes a metamagic technique, they may not get any benefit from it unless they also have the appropriate skills (eg. Summoning to use Channeling)

====Null Wizard====
*Aspected magicians, full magicians and mystic adepts may be null wizards. You must choose to be a null wizard at chargen.
*The Summoning skill is added to the list of skills they cannot take.
*A null wizard receives bonus dice to resist magic, like how the Spell Resistance adept power works, at a rating equal to Initiate Grade.

====Seer====
*Aware, explorers, aspected magicians, full magicians, adepts (with Astral Perception) and mystic adepts (with Astral Perception) may be seers. You cannot use any skill from the Conjuring, Enchanting or Sorcery skill groups (anything linked to Magic as an attribute). You must choose to be a seer at chargen.

===Spellcasting===
*Ritual formulae have the availability and cost of Combat spell formulae.
*Drain and damage resistance tests are not penalized by sustaining penalties.
*Each fetish is limited to a single spell. In other words, you must have a separate fetish for each limited spell.
*Any PCs as well as any non-grunt NPCs the GM deems fit, are excepted from the normal penalty to resist ongoing mental Manipulation spells. All grunts are affected.
*You cannot teamwork Spellcasting.
*Casting an indirect, touch range combat spell is a touch unarmed attack (receiving the usual +2 dice pool bonus as well as succeeding on a tie) versus normal melee defense, followed by a Spellcasting + Magic test as appropriate for the spell as part of the same action. There is no defense test against the Spellcasting test, but you still receive normal damage resistance (soak) against the spell. Casting a touch spell of any other category is a touch unarmed attack in the same fashion, followed by the normal Spellcasting + Magic test versus the spell's appropriate resistance roll. Typically, a touch unarmed attack is a complex action and thus the whole spellcasting is a complex action in the above cases. In cases where the GM has ruled that you already have contact, you may recklessly cast if you desire, but remember that you can only make one offensive action per action phase without splitting your pool through the multiple attacks free action.
*You may not combine a touch spell with another unarmed attack.
*In terms of using the grapple hand cyberware with touch spells, you can only do so with a fully rewound one.
*Only Spellcasting and Ritual Spellcasting can make use of fetishes and limited spells.
*Indirect spells apply a cumulative defense penalty if you're targeted more than once in a single combat pass.
*Any detection spell may be taken as Extended

====Counterspelling====
*Counterspelling turns indirect AoE spells into a threshold 3 opposed test against the number of counterspelling dice spent. In effect, you roll your counterspelling dice against the Spellcasting test, with each of your hits reducing their hits by one. This reduces their damage, introduces the potential to scatter where it may not have existed before. If you cause them to get zero hits, you prevent the spell from going off at all, though the caster still suffers appropriate drain.
**If multiple individuals with Spell Defense dice are in the AoE, the highest dicepool will be used for the test.
**A common misconception is that Spell Defense grants bonus dice to a soak roll against Area combat spells. It does not, it only reduces hits for scatter as described above which can reduce the over all DV by reducing net hits.
**This opposed roll also applies if the spell has no associated opposed roll with it. Examples of these kinds of spells include Mana Barrier and Mana Static (if target is in range of the effect).
**If a person with Spell Defense is in the AoE of a spell, they are considered to be targeted by it.
*The Arcane Bodyguard quality is a self-protection restriction on how many spell defense dice you can use on yourself, based per combat turn.

====Direct Elemental Spells====
*While direct spells ignore armor for the purposes of dealing damage, the elemental effects still suffer the full resistance of armor.

====Looking Glass====
*The Looking Glass spell permits UV light through just the same as regular light and thus sunlight passing through would trigger sunlight allergies.
*Laser weapons are capable of firing through Looking Glass-affected material. Incidentally, this is why Firewatch uses lasers.
*The looking glass spell affects things traditionally considered light, so visible, infrared and ultraviolet light.

====Levitate====
*When casting Levitate, one treats it as a full stop. That is to say, they immediately take the damage of any distance they have already fallen, if appropriate. You may choose to cast it at any point during the falling distance you are passing through for that turn. In no case will you take damage from falling that exceeds 200 DV, matching with falling normally - as the most you can fall in a combat turn is 200 meters. (This is not to be exploited.)
*Whether the frame of reference of Levitate on a given target is the Gaiasphere or the vehicle they are in is subject to game master discretion. This does not have to be consistent at a table, however, if asked, they must answer honestly. "Dropping any fiat on someone's head is subject to GM fiat."

====Mindlink/Net====
*For the purposes of Mindlink and Mindnet, only metahumans and metasapients (including shapeshifters) may both be considered subjects and willing.

====Bind/Net/Mana Bind/Mana Net====
*Physical Targets
**When a target is fully bound to 0 agility, the verbiage allowing movement at 1/4 speed refers to the character's walking speed at normal agility.
**The dice pool penalty is on defending against attacks et cetera.
**The AGI reduction reduces the dice pools of any Agility-related actions like Right Back At Ya or Sneaking.
**Even if you fully reduce AGI to 0, this doesn't impede mental actions or skills.
**The spell affects vehicle/drone speed unless their movement doesn't require external moving parts (hovercraft, LTAV, VTOL). Walkers, wheeled, rotorcraft, and tracked vehicles are affected. It reduces Speed instead of AGI.
**Vehicles resist this spell with Object Resistance.
*Astral Targets
**Astral targets suffer the deficit to defense.
**If the caster achieves net hits greater than the targets willpower, their movement is reduced by 1/4.

*Mana Bind and Mana Net are defended against by Willpower + Charisma for the initial defense. This is an assumption made from the text and thus is an extended interpretation of the rules, rather than strict RAW.

====Air Filter====
*The Duration of Air Filter will be changed to P and will last for 1 min/hit once made permanent.

====Imbue and Attune Item Rituals====
*The second printing of SG is used to determine force. Notably, instead of performing the ritual at force = the dice the object has for resistance, roll the object's object resistance first. Then you must perform the ritual at a force equal to the number of hits the object got.
*Imbued item effects do not require a focus to be active and are not shut down by background counts.
*Berserk trait can be applied on any weapon so long as it meets the prerequisites (attuned or focus). If the trait activates, the following changes occur:
**The Berserk item's wielder has no regard for personal safety.
**The item prevents them from doing actions or interrupts that would prevent them from being more offensive. Examples of this are full defense, parrying, blocking and using movement to retreat further away from the enemy, but this isn't an exhaustive list. **The GM has final say on what would hinder your offensive options.
**The wielder must continue fighting until all enemies they are aware of have been incapacitated or killed.
**Berserk can only be imbued into either attuned items or weapon foci. No other type of focus is eligible.
**Berserk only gives its bonus to physical melee attacks and astral combat attacks. Cyberdecks and RCCs only get the benefit if you go smacking people with the deck itself.
*Respect trait incurs a monetary cost which must be paid when binding or imbuing equal to Items Value * IG * 0.05 of the owner. If/when the owner increases their IG, the difference in cost must immediately be paid as well.

====Watchers/Homunculi/Corps Cadavres====
*Inanimate minions such as watchers, homunculi and corps cadavres are semi-intelligent and possess an astral signature, but do not have an aura as they are not alive. Thus, they cannot trigger alchemical preparations. In addition, corps cadavres are legitimate targets for blood magic spells that target corpses (this is primarily useful information for GMs that want to utilize blood mage NPCs).

====Spell Blades====
*Spellblades use the "Spellblade" skill specialization which may be applied to either Clubs or Blades (or both). Note the normal rules on skill specializations.
*DV of the blade is equal to force.
*AP is equal to the hits of the Spellcasting roll.
*Both Manablade and Powerblade are affected by armor.
*Manablade is uniquely a mana spell that has to go through armor.
*Manablade cannot be parried and it cannot be parried with.
*When using Manablade on the astral, the attack roll is Astral Combat + Willpower [Force]. The base DV is force. As with all astral combat, you may choose to do physical or stun.
*You can utilize all martial arts that would be legal with a reach 1 weapon using Blades or Clubs with Powerblade. You can utilize only those martial arts explicitly permitted by your GM with Manablade.
*Spell blades may not be used with the Magic Fingers spell.

====[Sense] Cryptesthesia====
*[Sense] Cryptesthesia works only on eyeware and earware not granting bonus dice and without a rating.

====Shapechange/Critter Form====
*The Shapechange and Critter Form spells use the current Body score, including all augmentations to it. You can only become a mundane animal, not a paracritter or a technocritter.
*The Shapechange and Critter Form spells subsume ware, but do not eject it. You cannot generally benefit from ware while under the effects of Shapechange or Critter Form, but it remains a part of you for when the spell ends.
*The Shapechange and Critter Form spells do not automatically grant Flight skill ranks. If you have either spell, you are able to take ranks in the Flight skill with karma. Alternatively, you can use the average of all "Athletics" skill group as a substitute. Having 1 rank of any athletic skill provides 1 rank of Flight due to rounding, but getting a 2nd rank is harder.
*When an Infected character uses Shapechange or Critter Form spells the following applies:
**Any mana-type critter power carries over, no physical powers do.
**You do not inherit the augmentations to your stats from the infection. If you have an augmented body score from the infection that score is used to calculate the max and min size of creature you can change into.
**You do not inherit any movement multiplier.
**You do retain the additional initiative die if applicable.

====Spell Targeting====
*Environmental modifiers affect all spells targeted through LoS.

====Detox====
*When used on drugs, force must equal or exceed the addiction rating of the drug.

*Detox will remove the crash effects of drugs.
*Detox will not remove or mitigate the unresisted crash damage of drugs.

====[Element] Aura====
*[Element] Aura spells do not have AP on the primary damage. Secondary effects may have AP as described by the effect.

====[Element] Wall====
*[Element] Wall spells deal (Force) Physical damage as per environmental damaging spells and do not have AP on the primary damage. Secondary effects may have AP as described by the effect.

====Fix====
*The Fix spell functions in a similar manner to the Heal spell, but for objects. The stipulation that an object can only be affected by Fix once applies to any one source of damage; in other words, each time the object is damaged, there is a new "wound" that may be "healed" with the Fix spell. Per our houserule, a repair job to heal all remaining boxes of damage on a vehicle is 5% of the vehicle's cost; this cost does not change, regardless of how many boxes are left.

====Mana Barrier====
*For the purpose of astral tracking, rituals etc., just the highest force of Mana Barrier applies its penalty. As such, nesting weak barriers to benefit from a Matryoshka doll effect doesn't work.
*The force of the spell determines the size and limit (when not using reagents). It has a structure and armor rating of 1 per hit on the casting. This is an exception to force = structure and armor rating rule.
*When attempting to sleaze through or during an astral intersection use force x2.

====Flame Burst====
*On the first pass of each combat turn that Flame Burst is sustained, the caster uses a complex action to designate a direction in which the flames will travel. The flames spew forth along this line in the shape of a cone with a length of (force) meters and a diameter of (force) meters at its furthest point. If the caster is unwilling or unable to use an action to designate the line of fire on their first action phase of the turn, their opportunity for the turn is forfeit. Flame Burst otherwise works as described.

====Mana Static====
*Each casting of mana static creates its own positives bgc equal to hits and aspected towards "Anti-Magic". Due to the nature of this aspect it is not possible to attune to it and no characters or NPCs will be aspected to it. Apply all of the penalties from the largest casting of mana static and any natural bgc that may apply.

====Gravity====
*Gravity spells used on vehicles are resisted with Object Resistance (15). 
**Net hits impose a dice pool penalty on all physical actions the vehicle takes. 
**If net hits overcome the vehicles body score it's speed is reduced to 0. 
**If the vehicle does stop, it won't cause a crash. 

====Blood Puppet (GM-Only)====
*The damage only occurs once: when the character resists the spell.

====Whisper of Bones====
*Requires the Necromancy art.

====Mind Control and Reduced Attributes====
*In the case of Control Thoughts and its AoE version, you can no longer affect subjects with any modified mental attribute(s)s of 0. The target is stupefied and cannot carry your orders out.
*Control Actions and its AoE version are unaffected by any modified mental attribute(s) of 0 - the organism(s) you affect still move as you puppeteer them.

====Analyze Device====
Analyze Device no longer grants uncapped bonuses equal to net hits. Instead it is treated as follows:
*Each net hit from the Spellcasting test adds to your dice pool on using, repairing or understanding the device (up to a maximum equal to the spell's force).
*Reagents can allow you to achieve more hits on your Spellcasting tests. This does not allow the dice pool bonus to exceed force. Otherwise, the spell functions as before.
*This spell cannot be used on living beings or spirits.

====Negative Health Spells====
The following spells have the (NEGATIVE) tag added to them.
*Decrease [ATTRIBUTE]
*Decrease Inherent Limits
*Decrease Reflexes
*Dehydrate

===Alchemy===
*A Command prep may only be activated by the alchemist who created it.
*A lynchpin requires an item with no extant aura. As a result, cyberlimb components (even those paid for with capacity), which possess the aura of the person they are installed in, do not qualify to become lynchpins.
*Magical compounds may be used by mundanes.
*The Mentors Mask is visible when you make an alchemical preparation.
*As with all spells, preps may be detected by numinous perception when they are triggered or sustained. Preparations trigger this perception in the physical vicinity of the effect.
**The Mentor's Mask of the enchanter also occurs in the physical vicinity of the effect of the spell, rather than on the enchanter when a prep is triggered. It affects the detection threshold according to FA 182.
*A command prep may have its variables chosen when activated, all other types of preps must have the choices made during creation.
*Substantially changing a liquid preparation causes it to lose its magic. Mixing preparations together causes them to both lose their magic.
*[Element] Grenade cannot be taken as an alchemical preparation.
*Capsule rounds fired from a gun may not be used as alchemical preparations.
*Blowgun darts can be used to deliver preps, either as the dart or a liquid injected by the dart.
*Only one command preparation can be activated per Combat Pass using a Simple Action. All other trigger types have no limit.
*Reagents used during the creation of alchemical preparations only alter the limit on the Alchemy + Magic test during creation. It does not adjust the limit = Force when the preparation actually activates.

====Bullets and Alchemy====
*As HT 194 mentions, musket bullets being able to be used as alchemical preps at a 50% failure rate, this remains the case. If you want to roll the dice on your preps, go have fun with that. Capsule rounds (and the liquid inside) cannot be used effectively as alchemical preparations just like any other firearms ammunition other than musket bullets.

====Downtime Alchemy====
[[Rulings/Custom Mechanics#Downtime Alchemy|Downtime Alchemy ]]

====Health Preparations & Potion Maker====
Similar to an Atomizer, Potion Maker health preparations can be set to activate when applied (either drinking or coating the target with it).
*Treat this effectively as a contact prep, similar to an Atomizer from Forbidden Arcana.
*This explicitly overrides the health preparations' requirement to only be command triggered.

===Summoning and Spirits===
*Watchers, homunculi and spirits have a minimum attribute at summoning or creation of 1 in each attribute they possess.
*Effects like Chaotic World that impart a dice pool penalty on '''all tests''' does not penalize a spirit's ability to resist Summoning or Binding tests. Banishing still works.

====Rules on Summoning Above One's Magic (Oversummoning)====
*When summoning a Spirit of Force 7+, after resisting drain as normal take unresisted drain equal to (Force of spirit - your Magic) x 1.5.
*This counts as drain damage for all purposes, including for healing and recovery. Except for the Mentor’s Mask drain reduction.
*Remember that only one edge may be spent per action, so you may either edge the summoning OR the drain resist (but not both).
*Characters with the Dedicated Conjurer quality may add 1 to their Magic rating before interacting with the oversummoning houserules.
*Characters with Spirit Whisperer calculate over summoning drain based on the original force of the spirit summoned not the final version

*Oversummoning an elemental reduces the unresisted oversummoning drain by 2.

====Downtime Binding====
[[Rulings/Custom Mechanics#Downtime Registering and Binding|Downtime Binding ]]
====Rebinding====
*Spend 1 service to attempt to rebind a bound spirit.
*The summoner performs a binding ritual on an already bound spirit.
**Each net hit adds 1 additional service to the bound spirit.
**The ritual costs the normal amount of reagents to bind the spirit as if it had not been previously bound.
**Performing this rebinding will add to the users spirit index per SG pg 206

====Edge====
The summoner/creator may use their own edge for their spirits and other creation (watchers etc.). If desired, they may even burn edge for them.

====Possession and Channeling====
*Cyberlimbs are considered active for the purposes of Possession. This means that normal possession spirits can not make use of them.
*Unwilling sapient living targets may not be possessed unless they are prepared vessels.
*When using the Great Form Possession metamagic, you are not channeling the spirit - you are summoning it and it is possessing you. It does require Channeling as a prerequisite, but that does not make the possession into channeling.
*Traditions other than Vodou may use Great Form Possession, even if they don't have normal access to loa/orisha.
*Spirits utilizing the Possession power may only move in the ways that their host entity could ordinarily move.
*The alteration to physical stats by Channeling and Possession are limited by the augmented max of +4.
*Channeling is normally only used with spirits that are being summoned as part of the Channeling with the following exceptions:
**You may bind a channeled spirit for long term use.
**Always on powers may be used by the channeler for the cost of a service. They count against the number of sustained powers that may be used and follow other rules for sustained powers.
**A channeled spirit must be in control of the combined entity to use Aid sorcery. They still must be bound.
**The spirit cannot share Endowment, Possession, Materialization, Astral Form, or Sapience. In no way will the spirit be able to bestow Immunity to Normal Weapons on the channeler.
**When a spirit is not in control of the combined entity, they maintain their sapience, however no other power with a duration of Always will be on by default. When the spirit is in control Always on powers function as normal.
*As all the Channeling entry has to say on the matter is that the magician can use the powers of the spirit for the cost of a service, using powers that are ordinarily passive costs a single service, but no action, to take effect for an entire combat turn.

*When the spirit is in control, the spirit’s skills and mental and special attributes are used. When the summoner is in control, the summoner’s skills and mental and special attributes are used. In either case the lower values of the two are used to defend against Mana Spells or Powers, and damage is applied to both.
**Skills that are chosen from an optional power for a spirit are available for use as passive powers. See above. 
**Powers the require a skill use the spirit's skill when the spirit is in control and the character's when the character is in control. Magical skills are not available this way. 

*While the summoner is in control of the dual-natured entity that results from channeling, they will also have access to their foci.

====Banishing====
*Bound spirits no longer receive a bonus equal to their summoner's Magic against Banishing, instead receiving a flat +4.

====Blind People and Spirits====
*A blind individual may or may not be able to see a spirit or mage who is manifesting. It likely depends on the source of their blindness, and whether or not they have a visual cortex. However, they would still be capable in any case of detecting them through other means, such as sound. Cybereyes can see them as usual.

====Spirit Index====
*Gaining spirit index due to disrupting a spirit typically only triggers for the person who delivers the final blow, however, at a GM's discretion, they may award it to other integral combatants.

====Spell Sustaining====
*In order to pass off a spell to a spirit to be sustained, the spirit must be within line of sight and closer than remote service range. In order to continue sustaining a spell of any variety on their summoner or any other target, they must remain closer than remote service range of that target, though line of sight is not an ongoing requirement.

====Aid Alchemy/Sorcery====
*Aid Alchemy/Sorcery requires the spirit to be on the same plane as the summoner, closer than remote service range and within LoS.

====Ally Spirits====
*Ally spirits are distinct from ordinary spirits and may not be made great form.
*You may create your ally spirt as a channeling style spirit instead of a possession or materialization style spirit if you possess the channeling metamagic when summoning your ally.
**When disrupted, a channeled Ally may return according to the normal rules for a disrupted spirit. SG 192: (28 - Force) days or a metaplanar quest.
**A channeled Ally may be dismissed to the metaplanes at any time. An Ally dismissed this way may return to the summoner's body IG times per day.
**Like other channeled spirits, a channeled Ally may not act in the Astral independent of the body.
*An ally spirit may not be both a ritual participant and support the ritual via Aid Sorcery. While Aid Sorcery does not have an action cost per se, it is still an act other than Ritual Spellcasting.

*Raising the Force of an Ally spirit through a Ritual of Change now only costs 8 karma per increased Force instead of 16.
*Allies can gain knowledge skills through a Ritual of Change. They use the summoner's CDP.
**Ally spirit knowledge skills have to be raised normally, they don't become (force) ranks immediately.

*Aspected Conjurors and Dedicated Conjurors may learn the Ally Conjuration and Ritual of change rituals.
**These are the only rituals to which this rule pertains
**Other prerequisites for learning the rituals are not changed.
*Ally spirits of Dedicated Conjurors and Aspected Conjurors or Mystic Adepts that forsake Sorcery may not have magical skills that the summoner cannot use as outlined by the Ally spirit rules.
**Ally Spirits will in no way give Aspected Conjurors or Dedicated Conjurors direct or indirect access to Spellcasting or Ritual Spellcasting.
***These Ally Spirits may not take Innate Spell or any other power that requires a Spellcasting or Ritual Spellcasting roll.
***Magical Guard will be allowed if the conjuror has access to a spirit type with the power as the single exception.

====Smart Corrosives vs Spirits====
*Smart corrosives cannot be applied to a materialized spirit.

====Flesh Forms====
*Inhabitation bonuses for flesh forms are the same as if the spirit was possessing the body now.

====Beast Spirits====
*Beast spirits have skill ranks in Exotic Ranged Weapon equal to force.
*The Natural Weapon power of Beast Spirits has a damage code of (Force x 2) DV and AP of -(Force).
*Beasts spirits gain Pounce as an optional power. Pounce, regardless of source, requires a charge in a straight line. No running in circles to build up speed or doing squiggly lines.

====Man Spirits====
*Great form spirits of man now have Counterspelling skill equal to force.

====Wild Spirits====
*Wild summoning is the act of beckoning a wild spirit while in its domain in order to bargain with it. On the Shadowhaven this follows the rules in "Forbidden Arcana", with the following changes:
*The test for the first method of summoning has been changed to "This is an Opposed Test using Summoning + Magic [Magician's Magic] vs. the Wild Spirit’s Force, requiring a number of hits equal to (Half the Spirit’s Force)" [round up].
*Additionally, for the second method, the skill of Arcana is added to Con, Etiquette, Negotiation, Performance, and intimidation. [Arcana can use Logic or Charisma.]
*The maximum force for a wild spirit is 7.
*The Force cannot be chosen; you must find one’s domain first and then summon at that Force (for summoning with Magic + Summoning).
*For catching one’s attention you must find one present.
*As the cost isn’t from the Summoning, there is no drain, and Oversummoning Rules do not apply. The cost is instead in the bargain with the Wild Spirit (see below):
**Dealing with Wild Spirits (FA 177).
**RAW: You exchange a service for a service. The table is provided on FA 178.
**Successfully dealing with the spirit gives you 1 service as if it were bound at the appropriate favor level.
*Types of Wild Spirits can be seen on p. 179-181 of "Forbidden Arcana".
*Dive Attack: +1 DV for every 10 meters, to a maximum of Force added DV. Note that the user of Dive Attack takes damage equal to the added DV, as noted elsewhere on these rules.

====Wild Reputation====
* Releasing a spirit with services left doesn't grant Wild Index.

====Possession Constructs====
* Also known as "Possession homunculi", these large inanimate objects are uniquely designed to be extremely compatible with possession spirits. They interact with Possession in several unique ways. Constructs...
** Have a rating, which indicates the maximum effective force of a spirit possessing them. If the spirit's actual force is higher, limit it to the rating of the Construct while the spirit possesses it. Constructs typically get larger and more elaborate as rating increases.
** Are generally loosely humanoid, or at least have a shape which allows them to be ambulatory.
** Cannot benefit from armor or armor accessories.
** Are specifically designed to house Possessing spirits. This means their stats scale with Force, rather than half Force, and they have physical stats while Possessed, rather than structure ratings.
* While a Construct is Possessed, use the Possessing spirit's skills, mental attributes, and powers. Construct forms grant additional powers and determine the spirit's physical attributes.
* Constructs & damage:
** Constructs have condition monitors, based on the Body score of the Construct (for physical), and the Willpower of the spirit (for stun)
** Regardless of wounds taken, Spirits possessing Constructs ignore Wound Modifiers
** Constructs do not have any form of Immunity to Normal Weapons or Hardened Armor. They take stun damage as normal.
** If the Construct's physical condition monitor is filled, the spirit is disrupted, and the Construct form is heavily damaged. It is unusable until repaired, which costs 20% of its purchase price and takes a day of work by a skilled craftsman.
** If the Construct's stun condition monitor is filled, the spirit is disrupted, but the Construct form is left entirely intact and usable.

====Construct types====
* There are currently four construct types: Plasteel, Stone, Wickerman, and Scarecrow
* Plasteel
** Plasteel Constructs are the heaviest and most durable Constructs. They are a more modern magic-resistant material, and this limits the mobility of the form.
** They have a cost of 200ny*Rating and an Availability of 10+(Rating/2)
** Their physical attributes are: BOD (F+6) / AGI (F-2) / REA (F-3) / STR (F+6)
** Additional powers: Armor equal to 16 + Force, Natural Weapon (STR+1P / +0 AP)
* Stone
** Stone Constructs are the second heaviest Constructs. Typically more finely crafted magically-compatible, the Stone Construct has less difficulties moving quickly.
** They have a cost of 300ny*Rating and an Availability of 14+(Rating/2)
** Their physical attributes are: BOD (F+4) / AGI (F+0) / REA (F+0) / STR (F+4)
** Additional powers: Armor equal to 12 + Force, Natural Weapon (STR+2P / +0 AP)
* Wickerman
** Wickermen are light and flexible wood Constructs, typically spindly and extremely agile.
** They have a cost of 50ny*Rating and an Availability of 10+(Rating/2)
** Their physical attributes are: BOD (F+2) / AGI (F+4) / REA (F+3) / STR (F+0)
** Additional powers: Armor equal to 6 + Force
** Other: Wickermen have +1 Reach, and a weakness to fire, represented as an Allergy (Fire, Severe)
* Scarecrow
** Scarecrows are the cheap and disposable Construct options, typically made from scrap wood or actual straw.
** They have a cost of 10ny*Rating and an Availability of 4+(Rating/2)
** Their physical attributes are: BOD (F+0) / AGI (F+0) / REA (F+0) / STR (F-1)
** Additional powers: Armor equal to 2 + Force
* If either of the wooden Constructs (Wickerman or Scarecrow) are Possessed by a Fire Spirit, they begin to burn up. A Construct that is burning up can function for a number of Combat Turns equal to the Construct Rating - Spirit Force, with a minimum of 1. During this time, it loses its Allergy to fire and gains one to water instead. It also gains the Intimidation skill, with ranks equal to Force.

===Adepts===
*You may apply a spec for "Ritual Casting" to skills that work with adept rituals.
*Adepts with the Astral Perception power may be seers.
*Activating an adept power creates an astral signature equal to 4 times the total power point cost of the power.

*The council may approve swapping Adept Ways. The cost will be determined case by case.
**Adept way discounts will reduce 0.25 powers to 0 when chosen as a discount.
* The Spiritual Way does in fact give you Mentor Spirit for free. Chummer doesn't currently support it, so it can't be taken at chargen; add it for free after character approval.

====Purity Buff====
*Physical adepts who maintain a non-variable 6 essence and possess no augmentations with an essence cost have their starting power points total increased to Magic*1.5, rounded up. For clarity's sake, this disallows infected, drakes, and prototype transhumans.

====Social Powers and the Matrix====
*Cool Resolve, Authoritative Tone and Improved Ability on social skills apply to commlink/trideo calls, but do not apply to written, typed, recorded or otherwise non-real-time tests against a target.

====Barrage====
*The Barrage enhancement for adepts does not function with grenades or other explosives.

====Killing Hands====
*If a grapple hand is being used by an adept with Killing Hands, you may choose between stun and physical damage if using it as a weapon.

====Mystic Aptitude====
*When used, it replaces, rather than augments, the attribute it affects. This means that it is not subject to augmented maximum, however, the final attribute score while this power is in use is not affected by any other augmentation or effect that would affect that attribute.
*Ignore the line "This power may be taken up to three times." You may purchase Mystic Aptitude once, up to three ratings. You can't buy multiple separate instances of Mystic Aptitude.

====Elemental Body====
*The Elemental Body adept power replaces your unarmed DV, rather than adding to it.
*The damage from the Elemental Body applies to someone grappling you or to you grappling someone, but not to both at the same time. The only power compatible with it is Killing Hands.

====Rapid Draw====
*Does not permit a free action attack. Instead, it allows you to ready one weapon per pass without expending an action.

====Nerve Strike====
*Nerve Strike is not a touch attack and may be not be substituted, included with or otherwise altered by a touch attack or the touch-only attack rules. You do still contact your opponent in the same fashion as any other unarmed attack.
*Nerve Strike applies its penalty evenly to all limbs and the body. Apply the malus to each of your five "limbs" and then choose the action you wish to perform. Compute the appropriate average for the action being used. If your new average is greater than zero perform the action using the adjusted values, if the average is 0 or less you are unable to take that action. Not that this may mean that in some cases portions of your body may be paralyzed while others are not. Assume that you are compensating for your bad limb(s) with the others involved. Under no circumstance will Nerve Strike apply to specific limbs only.
*You may perform a Nerve Strike with melee weapons. Melee weapons are considered to have reach 0 when using Nerve Strike. Reach from your character (such as through being a troll or having the Elongated Limbs SURGE quality) still applies. Consider it as smacking the nerve center with the handle/grip of the weapon instead of with the business end.

====Heightened Concern====
*Heightened Concern allows one to take a Complex action to ignore a single penalty from the relevant table (CRB 176) on a single future, near-concurrent action, assuming that penalty does not exceed half their Magic score. Negating any penalties not on this table requires explicit GM approval.

====Magic Sense====
*Treat the Magic Sense adept power as one you activate with a complex action, deactivated with a free action. When activated, it behaves equivalently to a sustained spell, but does not impose a -2 sustaining penalty. Roll Spellcasting + Magic as normal upon activation, with the GM rolling the opposing tests as they come up. You may default on this test. You may be punished for repeatable deactivating and re-activating this power in order to attain a higher number of successes, please don't do this.

====Elemental Weapon====
*Elemental Weapon (Water) follows the updated Rules on Water Damage found in the Altered Combat Content and Rulings section of the Player Rules

====Smashing Blow====
*The Smashing Blow power can apply to attacks made with spurs.
*The base DV for Smashing Blow is the DV of the attack not including net hits.
*An adept's damage with the State of Purity power active qualify as their base damage for determining DV against structures when using Smashing Blow.
*Smashing Blow does not work against vehicles.

====Body Sculpt====
*The activation time of this power is 1 minute, meaning you have to focus on using the power for 1 minute before it begins to take effect. Once the activation time has passed, the changes begin to take hold, finishing after 1 hour has passed.

====Empathic Healing====
*For the purpose of the Empathic Healing power, the wounds are "as-is". Any limitations or restrictions on these wounds carry over exactly as if the same wound had been inflicted on the adept. If the injury has already been treated with First Aid or the Heal spell, it continues to be considered as such. You can, however, transfer some, but not all of the boxes, and then use the First Aid skill on both characters. Additionally, after transfer, the wounds are automatically considered magical in nature and may not be healed via the Regeneration power.

====Adept Spell====
*Adept Spell cannot benefit from a fetish as you learn the spell intuitively from the power.
*Adept Spell may be taken on a Qi Focus. Once selected, the spell it grants access to may only be changed with the destruction of the focus by an NPC or with Thematics approval and the loss of the focus.

====Adept Accident====
*Adept Accident uses your opponent's hits to calculate drain and has a minimum drain value of 2.
*It must happen within the combat turn that it was activated on (so 3 seconds if outside of combat).
*The results are up to GM, but should generally be related to the environment (tripping, catching clothes onto a sharp piece of metal, etc.).
*It doesn't affect any actual test or dice roll. The results (such as going prone from tripping) may prevent intended actions (like charging).
*The lethality of the environment it's used in (e. g. there's a pool of acid) might make the results fatal, but they're not fatal in a vacuum.

====Motion Sense====
*Motion Sense requires the same type of action as the observe in detail action.

====Enthralling Performance====
*Enthralling Performance may be used with Unarmed Combat when done for showmanship purposes. Real fights do not count, but a sparring match is possible as long as there is 0 threat to either combatant (there is some level of GM fiat here). To do so, roll Charisma + Unarmed Combat [Social].

====Penetrating Strike====
*Works with any Unarmed Weapon from Natural Weapons to melee cyberimplants. However, if the weapon has existing AP, Penetrating Strike acts as a replacement to that value instead of stacking.

====Focused Archery====
*Focused Archery now applies to both bows and arrows. Treat your effective Strength as +1 per rank.

====Wall Running====
*The Sprinting Specialization may be used for the Adept Wall Running Power
====Mimic====
*The Mimic power's text is changed to the following.
**"Mimic allows an adept to be able to mystically copy fingerprints, palm prints and retinal prints and temporarily imprint those patterns onto his own body. For each level of Mimic, the character can fool a print scanner of equal Rating (level 2 Mimic could fool up to Rating 2 scanners and so on). The adept must touch the target or a fresh biological sample (max. 1 hour old) as a Complex Action. Copies of the prints last for (Magic Rating of the adept) minutes before the adept's body reverts back to its natural patterns."
====Osmosis====
*The changes from the Osmos power are not sufficient to generate material links based on the copied pattern.

===Traditions===
====Possession Traditions====
* All traditions that are Possession based by default, except Psions, are changed to have their Possession forms be Traditionalist traditions.
** Each of these Traditionalist traditions grants the Channeling metamagic at Initiate Grade 3
** Non-Traditionalist versions of these traditions now also exist, which are the Materialization by default.
** In either case, the other statistics of the Tradition are unchanged.
** Zombie dust is treated as an inhalation and ingestion toxin with 12 Power and 0 Penetration, with no Addiction. Willing targets may choose not to resist its effects. When zombie dust's effects end, targets may make another attempt to resist possession and are no longer considered prepared vessels.

====Traditionalist Traditions====
*You can choose if you follow a tradition as a traditionalist or as a non-traditionalist (unless noted below). This determines if the traditionalist rules of the tradition apply to you.
*If you take a traditionalist or other special path, it is a Paradigm Shift to leave said path.

====Ancestor Shamans====
*You receive the Channeling metamagic at Initiate Grade 5 instead of 2.

====Black Mage (Traditional)====
*You do not receive Animal Familiar for free.
*You do not receive Dark Ally for free.
*You do not receive Calling for free.
*"Personal Demons" spirts summoned do not automatically gain the Fear and the Natural Weaponry power. They still gain the Flight skill, and may still select Fear as an optional power if it is an available optional power for the spirit type.

====Buddhists====
*The rule forbidding traditionalist Buddhists from using reagents only applies to replacing the limits in Counterspelling, Banishing, Spellcasting and Summoning.

====Druids====
*Druidic traditionalists are the only people who can create sacred circles at this time.

====Elder God Magic====
*Traditionalist is NPC-only (non-traditionalists ignore the text under "Elder God Mage Rules" and do not worship the Horrors)

====Islamic Alchemist====
*The requirement to take Fixation as the first metamagic choice and Advanced Alchemy as the third metamagic choice remains unchanged. However, the second and fourth metamagic choices are no longer locked and may be used to select anything else that is appropriate (with the caveat that the second metamagic cannot be used to select Advanced Alchemy).

====Norse====
*Godi/Runemaster: Durable Preparations means that the time until Potency starts fading is changed to Potency x3 hours rather than the standard x2 and then an additional doubling. This does not stack with the Durable Preparations quality.
*Cunning Woman: Can only be taken by a magician, mystic adept or aspected spellcaster.
*The Berserker Temper power gained by traditionalist version of the Norse tradition is not in effect on ShadowHaven.

====Path of Pariah====
*Pariahs are allowed to pick a drain stat out of Charisma, Intuition or Logic. For their second initiation, disregard the requirement to take the Opposition metamagic.

====Planar Magic====
*Traditionalist is NPC-only. (Non-Traditionalists ignore the text under "Planar Mage Rules")

====Romani====
* Both traditionalist and non-traditionlist Romani awakened are allowed.
** Traditionalists use the default rules, under "Romani Mage Rules", and maintain their unique WIL+WIL drain code.
** Non-traditionalists have a drain code of CHA+WIL or INT+WIL, and function as standard awakened. They are more commonly from Roma groups that don't subscribe to the nomadic lifestyle.

====Necro Magic====
*This tradition is unbanned with the following alterations:
**Necro Summoning requires the character have access to the Conjuring group.
**Necro Summoning requires the character to be of the Necro Magic tradition
**Aspected Summoners may substitute the Summoning skill for Ritual Spellcasting for the purposes of Necro Summoning.
**Dedicated Spellslingers may not use Necro Summoning.
**The first Necro Summoning ritual is provided for free.
**The Necro Summoning rituals gained at each IG are given to the necro mage in addition to the metamagic/art they wish to take, and may not be bought separately with karma or learned by any other tradition.
**For the purposes of over-summoning, only the final force of the spirit matters. Be careful with high force rituals and the Greater Ritual metamagic.
**Necro Spirits summoned via ritual can not be bound in the traditional method. The Reckless Necro Conjuring metamagic produces necro spirits that can be bound and turned into great forms.
**Necro spirits always lose at minimum 1 week of their duration per run. This time can be higher if the in-game run takes longer (this means multiple weeks can be spent in a single run).
**Suitable contacts can get you non-Forbidden animal carcasses (Gear; threshold 3) and relatively intact human corpses (Gear; threshold 4). You can always find dead trees, ashes and lifeless dirt.
**Necro spirits and reckless necro spirits cannot go into possession homunculi. Their possession power always requires a specific vessel as detailed by their spirit type.
**Downtime Necro Summoning (the ritual version) is not allowed. If you have a suitable vessel, you can use the Reckless Necro Conjuring metamagic and bind a spirit in downtime.
**Must follow the rules under Necro Mage Rules

* Additional Notes and Clarifications:
**The ability to summon corpse spirits, as analogous to spirits of man, qualifies practitioners for the Necromancy art.
**While this tradition is unbanned, remember that reanimating dead bodies is very much illegal in most countries, including Seattle.
**Ally spirits cannot perform the Necro Summoning ritual, because they can't summon other spirits.
**There is no requirement to take ritual spellcasting or one of the summoning rituals in chargen.
**Excluding Spectral Warden, Ritual spell casting is required to summon Necro Spirits until IG6 when Reckless Necro Conjuring can be learned.
**A Necro Spirit cannot astrally project; once summoned, it is stuck inside the body offered to it during the summoning process.
**Remote tasks do not consume all services from spirits summoned via the Necro Summoning Ritual. Recklessly Conjured spirits that aren't bound disappear after a remote service.
**Carcass Spirits have Natural Weapon with a damage code of (Force x 2) DV and AP of -(Force).
**As the Necro Summoning ritual refers to the Homunculus ritual, it uses the same duration for ritual performing, taking (Force) hours.

===Mentor Spirits===

====Spider (Alt)====
*Alternate Spider gives one rank of Hang Time (SG 171) and one rank of Spirit Claw (SG 174) instead of the listed benefits.

====Oracle====
*Adepts, magicians, aspected magicians and mystic adepts following Oracle both may and must take the Divination art and the Divining Metamagic for the next initiation if they do not already possess it. As usual, the Divining Metamagic is highly dependent on factors that are not actually within the GM's control, and we encourage you to be cautious even in the face of a seemingly definitive answer. The future is, after all, very tricky.
**This allows them to take only Divination metamagic and not any other components related to the Divination art unless they were already able to take them.

====Guanyin====
*Is permitted for use on ShadowHaven, but it must be included as a listed quality on your wiki and be appropriately tagged with [[Template:Guanyin Caution]] at the top of the page. This quality's downside will impact your ability to participate in runs.

====Spitting Cobra====
*Skill Bonus: +2 to throwing weapons
*Adept: 2 ranks of precision throwing
*Magician: +2 to combat spells
*Downside: whenever an enemy is in their melee reach of you, CHA + WIL (3) to not retreat immediately until you're no longer in melee reach of an enemy.
*Spitting Cobra, is primarily about having personal space, feeling at home being the one in control of situations, being adverse with physical, direct confrontation but more at home when there's room to breathe, aggressive until threatened directly then very quickly gets defensive.

====Stag====
*The Stag Mentor spirit gives either +2 to blades or +2 to clubs.

===Metamagics===

====Adept Centering====
*Adept Centering requires the character to take a free action that is not subtle. This action must involve moving the physical body.
*Adept Centering may be used while using AR.
*Adept Centering may be used while using VR if the character has EARRS (KC 66) which allows them to move their physical body while in VR.
*Rules regarding what skills may be affected by Adept Centering can be found at SR5 pg 325, with exceptions provided by Artisan's and Artist's way (SG 176). Obviously those exceptions only apply if you have the Adept Way that lists them.

====Ally Spirit Summoning====
*In order to summon an ally spirit, you must have a formula (which can be made by rolling out Arcana or by a run to go on a metaplanar quest for it). You must then perform the ritual, with a force equal to the force of the ally you are trying to summon. Lacking a timespan, assume it takes 1 hour per point of force. After you successfully complete the ritual, you must summon the spirit, rolling the normal rolls for such. Spirit Whisperer does not come into play, for sanity's sake. Then, finally, you must bind the spirit (or give up and try again another day).
*It is not possible to substitute the final part of getting an ally spirit (conjuring and binding the ally spirit) to instead undertake a metaplaner quest (initiation run).
*In order to alter a spirit, you must acquire the new formula or alter the old one, as detailed in the book. Then, you must perform the Ritual of Change at the force of the ally spirit (the desired force, if upgrading it). You must then bind the spirit again, though you do not have to summon it. Upon successful completion, you may spend the karma to induce any changes you designed into the formula. If you fail, you suffer drain and lose the resources expended, but do not lose the karma you would have spent and may try again.
*If your spirit's loyalty minus your Astral Reputation is less than 2, it tries to break free as described under "Losing an Ally", whenever it is presented with a chance.
*An ally spirit gains the form based on your tradition. Possession traditions have Possession allies, Materialization traditions have Materialization allies and Inhabitation traditions have Inhabitation allies.

====Cleansing====
*Once again affects an area (including for allies and enemies), as it did in previous editions. The size of the area is GM fiat.
*May be used by aspected conjurers (using Banishing in place of Counterspelling) and by aspected enchanters (using Disenchanting in place of Counterspelling). This only applies to aspected magicians (including enchanters), so mystic adepts who cannot use Sorcery still cannot make use of Cleansing.
*Adepts (not mysads), explorers and Aware may use Cleansing with Magic + IG (+ force of the power focus if they have one). Those that have Harmonious Defense may add their Willpower to it. As an adept, you need to have Magician's Way to pick up Cleansing in the first place.

====Divining====
* In order to divine a subject the initiate must first be able to assense the subject, or possess a viable material link. They then enter a mild trance which reveals flashes of what the future might hold. The diviner must use the "Arcana + Logic + Initiate Grade" skill test to interpret these flashes, see the table "Divination Table" on SG 125 for difficulty examples. While in this trance, which lasts for 1 minute, the initiate takes a -2 on all actions due to the distraction. Subsequent uses on the same target increase the threshold by 1 per attempt.
*Initiates entering the Divination art must first take Divining before any other metamagic in the art.
*Substituting a material link with a Sympathetic Link increases the interpretation threshold by +1, a Symbolic Link by +2

====Enhanced Mist Form====
*Enhanced Mist Form now gives you movement of 10 m/turn + 2 m/turn per IG.

====Extended Masking====

*Extended Masking can also mask critter powers in a way comparable to sustained spells.
====Fixation====
Fixation metamagic from the core rulebook receives the following changes; Whenever you're creating an alchemical preparation, you may choose to fixate on it. This incurs no additional costs, but the time it maintains its full Potency is (Potency x 2) Days instead of Hours.
*With the Durable Preparations quality, this time is (Potency x 3) Days instead.
*A fixated preparation gains a bonus against Disjoining equal to the enchanter's Magic score.
*In all other ways, this preparation behaves normally.
*You may only have one fixation preparation at any given time in this manner.
**If you already have one or more fixated preparations, Fixation costs karma to use as per RAW.
**You may only create a karma-free fixation preparation by having none stored or active.

====Flux====
*The following are clarifications of Flux interactions.
**A prep made while in Flux doesn't not have your normal aura, it instead has your Fluxed signature when activated. Due to the prep's signature being in Flux, it's treated the same as tracking a signature of a spell cast while in Flux.
**If one enters Flux while Channeling, the spirit leaves one's body and returns to the metaplanes.
**If one is Possessed, but not Channeling, they cannot access their own abilities. Thus, they would not be able to enter Flux.
**While in Flux, enchanting gloves cease to function as they are bound to your aura.


====Great Form Possession====
*If a character does not have access to Binding, such as with the Chain Breaker mastery quality, they may skip the Summon Great Form ritual and go directly from the Channeling metamagic to Great Form Possession metamagic.

====Harmonious Defense====
*You must be able to perceive the astral, such as via being a dual-natured creature or having the Astral Perception adept power.
*Harmonious Defense requires and forces one to be perceiving astrally and trumps Dual-Natured Defender - thus, they cannot both be active at the same time.
*A bound Astral Perception qi focus is sufficient to qualify for Harmonious Defense.
*Harmonious Defense does not affect Alchemy.
*Harmonious Defense spell defense dice are a separate pool from Counterspelling ranks and Shielding.
*A mystic adept may only use one of their sources of spell defense dice per combat turn, either Harmonious Defense OR Counterspelling (+ Shielding).

====Harmonious Reflection====
*Harmonious Reflection requires the user to be astrally perceiving similarly to the Reflect Spell metamagic.

====Noble Sacrifice====
Clarification on the usage of Noble Sacrifice:
*Must have line of sight to allies to work.
*For the purpose of Regeneration and other forms of magical healing, Noble Sacrifice counts as magical damage. In addition, if the damage carried some sort of restriction on how it can be healed or resisted, then that carries over as well.

*Adepts and Mystic Adepts may take Noble Sacrifice as if it were part of the Undecided Way.


Additionally, Noble Sacrifice has the following changes:
*Noble Sacrifice can only transfer direct instances of damage to the target such as attacks, vehicle crashes, Drain, Fading and biofeedback. Fading is resisted with Willpower only. Fatigue and allergies cannot be Noble Sacrificed.
*Unresisted Physical Damage due to Oversummoning is dealt both to the target and the user of Noble Sacrifice according to the original summoner's Magic score. In other words, the summoner suffers Oversummoning unresisted Drain no matter what. (Empathic Healing etc. can still transfer this but it doesn't make it free to anyone).
*Protection Magic Points last until the next sunrise or the next sundown.
*Protection Magic Points generated by Noble Sacrifice can be used in any of the following ways, in any combination:
# Increase the Force of a non-offensive spell or ritual being cast by one per point; this can exceed twice the caster’s Magic Rating.
# Reduce the amount of drain a non-offensive Health spell inflicts by one per point, to a minimum of 0.
# These can be used on spells and spirits of your own or those of your allies.
As well, when using protection magic points, increasing the force of a spell does not increase it's drain value. Other effects of increased force still apply.

====Reflection====
*Declaring spell defense to add your ranks in Counterspelling to resist a spell is what Reflection replaces. If you fail the Reflection test, you can still resist the spell with your normal attributes as if you didn't declare spell defense at all.
*Using the Reflection metamagic prevents the use of other special defensive options such counterspelling ect but not an actual defense test.

====Supernatural Prowess====
*Supernatural Prowess does apply strictly to actions and thus does not affect reflexive tests such as damage resistance or defense.
*Supernatural Prowess does not benefit from a power focus. 
===Enhancements===
====Master of the Nine Chakras====
* Master of the Nine Chakras, being based on the Nerve Strike power, requires the victim to have a nervous system, and therefore cannot affect spirits. 

===Critter Powers===
*Critter powers with the type Automatic, can not be manually suppressed unless otherwise stated that they can be.

====Immunity to Normal Weapons====
*Immunity to Normal Weapons does not apply to biofeedback damage.
*Immunity to Normal Weapons no longer counts as hardened armor, merely regular armor, against melee weapons or unarmed attacks.

====Energy Aura====
*This power is automatically suppressed while the spirit is using the Realistic Form power. The power is activated once the spirits returns to its normal materialized form.


====Immunity to Pathogens====
*If a given Disease does not, after Penetration, get past the Hardened Armor that Immunity provides, it does not build up with repeated exposure like most diseases do.
**Example: A +12 to Disease Resistance and 6 Automatic Hit level of Immunity to Pathogens would completely render a character immune to Power 5, Penetration 1 disease no matter how long they remain exposed to it.

====UV and Sunlight Allergy Critter Power Interaction====
*All active abilities of sunlight allergic critters can be disabled with strong UV arrays, but these are explicitly not portable due to their size and power requirements. Expect to see them in corporate lobbies and secure facilities at the GM's discretion.
*Spotlights on vehicles and UV flashlight attachments on weapons can only disable Mist Form.

====Dive Attack====
*When taking the Dive Attack action, you also take damage equal to the number of meters fallen, as appropriate. This rule applies to GMs as well.
====Adaptive Coloration====
*The version of Adaptive Coloration found in Run Faster will be renamed Adaptive Camouflage.
*This new power will be added to the list of powers for a Bandersnatch.
**A Bandersnatch may not use the power if they are burned out.
*Sea Drakes have the Adaptive Coloration as found in Howling Shadows.
**Drakes(and only drakes) are allowed to suppress this power at will.

====Paralyzing Howl====
*'''Paralyzing Howl''' has its text replaced with the following:
**Type: P
**Action: Complex
**Range: Special
**Duration: Special
**The critter makes an Opposed Test using its Magic + Charisma against the target’s Intuition + Willpower. The critter's hits are reduced by 1 for every (Magic) meters away it is from the target. The rating of any area-effect sound-dampening devices, personal sound-dampening devices (such as cyberware), or hits scored by Hush or Silence spells, is added to the target’s Opposed Test. If the target wins, he suffers no ill effects. If the critter wins, the target’s Reaction or Agility (attacker's choice) is reduced by 1 for every net hit the creature scores; a reduction in Reaction affects the target’s Initiative and Initiative Score. This effect lasts for (Magic + net hits) Combat Turns. If either Agility or Reaction drop to zero, the target is paralyzed for (Magic + net hits) minutes and can take no actions except to breathe. After either effect ends, the target’s Reaction and Agility each return at the rate of 1 point per minute.

====Paralyzing Touch====
Paralyzing Touch remains unchanged and references the original version of Paralyzing Howl (SR5 399). 

====Movement====
*The Movement power adds or subtracts force from the Agility attributes for the sole purposes of determining movement rate, rather than serving as a multiplier or divisor. The minimum Agility score is 0, but even with a score of 0 for determining movement rate, a character is still able to move at a walking rate of 1 meter and a running rate of 2 meters. Additionally, the clause about only functioning in terrain the creature controls is stricken out, allowing it to function without having to juggle interpretations of what your spirit controls.
*The Movement power does not function on vehicles and drones.
*When using movement offensively the target of the hostile action is allowed to resist. Use the casters Mag + Wil opposed by the targets Body + Str + (Grey mana ect). Each net hit will reduce agility with the force serving as the max reduction.

====Regeneration====
*Biofeedback, being damage directly to the brainpan, cannot be healed by regeneration.
*Damage from drugs may not be healed until the character crashes from the drug and is no longer on said drug.
*Damage from Called Shot: Vitals cannot be healed by regeneration.

====Energy Aura====
*The AP of an attack augmented with Energy Aura replaces any existing AP.

====Essence Drain====
*Has he following line adjusted: "A critter that drains Essence can pump their stolen life force into other attributes, including Magic, with a simple action. Every point of Essence spent may temporarily boost one Physical or Mental attribute, or Magic, by +1" is now "A critter that drains Essence can pump their stolen life force into other attributes, not including Magic or Edge, with a simple action. Every point of Essence spent may temporarily boost one physical or mental attribute by +1."

====Downtime Essence Drain====
[[Rulings/Custom Mechanics#Downtime Essence Drain|Downtime Essence Drain]]

====Non-Elemental Engulf====
*The Engulf power of a plant spirit deals stun damage as the victim is entwined in vines, branches or thorns. Furthermore, the Engulf power of a guidance spirit deals stun damage as the victim is assailed by horrifying visions.

====Mist Form====
*The volume of mist from the Mist Form power should be roughly equal to the volume of the creature using the power and incompressible in total volume - no squeezing into a storage compartment or a bottle.
*Bonded foci and basic clothing go with the caster. Basic clothing may include armor up to 12, but does not include accessories.
*You may continue sustaining any previously sustained spells. You may not cast any new spells or use any other active powers while in mist form.

====Animal Control====
*Critters resist the Animal Control power with Logic + Willpower (+ Magic if applicable).

====Compulsion====
*Compulsion only has the affected character take a single action, then they are free of the effect - and they know they were mind-controlled.

====Concealment====
*Applies the penalty to attempts to locate the creature through both sensors and physical senses, regardless of whether Electronic Warfare or Perception is used.

====Accident====
*It must happen within the combat turn that it was activated on (so 3 seconds if outside of combat).
*The results are up to GM, but should generally be related to the environment (tripping, catching clothes onto a sharp piece of metal, etc.).
*It doesn't affect any actual test or dice roll. The results (such as going prone from tripping) may prevent intended actions (like charging).
*The lethality of the environment it's used in (e. g. there's a pool of acid) might make the results fatal, but they're not fatal in a vacuum.

===Qualities===
*For qualities, the Mechanics Division defines a "magician" as including aspected magicians - they, in turn, include traditional aspects (sorcerers, conjurers, enchanters), but also FA expanded aspects like apprentices. Adepts and mystic adepts are currently excluded from this category. As far as Aware and explorers are concerned, they qualify for qualities and metamagics when two requirements are met at the same time:
**A: magicians or aspected magicians qualify for it.
**B: when the quality or metamagic in question doesn't require any of skills they don't have (Magic-linked active skills for Aware and explorers) or abilities they lack (such as astral projection Aware do not possess).

====Dedicated Qualities and Mysads====
* Mysads must select sorcery as as an available skill group to take Dedicated Conjurer.
* Mysads must select conjuring as an available skill group to take Dedicated Spellslinger.

====Adept Healer====
*Adept Healer does not function on drain damage.
*Damage transferred by this ability counts as drain and as such cannot be transferred by further instances of this power or healed by anything other than rest.

====Alchemical Armorer====
*Alchemical Armorer is required to learn the Alter Ballistics (FA 51) preparation. You learn the Alter Ballistics preparation automatically for no additional karma upon learning the quality per RAW. It has no other effect other than providing you with the knowledge of how to make the preparation.

====Alchemical Bombmaker====
*Alchemical Bombmaker is limited to a number of increases in drain equal to your Alchemy skill rating divided by 4, rounded down: once at rating 4, twice at rating 8, three times at rating 12.
*Can only be used with combat spell preparations.

====Animal Familiar====
*Animal Familiar requires you to purchase the animal as normal, then perform the Animal Handling + Charisma [Social] (12, 1 week) test as outlined in Attune Animal, to function. If purchased at chargen, it is assumed you already succeeded this test.
*The Animal Familiar quality only works with completely mundane animals. That is to say, non-Awakened, non-Emerged animals.

====Arcane Bodyguard====
*Round the dice you can use on yourself up.
*The limit on how many dice you can use on yourself is for the entire combat turn, not per resisted spell. The limit does not apply when other characters are also resisting the spell with your spell defense dice.

====Arcane Improviser====
*Requires 4 spells (not preps) from each category, excluding rituals.
*Does not allow you to perform rituals you don't know, nor does it allow you to make preparations that you do not know, or fulfill requirements related to knowing spells.
*The 1/week limitation is altered to 1/run for ease/simplicity of book-keeping.
*You must meet all the prerequisites to cast the spell or otherwise be able to learn the spell (meaning no banned spells and no spells that you wouldn't be able to take otherwise).

====Astral Bouncer====
*This only identifies the following positive qualities: Home Ground (Astral Acclimation), Spirit Champion, Spirit Whisperer, Spirit Affinity, Mentor Spirit, Witness My Hate, Astral Chameleon, Elemental Focus, Focused Concentration, all Adept Ways, Magic Resistance, Arcane Arrester, Astral Hazing and all mastery qualities.
*This only identifies the following negative qualities: Astral beacon, Code of Honor: Harmony with Nature: The Shaman's Code, Spirit Bane, Spirit Pariah, Reduced (Astral Sight).
*In addition to an Initiate Grade and adept powers, Astral Bouncer determines a certain ''Metamagic'' from an Initiate Grade, not an initiate power.
*Edge cannot be determined.
*Physical and mental attributes can not be determined.
*It is up to GM discretion which aspects get revealed.

====Astral Hazing====
*Astral Hazing is a minimum penalty on magical actions the character suffers. If this penalty is greater than the BGC of the area the character is in, use 3. If the penalty of BGC in the area is greater, use the BGC of the area. Do note that this prevents a character with Astral Hazing from ever gaining limit bonuses due to an aspected BGC.

====Barehanded Adept====
*For touch-range spells gained through the Barehanded Adept quality, you calculate drain as normal, then double it after all other considerations, including minimum drain and Reckless Spellcasting. This effectively doubles your minimum drain.
*This does not work with a spell learned with the Adept Spell power.
*These spells does not work on yourself. Further, the target must be attacked.
*This only works with touch combat spells and touch health spells tagged "Negative".

====Chain Breaker====
*New spirit types are restricted to UMT spirits (Fire, Air, Earth, Water, Man, Beast, Guardian, Task, Plant, Guidance).

====Chosen Follower====
*The following options are removed from the list of benefits: "Learn two spells or rituals" & "Improve a magical active skill from rank 1 to rank 3."

====Death Dealer====
*Mystic Adepts receive both benefits of Death Dealer, however, they may only purchase the first rank. It only applies to Sorcery skills (Spellcasting and Ritual Spellcasting with the Prodigal Spell ritual), not to alchemical preparations.
*Note that the maximum bonus from this quality to melee damage is +1, regardless of the rating of the quality, as per RAW.

====Dedicated Conjurer====
*Taking this quality causes you to loose the entire Sorcery group, not just spell casting.
*New spirit types are restricted to UMT spirits (Fire, Air, Earth, Water, Man, Beast, Guardian, Task, Plant, Guidance).
*A dedicated conjurer can summon a spirit with the force one higher than their Magic without taking oversummoning drain.

====Dual-Natured Defender====
*Dual-Natured Defender takes a free action to activate and a free action to deactivate.
*Dual-Natured Defender only functions on your innate dual-natured quality, such as that from being infected. Any other sources of dual-natured, such as channeling a spirit or being in an astral rift, are unaffected and do not qualify you for the quality.
*The duration of having this quality active rounds up to the next minute for purposes of determining how long it can be used for before losing magic, essentially making it so that it is always used in one-minute chunks.
*Rather than simply cease astral perception, Dual-Natured Defender temporarily causes you not to count as a dual-natured being while active.

====Durable Preparations====
*Durable Preparations stacks with Practiced Alchemist, effectively changing the duration before a prep begins to degrade to (Potency x 6) hours.

====Elemental Master====
*Elemental Master only works with the natural elements; air, earth, fire or water. Electricity is not a valid choice.
*Elemental Master does not apply to damage received from drain.
*The following damage types can be associated with the paired element for instances where a choice is important.
**Fire->fire
**Water->water
**Electricity->air
**Acid->earth

====Taboo Transformer====
*Willpower is added to the resistance roll when using Shapechange or (Critter) Form spells on involuntary targets.
**The opposed test therefore becomes Spellcasting + Magic [Force] vs. Willpower + Body + Counterspelling + additional modifiers.

====Mentor's Mask====
*Mentor's mask is visible while casting a spell, using an active adept power or any other active use of magic. It is not made visible by sustaining spells, or due to having passive adept powers.
*Mystic adepts, if they take a mentor's mask, get the type of mask bonus dependent on the bonus they receive from their mentor spirit (for example, if they took the adept bonus from their mentor spirit, they get the adept mask, and if they took the magician bonus from their mentor spirit, they get the magician mask). The negative effect of a mentor's mask applies to all aspects of their magic usage (both their adept powers, and magician abilities).
*The choice to have a mentor's mask is made when a character acquires a mentor spirit. If they later switch mentor spirits, they get to make the choice again. If, for any reason, they lose their mentor spirit, they no longer have the advantage, or disadvantage, of a mentor's mask.
*You may obtain or remove your mentor's mask by paying 20 karma without "losing" your mentor. (Effectively buying off the mentor, then buying it again.)
*There is no way to hide a mentor's mask, it is always "visible" to the extent that numinous perception can perceive it.
*Mentor’s Mask only activates when you actively use an adept power, not when you sustain the effects of one. [[Mentor's Mask|List of adept powers which trigger mentor's mask]]

====Missile Deflector====
*Missile Deflector requires a successful Missile Parry interrupt, followed by the Counterstrike adept power interrupt, for a total of -10 initiative to use. Rather than the normal effects of the Counterstrike adept power, when this ability is used, it allows you to make a normal simple action thrown weapon attack against any valid target, with all appropriate modifiers, using the object you have caught.

====Pacifist Adept====
*The Notoriety restriction on Pacifist Adept is removed due to the possibility of gaining Notoriety via peaceful means such as refusing to do a job when you realize it involves murder or similar. Limits cannot be reduced below 1.

====Revenant Adept====
*If used, note the date used on your character’s wiki page along with a link to the run where it was used on.
*Revenant Adept works until it’s cleared all the damage that Regeneration can clear, you died or the run ends. This means that having one box of drain does not allow you to have Regeneration indefinitely.
*Revenant Adept does not take an action, even a reaction, to trigger. It can be used while unconscious or in physical overflow. This can be done in reaction to an attack and the user does not need to be aware, in character, to do this.

====Spell Jammer====
*Spell Jammer is not affected by Mana Barriers, but is affected by background counts.

====Spirit Hunter====
*Spirit Hunter cancels any sustained powers and prevents the use of any active powers, with the exception of Materialization.

====Skinwalker====
*The pelt for a mundane creature costs 50% of the price of purchasing the critter itself and has an availability equal to that of the critter. Prices and availabilities can be found at [[Animal Availability]].

====Spectral Warden====
*Binding replaces summoning for the initial summoning tests made by a Spectral Warden, but they must bind the spirit immediately after summoning, the spirit cannot be used for any other purposes before they are bound.

====Sprawl Tamer====
*Sprawl Tamer interacts additively with our existing [[Player_Rules#Critter_Tricks|house rules]] (it effectively adds another +1 modifier to the number of tricks a critter can learn).
*Mundanes may take Sprawl Tamer.

====Vexcraft====
*Suppress focus is a Simple Action and can be used from either the astral or physical, if you have line of sight on an active focus.
*Grounding focus is a Complex Action and can be used from either the astral or physical, but requires both the focus to be eligible to target and the owner to be eligible to target. This means you can only use this ability to damage a dual-natured or purely astral target, if you yourself are astral, for example.
*Counterspelling does not apply to the defense test, but power foci do, as does the force of any mana-barriers between the caster and the defender.

====Worship Leader====
*The GM has final say on if enough people can be gathered. Regarding group contacts, organized crime groups and gangs tend not to worship. One must have the Rank quality in any religious order.

====Witness My Hate====
*Witness My Hate is permissible for mystic adepts with or without the Magician's Way.

===Other===

====Assensing====
*Smoke and other solid aerosolized solid particulates partially block line of sight on the astral plane and thus incur a penalty to Assensing tests. Use the Environmental Modifiers table when dealing with them (but not rain) with the following adjustment: when the target of your assensing is a living being and the solid aerosolized particulate is made of non-living matter, reduce the penalties by one step.
*Assensing can reveal the class of magical subject with 2 net hits. This is determined to include paracritters as well as those classes given as examples on the assensing table SR5 pg. 313. Specifically, this pertains to shifters, infected, drakes, and naga. The GM may require a further knowledge roll to determine the type of paracritter.
**Example: 2 hits on Assensing would reveal a drake or ghoul as a paracritter, but relevant parazoology, dragon or infected knowledge skills are required to identify the type. Which is to say you can ID a drake as a paracritter but unless you've studied drakes you can't tell if it's a sea or western.
**Example: Infected all ping as "a paracritter" but knowledge: Infected lets you combine visual tells with what you're assensing to determine it is in fact a ghoul.

====Astral Actions====
*Assensing + Intuition [Astral] against Sneaking + Agility [Physical] (if the sneaker is dual-natured or only on the meat) or Sneaking + Logic [Astral] (if the sneaker is wholly astral) is the test for stealth on the astral.
*A creature with the Natural Weapons critter power may use them against astral targets per their rules whenever they are dual-natured from any source. They do not need to be permanently dual-natured.

====Auras and Signatures====
*Items worn by an individual are almost always considered to be within their aura and are able to be perceived through when using astral perception.
*Biofiber pockets are a detectible aura, however, they generally do not extend outside of the clothing they are within unless someone sticks their head into your pants. This means they are pretty difficult to detect. It will, however, still mask foci within from being seen from outside them. Protection, unless someone is sticking their head into your pants.
*Astral signatures may not be described to another mage. Alas, the intricacies of a sixth sense are even trickier than, say, describing the color red to someone. This holds equally true to summoned spirits through the spirit-summoner link (a very low-bandwidth link, incidentally), making the quicksilver camera the only way to spread astral signatures around.
*The following actions leave your astral signature behind:
**Casting a spell.
**Activating an alchemical preparation.
**Activating a focus.
**Using an adept or critter power.
**Summoning a spirit.
*The following actions explicitly do not leave your astral signature behind:
**Carrying a sustained spell away from where it was cast.
**Carrying a sustained effect from an alchemical preparation away from where it was activated.
**Using an active focus.
**Sustaining a critter power and moving away from where it was activated.
**Having an active adept power.
**The act of astral projection itself, as distinct from any powers that grant the ability to do so.
**The act of astral perception itself, as distinct from any powers that grant the ability to do so.
*The "Search" critter power is a physical power and cannot be used to locate the aura of a person. It tracks the physical appearance of a person only.
*Astral tracking explicitly works on astral signatures, not auras. As a result you can try and trace someone by a spell they cast but can't locate a person just by knowing their aura.
*What an aura looks like can be shared via Mindlink and Mindnet spells, as well as the Sense Link power (SG 198) that an ally spirit has. A normal spirit-summoner link is too weak to function for this purpose. Flashback systems and other technological memory extraction does not work due to the magical senses involved with perceiving them.
*One exception to this rule is quicksilver cameras. Note the quicksilver photographs' own difficulties.

====Background Counts====
Background counts apply a reduction equal to their rating to the following:
* Force of pre-existing active foci; forced inactive at 0 until leaving the BGC.
* Force of sustained spells; collapse at 0.
* Force of quickened/anchored spells; collapse at 0, recover at 1/hr otherwise.
* Force of rituals; collapse at 0.

Additionally, they apply a dice penalty equal to their rating to the following, non-cumulative:
* All tests that use the Magic attribute as part of the roll.
* Assensing and Astral Combat tests.
* Skill tests modified by or reliant on active adept powers.
* All actions performed by dual-natured creatures or purely astral creatures.

These penalties may be affected by acclimation and alignment as per normal.

Lastly, if the trail of an astral entity has passed through a background count higher than their Force or Magic (as appropriate), their trail ends at the area of the background count.

====Burned Out====
*You are completely burned out when you have 0 current Magic post gen. Temporary reductions do not count for this.

====Magical Compounds====
*Creating a compound:
**Creating a compound by a player is done as any other alchemical preparation: roll Alchemy + Magic [Force] vs force. Net hits become the potency of the magical compound. Drain is equal to force + 1. Make a note as to the exact force and potency of any magical compounds created. Advanced Alchemy is required. To buy the exotic ingredient for the compound pay the normal price and use the availability of the compound.
*Buying a compound:
**A player may buy magical compounds from their contacts instead of making them themselves. However, not all contacts can get the same quality of magical compounds. In order to determine the potency and force of the magical compound they can procure for you, add half of your loyalty with the contact (rounded up) to their connection, to a maximum of 6: any magical compound they procure for you have that value for both potency and force. Make a note as to the exact force and potency of any magical compounds purchased.
*Using a compound:
**The following changes are introduced to the SG information on compounds:
***Potency and force are not reduced due to lost essence.
***The user does not suffer drain when using the compounds; the creator of the compound has already taken the drain.
***Active effects are not negated if the user has less magic than the force of the compound.
**The following are unchanged:
***When using a magical compound that grants a power or spell, the user takes a -2 sustaining penalty.
***Aftereffects last for the entire original duration, as determined by potency (potency x10 minutes), even if the effect is dispelled early.


====FAB 3====
*Please refer to the rules in 4th edition's Street Magic for FAB III mechanics.

====Foci====
*The maximum rating of power and weapon foci is 7, (excluding GMs with thematics permission).
*The maximum rating for all other foci is 10, (excluding GMs with thematics permission).
*You cannot apply a weapon focus to yourself. While a focus has your signature, it does not have your aura. Therefore, artificing foci yourself does not get around the previous restrictions on valid foci. Bioware, similarly, cannot be turned into foci. The exception are melee bioweapons other than striking calluses or bone modifications.
*All non-weapon foci may be made into tattoos via tattoo magic. Note that doing so may not always be beneficial.
*The custom foci rules are in effect exactly as written. Additionally, it is expected that the player inform their GMs when they have such a focus. The GM may decide when the mentor is displeased, the focus turning off (any time you succeed the composure check to resist the disadvantage of the mentor and don't give in to the compulsion at minimum), and when it may be turned back on.
*Focus addiction is rolled for any time a focus is activated and the total force of all active foci is greater than your Magic score. The roll for this addiction is psychological.
*Spell foci and spirit foci no longer have specific types (such as Combat, Spirit of Man, Fire Spirit, etc.); instead:
**Banishing foci apply to all Banishing tests.
**Binding foci apply to all Binding tests.
**Counterspelling Foci apply to all Dispelling tests and the pool available when Spell Defense is declared.
**Ritual Spellcasting foci apply to all Ritual Spellcasting tests.
**Spellcasting foci apply to all Spellcasting tests.
**Summoning foci apply to all Summoning tests.
*Power foci do not act as an increase to the Magic attribute, but as an increase to dice pool in all Magic linked tests.
*Additionally, banishing foci are changed such that they give limit and dice equal to their rating, instead of just limit.
*Refined radical reagents of various sources may be used to reduce the price of foci they are made into when using a contact.
*Qi foci continue to provide their full benefit until they are deactivated fully. For powers with levels, such as Improved Ability, reducing the force due to background count does not incrementally reduce the effect of the qi focus.

====Magical Lodge====
*Lodges have no background count.

====Object Resistance Table====
*For all tests involving OR, use [https://shreloaded.net/wiki/Object_Resistance_Table the object resistance table]. This includes, among others, physical illusions, the Analyze Device spell and artificing.

====Alterations to metaplaner travel and metaplaner quests====
*Travelers to metaplanes experience the plane via a metaplanar form.
**This form fully mimics the travelers real body including ware, though the appearance mimics the planes metaphor.
**If the traveler possesses the ability to astrally project and has arrived to the metaplane using that mechanism, they may choose to have their metaplaner body's physical attributes represented by their astral stats instead. In this form cyberware is not projected but the body's physical stats are as follows
***Body = will
***Agility = log
***Reaction = int
***STR = char
**The matrix, including rigging and decking, may function normally if it fits the metaphor, decided by the gm.
**You can not astrally project while in a metaplanar body, doing so simply begins the journey to another plane.
** Time spent on the metaplanar form doesn't reduce the clock for being out of your body.
====Astral Gateways and Physical Objects====
*Astral rifts, gateways and other such creations are split into a few categories.
**"Astral" and "Metaplanar" are two separate concepts.
***Astral means (evtl. forced) astral projection
***Metaplanar means physical travel directly to a metaplane
**"Gateway," "Portal" and "Rift" are different things in function as well.
***Gateway = Temporary passage (by ritual or critter power)
***Portal = Some physical construct that allows passage
***Rift = Natural phenomenon
*Some free spirits are capable of creating an astral gateway to their plane of origin but only very few can open portals that allow physical travel.
*The Astral Gateway power of a great form spirit creates a gateway and thus means astral projection even with mundanes to the metaplane of the spirit's native plane. However, they cannot use any physical abilities and must follow all the rules of astral projection as Awakened would. This naturally makes things hazardous for a mundane.
*A portal to a metaplane is rarer. In these cases, physical rules can apply and you can take gear with you.

====Wards====
*Fooling Wards
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" |Passing Basic Wards
|-
|
|Attempt Failure
|Attempt Success
|-
|Attack Ward
|Not Alerted
|Alerted
|-
|Mag+Cha[Astral] vs Fx2
|Alerted
|Not Alerted
|-
|Flux-Int+Mag+IG vs Fx2
|Not Alerted
|Not Alerted
|-
! colspan="3" |Passing Alarm Wards
|-
|
|Attempt Failure
|Attempt Success
|-
|Attack Ward
|Not Alerted
|Alerted
|-
|Mag+Cha[Astral] vs Fx2
|Alerted
|Alerted
|-
|Flux-Int+Mag+IG vs Fx2
|Not Alerted
|Not Alerted
|-
|}

====Numinous Perception====
*Numinous perception is not a discrete sense – it is like unaugmented human smell. If you can detect the source of a successful numinous perception check (such as that wizard over there casting the spell) with another sense (such as sight), you may pinpoint the sensation to that wizard, knowing that he cast a spell. If you cannot detect the source of a numinous perception check with another sense, you merely get a sense of unease, that magic is afoot, but you cannot, for example, tell that there is an invisible man about to pull down your pants or that there is a sorceress casting acid spells at the wall three stories up. Only that magic is afoot.
*Numinous Perception is effective against sustained spells.
*For adepts who do not have a mentor's mask, their powers, with the sole exceptions of Adept Spell and Adept Accident, do not trigger Numinous Perception. Note that this does not necessarily mean that they are not obvious either during or immediately after their effects. If the adept has mentor's mask, use RAW.
*Adept Spell triggers Numinous Perception as usual for Spellcasting.
*Adept Accident triggers Numinous Perception at a threshold of 6-Adept's Magic score.
*Critter powers can be perceived with Numinous Perception, in the same manner as magic spells. The force is equal to the magic of the originating critter. In the absence of a Magic score or effective Magic score, utilize essence instead.

====Reagents====
*Harvesting reagents is only permissible at-table, in-run.
*Reagents override the BGC limit boost from aspected BGCs.

====Spell Formula====
*Creating a spellcasting/ritual spellcasting/alchemical formula requires an Arcana + DrainStat [Astral] (25, 1 day) extended test. Extended spell and limited spell increase the threshold by 10 each. Getting the necessary information to make the formula still required some money:
**Health 100
**Detection 100
**Illusion 200
**Manipulation 300
**Combat 400
**Ritual 400
*Failure results in 25% loss of materials, glitch 50% and critglitch 100%.


[[Category:Player Rules]]

Saladin

2026-07-14T06:33:49Z

Asmodeus: /* A Being without Soul */

{{Infobox
|title = {{PAGENAME}}
|image= [[File:1211.png]]
|header1= <center>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiPtrzY_vcc Shahbaz ibn Eisa]</center>
|header2= <center>Fleeing the shadow of his father</center>
|label5 = Player
|data5 = [https://shreloaded.net/wiki/User:Asmodeus Asmodeus]
|label6= Metatype
|data6 = Human
|label7 = Street Cred
|data7= 2
|label8 = Notoriety
|data8 = 0
|label9 = Public Awareness
|data9= 0
|label10 = Titles and Awards
|data10 = 0
|label12 = CDP
|data12 = {{CDP|
|Expenses=16
|Bonuses=22
|}}
|label13 = D.O.B.
|data13 = 12.07.2055
|label14 = Age
|data14 = {{Age|
|Month=07
|Day=12
|Year=2055
|}}
|label15 = Folder
|data15 =[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-FTTaN8OERDJkIdeORKzQjmIrBViVfou?usp=sharing]
|label17 = Priority
|data17 = Metatype - E Attributes - B Magic/Resonance - A Skills - B Resources - D
|label18 = Initiations Unlocked
|data18 = {{IGTracker|
|Month=09
|Day=19
|Year=2086
|AwakenedStatus=1
|}}
|label19 = Initiations Completed
|data19 = 5
|label20 = Dates Initiations are Unlocked for 2087
|data20 = * September 4th
* December 25th
}}

==Background==
Son of Badr al-Din Ibn Eisa, Shahbaz found his Awakening early on in life, going to the island of Bahrain for arcane training. The island was one of the five madrassas where magicians underwent rigorous education, so Shahbaz's childhood was one of discipline, piety and practice. During his early years, however, he heard rumors of dissent and conflict out in the world, mostly stifled by the mentors he obediently heeded. When word came that his father had been exposed as a foul demon, attempting to kill the caliph Ibn Saud, the mentors knew it was only a matter of time until retaliation was sought through his family. Shahbaz never found out what happened to his mother, but the mentors opened a way for him to escape the country, never to see his home region of Qatif again.

That was in 2064.

Shahbaz has made some progress in his practice, finding potent ability in his latent arcane power to finesse problems and stay peaceful as per his faith -- many a day his mind wanders to his father's desecrated corpse, puppeteered by a demon in the darkness. Shahbaz has made many efforts to distance himself from his father. False aliases, taking up more modern fashion styles, even converting to Shi'a from his father's Sunni roots, but no matter what he does, he feels unsafe knowing that somewhere out there could be those that haven't forgotten his existence.

==Goals==
* Find enlightenment through Islamic Alchemy practices and transformation of the soul.
* Continue to explore the fantastic depths of fashion; high fashion armor, fashion shows, meeting designers!
* Find if his mom is still alive, whether in Qatif or somewhere else.
* Contemplate contacting his old teachers in Bahrain.
* Stabilize economically.

==Qualities==
* '''Running from the Past''' (National SINner: Shahbaz ibn Eisa, Big Regret, Mild Phobia: Shedim) - ''Native to the Arabian Caliphate, Shahbaz hides his connection to his infamous father to the best of his ability.''
* '''Talented''' (College Education, Inspired Artisan, Exceptional Attribute: Magic) - ''Shahbaz has a knack for calligraphy and alchemy, a sharp eye for precise movements and measured fine motor control.''
* '''Artificially Induced Psychotropic Schizophrenia''' (AIPS) - ''A drawback of his Awakening was making him particularly sensitive to spam zones. His mind feels abuzz when wandering in Downtown and quickly causes disorientation.''

==Run History==
{{RunHistory}}

==Affiliations==

===Contacts===
{{ContactTable|
{{HasContact|
|Name=Jinx
|Loyalty=2
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Khadija ibnat Ibrahim al-Yemeni
|Loyalty=3
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Bubblegum
|Loyalty=2
|Chips=Even
|}}
}}

===Organizations===

{| class="wikitable"
|+Faction Reputation
!Faction!!Reputation
|-
|Faction
|Reputation
|-
|}

==A Being without Soul==
[[File:zill al haqq.png|1000px|frameless|center]]
 

''Following the teachings of countless alchemists that walked the path of enlightenment before him under the pseudonym Jabir ibn Hayyan, Shahbaz knew that sooner or later he'd have to reflect on one of the most divine acts of all: life. His studies began simply enough. When he concentrated on stabilizing his alchemical formulae, he found stability in his own faith as well. After that came his own vanity. It was an impurity in his soul, his obsession with fashion and clothes. When he excised that urge from himself, Shahbaz gained an understanding of purity in all things around him like never before. His perception of reality deepened when he began to understand the hidden order in himself and the world around him. An almost intuitive, preternatural understanding of things came over him, and he praised God for this vision. To maintain this state better, Shahbaz learned to enter a deep, meditative trance in prayer. Then, in a deep trance, he reached deep into the chasm of perception and drew out the formula of life. He lacked one of the key components: the divine breath of God. No soul could be made, but with a piece of himself, he could create a reflection of one. He partook in takwin, and so Ẓill al-Ḥaqq, the Shadow of Truth.''

''The vessel he prepared for this facsimile of life was a purified puppet of the highest order of reagents. It wasn't made for violence or labor, but for calm and peacefulness. The puppet body moved unnaturally and sprang to motion, a nascent consciousness exploring the world around itself. When it understood that it existed, it began to query about its consciousness itself. That's when it realized it was not alone. There was another in the room with it. In that moment, it gained an awareness of space and direction. The other being spoke. It gained an awareness of language when it heard words it intuitively comprehended. It understood the word God, and knew it was the truth.''

''Despite the strain the deep trance had left on Shahbaz, he fought through it and remained in conversation with Ẓill al-Ḥaqq for five hours, explaining the fundamentals of what it is to exist and why it was made. The being absorbed information like a sponge, listened attentively and remembered with alarming alacrity. Now, Shahbaz has tasked himself with mentoring the being of what it means to have faith. It may have no soul, and thus no afterlife or paradise, but that does not mean it cannot be pious. For if even a soulless being can find faith, it would prove that he made the being well and truly of his own essence. His own lacking experience as a teacher may hinder its growth, however, and so he must find others willing to speak to it. Perhaps with a wider array of conversations, its growth can be more organic. Here, all of its exchanges will be listed.''

==Matrix Search Table==
{{SearchTable|
|LowResult=A man called 'Ibrahim' is known to like collecting fashion apparel and posting about it on Horizon 2.1.
|MidResult=Notably, his social media account appeared only around 10 years ago. His country of birth is in UCAS, but he never went to school anywhere.
|HighResult=No childhood records anywhere beyond the social media profile. Some have question if this guy ever sleeps given his 24/7 social media presence.
}}

==Shadow Community Table==
{{SearchTable|
|LowThreshold=1
|LowResult=Social specialist known to smooth over many problems with Johnsons. Has an accent in his voice, but hasn't talked about his past before.
|MidThreshold=3
|MidResult=Those who have assensed him know him to have alchemical abilities. He doesn't use them when working the shadows, however. Those who worked with him on longer jobs don't remember ever seeing him sleep.
|HighThreshold=5
|HighResult=Nothing of note appears.
}}

==Assensing Table==

{| class="wikitable" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 10px"
! style="text-align:left;" |Threshold
! style="text-align:left;" |Description
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |1
|Awakened.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |2
|Mystic adept. No augmentations. No augmentations.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |3
|High Magic and Essence. No augmentations.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |4
|7 Magic, 6 Essence. Often carries traces of astral signatures. No augmentations.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |5
|Not a technomancer. No augmentations.
|}
[[Category:Player Characters]]

Saladin

2026-07-14T06:33:34Z

Asmodeus: /* A Being without Soul */

{{Infobox
|title = {{PAGENAME}}
|image= [[File:1211.png]]
|header1= <center>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiPtrzY_vcc Shahbaz ibn Eisa]</center>
|header2= <center>Fleeing the shadow of his father</center>
|label5 = Player
|data5 = [https://shreloaded.net/wiki/User:Asmodeus Asmodeus]
|label6= Metatype
|data6 = Human
|label7 = Street Cred
|data7= 2
|label8 = Notoriety
|data8 = 0
|label9 = Public Awareness
|data9= 0
|label10 = Titles and Awards
|data10 = 0
|label12 = CDP
|data12 = {{CDP|
|Expenses=16
|Bonuses=22
|}}
|label13 = D.O.B.
|data13 = 12.07.2055
|label14 = Age
|data14 = {{Age|
|Month=07
|Day=12
|Year=2055
|}}
|label15 = Folder
|data15 =[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-FTTaN8OERDJkIdeORKzQjmIrBViVfou?usp=sharing]
|label17 = Priority
|data17 = Metatype - E Attributes - B Magic/Resonance - A Skills - B Resources - D
|label18 = Initiations Unlocked
|data18 = {{IGTracker|
|Month=09
|Day=19
|Year=2086
|AwakenedStatus=1
|}}
|label19 = Initiations Completed
|data19 = 5
|label20 = Dates Initiations are Unlocked for 2087
|data20 = * September 4th
* December 25th
}}

==Background==
Son of Badr al-Din Ibn Eisa, Shahbaz found his Awakening early on in life, going to the island of Bahrain for arcane training. The island was one of the five madrassas where magicians underwent rigorous education, so Shahbaz's childhood was one of discipline, piety and practice. During his early years, however, he heard rumors of dissent and conflict out in the world, mostly stifled by the mentors he obediently heeded. When word came that his father had been exposed as a foul demon, attempting to kill the caliph Ibn Saud, the mentors knew it was only a matter of time until retaliation was sought through his family. Shahbaz never found out what happened to his mother, but the mentors opened a way for him to escape the country, never to see his home region of Qatif again.

That was in 2064.

Shahbaz has made some progress in his practice, finding potent ability in his latent arcane power to finesse problems and stay peaceful as per his faith -- many a day his mind wanders to his father's desecrated corpse, puppeteered by a demon in the darkness. Shahbaz has made many efforts to distance himself from his father. False aliases, taking up more modern fashion styles, even converting to Shi'a from his father's Sunni roots, but no matter what he does, he feels unsafe knowing that somewhere out there could be those that haven't forgotten his existence.

==Goals==
* Find enlightenment through Islamic Alchemy practices and transformation of the soul.
* Continue to explore the fantastic depths of fashion; high fashion armor, fashion shows, meeting designers!
* Find if his mom is still alive, whether in Qatif or somewhere else.
* Contemplate contacting his old teachers in Bahrain.
* Stabilize economically.

==Qualities==
* '''Running from the Past''' (National SINner: Shahbaz ibn Eisa, Big Regret, Mild Phobia: Shedim) - ''Native to the Arabian Caliphate, Shahbaz hides his connection to his infamous father to the best of his ability.''
* '''Talented''' (College Education, Inspired Artisan, Exceptional Attribute: Magic) - ''Shahbaz has a knack for calligraphy and alchemy, a sharp eye for precise movements and measured fine motor control.''
* '''Artificially Induced Psychotropic Schizophrenia''' (AIPS) - ''A drawback of his Awakening was making him particularly sensitive to spam zones. His mind feels abuzz when wandering in Downtown and quickly causes disorientation.''

==Run History==
{{RunHistory}}

==Affiliations==

===Contacts===
{{ContactTable|
{{HasContact|
|Name=Jinx
|Loyalty=2
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Khadija ibnat Ibrahim al-Yemeni
|Loyalty=3
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Bubblegum
|Loyalty=2
|Chips=Even
|}}
}}

===Organizations===

{| class="wikitable"
|+Faction Reputation
!Faction!!Reputation
|-
|Faction
|Reputation
|-
|}

==A Being without Soul==
[[File:zill al haqq.png|1000px|frameless|center]]

''Following the teachings of countless alchemists that walked the path of enlightenment before him under the pseudonym Jabir ibn Hayyan, Shahbaz knew that sooner or later he'd have to reflect on one of the most divine acts of all: life. His studies began simply enough. When he concentrated on stabilizing his alchemical formulae, he found stability in his own faith as well. After that came his own vanity. It was an impurity in his soul, his obsession with fashion and clothes. When he excised that urge from himself, Shahbaz gained an understanding of purity in all things around him like never before. His perception of reality deepened when he began to understand the hidden order in himself and the world around him. An almost intuitive, preternatural understanding of things came over him, and he praised God for this vision. To maintain this state better, Shahbaz learned to enter a deep, meditative trance in prayer. Then, in a deep trance, he reached deep into the chasm of perception and drew out the formula of life. He lacked one of the key components: the divine breath of God. No soul could be made, but with a piece of himself, he could create a reflection of one. He partook in takwin, and so Ẓill al-Ḥaqq, the Shadow of Truth.''

''The vessel he prepared for this facsimile of life was a purified puppet of the highest order of reagents. It wasn't made for violence or labor, but for calm and peacefulness. The puppet body moved unnaturally and sprang to motion, a nascent consciousness exploring the world around itself. When it understood that it existed, it began to query about its consciousness itself. That's when it realized it was not alone. There was another in the room with it. In that moment, it gained an awareness of space and direction. The other being spoke. It gained an awareness of language when it heard words it intuitively comprehended. It understood the word God, and knew it was the truth.''

''Despite the strain the deep trance had left on Shahbaz, he fought through it and remained in conversation with Ẓill al-Ḥaqq for five hours, explaining the fundamentals of what it is to exist and why it was made. The being absorbed information like a sponge, listened attentively and remembered with alarming alacrity. Now, Shahbaz has tasked himself with mentoring the being of what it means to have faith. It may have no soul, and thus no afterlife or paradise, but that does not mean it cannot be pious. For if even a soulless being can find faith, it would prove that he made the being well and truly of his own essence. His own lacking experience as a teacher may hinder its growth, however, and so he must find others willing to speak to it. Perhaps with a wider array of conversations, its growth can be more organic. Here, all of its exchanges will be listed.''

==Matrix Search Table==
{{SearchTable|
|LowResult=A man called 'Ibrahim' is known to like collecting fashion apparel and posting about it on Horizon 2.1.
|MidResult=Notably, his social media account appeared only around 10 years ago. His country of birth is in UCAS, but he never went to school anywhere.
|HighResult=No childhood records anywhere beyond the social media profile. Some have question if this guy ever sleeps given his 24/7 social media presence.
}}

==Shadow Community Table==
{{SearchTable|
|LowThreshold=1
|LowResult=Social specialist known to smooth over many problems with Johnsons. Has an accent in his voice, but hasn't talked about his past before.
|MidThreshold=3
|MidResult=Those who have assensed him know him to have alchemical abilities. He doesn't use them when working the shadows, however. Those who worked with him on longer jobs don't remember ever seeing him sleep.
|HighThreshold=5
|HighResult=Nothing of note appears.
}}

==Assensing Table==

{| class="wikitable" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 10px"
! style="text-align:left;" |Threshold
! style="text-align:left;" |Description
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |1
|Awakened.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |2
|Mystic adept. No augmentations. No augmentations.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |3
|High Magic and Essence. No augmentations.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |4
|7 Magic, 6 Essence. Often carries traces of astral signatures. No augmentations.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |5
|Not a technomancer. No augmentations.
|}
[[Category:Player Characters]]

Saladin

2026-07-14T06:28:15Z

2026-07-04T22:36:42Z

Asmodeus:

Zero

2026-07-03T05:05:59Z

Asmodeus:

{{Infobox
|title = {{PAGENAME}}
|image= [[File:Zeroth.jpg]]
|header1= <center>Washed Up Recruit</center>
|header2= <center>Failed Prototype</center>
|header3=
|header4=
|label5 = Player
|data5 = [https://shreloaded.net/wiki/User:Asmodeus Asmodeus]
|label6= Metatype
|data6 = Ogre
|label7 = Street Cred
|data7= 0
|label8 = Notoriety
|data8 = 0
|label9 = Public Awareness
|data9= 0
|label10 = Titles and Awards
|data10 = 0
|label12 = CDP
|data12 = {{CDP|
|Expenses=54
|Bonuses=40
|}}
|label13 = D.O.B.
|data13 = 03.04.2055
|label14 = Age
|data14 = {{Age|
|Month=04
|Day=03
|Year=2055
|}}
|label15 = Folder
|data15 =[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wa7cGzaMKon4VAWRKfRl8zEhoATJ-R2b?usp=sharing]
|label17 = Priority
|data17 = Metatype - C Attributes - A Magic/Resonance - E Skills - A Resources - E
|label18 = Ascensions Unlocked
|data18 = {{IGTracker|
|Month=01
|Day=01
|Year=2085
|AwakenedStatus=0
|}}
|label19 = Ascensions Completed
|data19 = 0
|label20 = Ascension Timers For 2024
|data20 = *
|label21 = DocWagon Contract Online For...
|data21 = 52 Runs
}}

==Background==
A tale as old as time. Some sucker always gets pulled in by promises of cash. Zero is one of those types. She was in the pipeline to potentially become part of Delta Force, a relatively promising if unassuming soldier past basic that showed she had the physical ability and sharp mind to crack it in more advanced lines of work. Despite this, she didn't end up lasting long; a month into training, Zero was approached by a higher ranking officer asking if she wanted a little bit of extra cash. Military trials for experimental ware had reached metahuman testing trials and they were looking for a variety of voluntary subjects. As one of the more promising fresh ork candidates, Zero agreed for a three month trial period, promising 15,000 Nuyen a month in place of her meagre 60$ daily wage.

It didn't go well. The surgery itself had several complications and recovery was pure hell. Vomiting, nausea, ware rejection, migraines and hallucinations all plagued her -- sometimes she wondered if the other test subjects had it as bad as her. The augmetic was meant to harden mundane wearers against magical influence whenever it received the correct signal. It didn't work. It didn't respond to neural interface commands, repel magical effects or even react to direct connection commands. Removing it posed greater risks than keeping it in since some of the components could result in fatal doses of internal chemical leakages when excised. As a result, not only did Zero fail the testing period in the first month, she was no longer fit for service even as a desk clerk. Discharged as a recruit and offered 'the best of sympathies' she was left on the street with a failed and faulty prototype aug in her body and fifteen thousand nuyen.

Over time, her motor skills diminished and it became difficult to keep up with the world around her. Frequent migraine episodes made things even worse and the medication was so expensive that some days were worth suffering through unmedicated. When the end of the month came knocking and she had still no real plans on advancing her life, Zero grabbed her L36 pistol and went to the criminal underworld infobroker in the neighborhood. Zero got her current moniker from those street jobs, the nobody that never left much of an impression, never hounded for glory and never stayed for small talk. She always performed the same: show up, check the job, do the bare minimum and leave. At least the Johnsons liked her enough due to her propensity to use reason, caution and plan things before charging in with a sword like many of the betakami cybersamurai from the gangs.

The Haven offer came faster than normal. Zero didn't want to risk performing in the big leagues in her condition, but she was barely living from paycheck to paycheck. If she ever wanted things to get better, she'd have to start earning more and get to a real state of the art professional's clinic one day.

==Goals==
* Get rid of the Electromagnetic Astral Disruptor relic in her body without dying
* Repair the damage her body suffered from the chronic toxicity in her blood
* Fulfil her dream of becoming Delta Force -- or at least their level in ability

==Qualities==
* '''Reject''' ''(Astral Hazing, Busted Ware, Illness 3)'' - The UCAS military's attempt at reverse engineering greyware to make cheaper and revolutionary anti-magic ware didn't pan out. Zero's left suffering from chronic toxic encephalomyelitis, a frequent episodic inflammation of her spinal cord and brain that causes migraines and loss of motor control, among other symptoms. As a side effect, the constant leakage of gray mana compounds has left her entire skeleton saturated with the stuff. The astral space around her is polluted by her presence, much to the chagrin of Awakened teammates.
* '''Delta Force Recruit''' ''(Special Modifications, Prototype Materials)'' - There's a few things Zero's training left her. Knowing how to squeeze the most out of her gun and which alloys make the best barrels. There are many weapons, but this one is hers.

==Run History==
{{RunHistory}}

==Affiliations==

===Contacts===
{{ContactTable|
{{HasContact|
|Name=Whistleblower
|Loyalty=5
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Ezekyle Burton
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}
}}

===Organizations===

{| class="wikitable"
|+Faction Reputation
!Faction!!Reputation
|-
|Krime
|1
|-
|Skraacha
|1
|-
|Grey
|2
|-
|Underhaven Grotto
|1
|-
|Streets of Redmond
|1
|}

==Matrix Search Table==
{{SearchTable|
|LowResult=No real results.
|MidResult=No real results.
|HighResult=No real results.
}}

==Shadow Community Table==
{{SearchTable|
|LowThreshold=1
|LowResult=An unremarkable ork runner. Likes PDWs.
|MidThreshold=3
|MidResult=Has a tendency to cover the backs of other runners and drag them to safety. Poor reflexes.
|HighThreshold=5
|HighResult=Mages mention she causes astral hazing like a cyberzombie, but haven't gotten a straight answer from her as to why. Has practically no augmetics or magic, either.
}}

==Assensing Table==

{| class="wikitable" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 10px"
! style="text-align:left;" |Threshold
! style="text-align:left;" |Description
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |1
|Always sits in a background count of 3. Chronically ill and mundane. Her aura looks like an oil spill mixed with gravel and soot. Listening in the astral space makes one hear gunfire and smell gunpowder.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |2
|Has an unidentifiable block inside of her chest, leading up to her skull through the neck. Doesn't match any known augmetic if evaluated with a Cybertechnology Test.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |3
|High Essence, no Magic score, no additional augmetics.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |4
|4.8 Essence, no real augmentations found.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |5
|Not a technomancer.
|}

[[Category:Player Characters]]

Zero

2026-07-02T23:10:42Z

Asmodeus: /* Organizations */

{{Infobox
|title = {{PAGENAME}}
|image= [[File:Zeroth.jpg]]
|header1= <center>Washed Up Recruit</center>
|header2= <center>Failed Prototype</center>
|header3=
|header4=
|label5 = Player
|data5 = [https://shreloaded.net/wiki/User:Asmodeus Asmodeus]
|label6= Metatype
|data6 = Ogre
|label7 = Street Cred
|data7= 0
|label8 = Notoriety
|data8 = 0
|label9 = Public Awareness
|data9= 0
|label10 = Titles and Awards
|data10 = 0
|label12 = CDP
|data12 = {{CDP|
|Expenses=54
|Bonuses=38
|}}
|label13 = D.O.B.
|data13 = 03.04.2055
|label14 = Age
|data14 = {{Age|
|Month=04
|Day=03
|Year=2055
|}}
|label15 = Folder
|data15 =[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wa7cGzaMKon4VAWRKfRl8zEhoATJ-R2b?usp=sharing]
|label17 = Priority
|data17 = Metatype - C Attributes - A Magic/Resonance - E Skills - A Resources - E
|label18 = Ascensions Unlocked
|data18 = {{IGTracker|
|Month=01
|Day=01
|Year=2085
|AwakenedStatus=0
|}}
|label19 = Ascensions Completed
|data19 = 0
|label20 = Ascension Timers For 2024
|data20 = *
|label21 = DocWagon Contract Online For...
|data21 = 52 Runs
}}

==Background==
A tale as old as time. Some sucker always gets pulled in by promises of cash. Zero is one of those types. She was in the pipeline to potentially become part of Delta Force, a relatively promising if unassuming soldier past basic that showed she had the physical ability and sharp mind to crack it in more advanced lines of work. Despite this, she didn't end up lasting long; a month into training, Zero was approached by a higher ranking officer asking if she wanted a little bit of extra cash. Military trials for experimental ware had reached metahuman testing trials and they were looking for a variety of voluntary subjects. As one of the more promising fresh ork candidates, Zero agreed for a three month trial period, promising 15,000 Nuyen a month in place of her meagre 60$ daily wage.

It didn't go well. The surgery itself had several complications and recovery was pure hell. Vomiting, nausea, ware rejection, migraines and hallucinations all plagued her -- sometimes she wondered if the other test subjects had it as bad as her. The augmetic was meant to harden mundane wearers against magical influence whenever it received the correct signal. It didn't work. It didn't respond to neural interface commands, repel magical effects or even react to direct connection commands. Removing it posed greater risks than keeping it in since some of the components could result in fatal doses of internal chemical leakages when excised. As a result, not only did Zero fail the testing period in the first month, she was no longer fit for service even as a desk clerk. Discharged as a recruit and offered 'the best of sympathies' she was left on the street with a failed and faulty prototype aug in her body and fifteen thousand nuyen.

Over time, her motor skills diminished and it became difficult to keep up with the world around her. Frequent migraine episodes made things even worse and the medication was so expensive that some days were worth suffering through unmedicated. When the end of the month came knocking and she had still no real plans on advancing her life, Zero grabbed her L36 pistol and went to the criminal underworld infobroker in the neighborhood. Zero got her current moniker from those street jobs, the nobody that never left much of an impression, never hounded for glory and never stayed for small talk. She always performed the same: show up, check the job, do the bare minimum and leave. At least the Johnsons liked her enough due to her propensity to use reason, caution and plan things before charging in with a sword like many of the betakami cybersamurai from the gangs.

The Haven offer came faster than normal. Zero didn't want to risk performing in the big leagues in her condition, but she was barely living from paycheck to paycheck. If she ever wanted things to get better, she'd have to start earning more and get to a real state of the art professional's clinic one day.

==Goals==
* Get rid of the Electromagnetic Astral Disruptor relic in her body without dying
* Repair the damage her body suffered from the chronic toxicity in her blood
* Fulfil her dream of becoming Delta Force -- or at least their level in ability

==Qualities==
* '''Reject''' ''(Astral Hazing, Busted Ware, Illness 3)'' - The UCAS military's attempt at reverse engineering greyware to make cheaper and revolutionary anti-magic ware didn't pan out. Zero's left suffering from chronic toxic encephalomyelitis, a frequent episodic inflammation of her spinal cord and brain that causes migraines and loss of motor control, among other symptoms. As a side effect, the constant leakage of gray mana compounds has left her entire skeleton saturated with the stuff. The astral space around her is polluted by her presence, much to the chagrin of Awakened teammates.
* '''Delta Force Recruit''' ''(Special Modifications, Prototype Materials)'' - There's a few things Zero's training left her. Knowing how to squeeze the most out of her gun and which alloys make the best barrels. There are many weapons, but this one is hers.

==Run History==
{{RunHistory}}

==Affiliations==

===Contacts===
{{ContactTable|
{{HasContact|
|Name=Whistleblower
|Loyalty=5
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Ezekyle Burton
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}
}}

===Organizations===

{| class="wikitable"
|+Faction Reputation
!Faction!!Reputation
|-
|Krime
|1
|-
|Skraacha
|1
|-
|Grey
|2
|-
|Underhaven Grotto
|1
|-
|Streets of Redmond
|1
|}

==Matrix Search Table==
{{SearchTable|
|LowResult=No real results.
|MidResult=No real results.
|HighResult=No real results.
}}

==Shadow Community Table==
{{SearchTable|
|LowThreshold=1
|LowResult=An unremarkable ork runner. Likes PDWs.
|MidThreshold=3
|MidResult=Has a tendency to cover the backs of other runners and drag them to safety. Poor reflexes.
|HighThreshold=5
|HighResult=Mages mention she causes astral hazing like a cyberzombie, but haven't gotten a straight answer from her as to why. Has practically no augmetics or magic, either.
}}

==Assensing Table==

{| class="wikitable" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 10px"
! style="text-align:left;" |Threshold
! style="text-align:left;" |Description
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |1
|Always sits in a background count of 3. Chronically ill and mundane. Her aura looks like an oil spill mixed with gravel and soot. Listening in the astral space makes one hear gunfire and smell gunpowder.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |2
|Has an unidentifiable block inside of her chest, leading up to her skull through the neck. Doesn't match any known augmetic if evaluated with a Cybertechnology Test.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |3
|High Essence, no Magic score, no additional augmetics.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |4
|4.8 Essence, no real augmentations found.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |5
|Not a technomancer.
|}

[[Category:Player Characters]]

Zero

2026-07-02T23:08:23Z

Asmodeus: /* Assensing Table */

{{Infobox
|title = {{PAGENAME}}
|image= [[File:Zeroth.jpg]]
|header1= <center>Washed Up Recruit</center>
|header2= <center>Failed Prototype</center>
|header3=
|header4=
|label5 = Player
|data5 = [https://shreloaded.net/wiki/User:Asmodeus Asmodeus]
|label6= Metatype
|data6 = Ogre
|label7 = Street Cred
|data7= 0
|label8 = Notoriety
|data8 = 0
|label9 = Public Awareness
|data9= 0
|label10 = Titles and Awards
|data10 = 0
|label12 = CDP
|data12 = {{CDP|
|Expenses=54
|Bonuses=38
|}}
|label13 = D.O.B.
|data13 = 03.04.2055
|label14 = Age
|data14 = {{Age|
|Month=04
|Day=03
|Year=2055
|}}
|label15 = Folder
|data15 =[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wa7cGzaMKon4VAWRKfRl8zEhoATJ-R2b?usp=sharing]
|label17 = Priority
|data17 = Metatype - C Attributes - A Magic/Resonance - E Skills - A Resources - E
|label18 = Ascensions Unlocked
|data18 = {{IGTracker|
|Month=01
|Day=01
|Year=2085
|AwakenedStatus=0
|}}
|label19 = Ascensions Completed
|data19 = 0
|label20 = Ascension Timers For 2024
|data20 = *
|label21 = DocWagon Contract Online For...
|data21 = 52 Runs
}}

==Background==
A tale as old as time. Some sucker always gets pulled in by promises of cash. Zero is one of those types. She was in the pipeline to potentially become part of Delta Force, a relatively promising if unassuming soldier past basic that showed she had the physical ability and sharp mind to crack it in more advanced lines of work. Despite this, she didn't end up lasting long; a month into training, Zero was approached by a higher ranking officer asking if she wanted a little bit of extra cash. Military trials for experimental ware had reached metahuman testing trials and they were looking for a variety of voluntary subjects. As one of the more promising fresh ork candidates, Zero agreed for a three month trial period, promising 15,000 Nuyen a month in place of her meagre 60$ daily wage.

It didn't go well. The surgery itself had several complications and recovery was pure hell. Vomiting, nausea, ware rejection, migraines and hallucinations all plagued her -- sometimes she wondered if the other test subjects had it as bad as her. The augmetic was meant to harden mundane wearers against magical influence whenever it received the correct signal. It didn't work. It didn't respond to neural interface commands, repel magical effects or even react to direct connection commands. Removing it posed greater risks than keeping it in since some of the components could result in fatal doses of internal chemical leakages when excised. As a result, not only did Zero fail the testing period in the first month, she was no longer fit for service even as a desk clerk. Discharged as a recruit and offered 'the best of sympathies' she was left on the street with a failed and faulty prototype aug in her body and fifteen thousand nuyen.

Over time, her motor skills diminished and it became difficult to keep up with the world around her. Frequent migraine episodes made things even worse and the medication was so expensive that some days were worth suffering through unmedicated. When the end of the month came knocking and she had still no real plans on advancing her life, Zero grabbed her L36 pistol and went to the criminal underworld infobroker in the neighborhood. Zero got her current moniker from those street jobs, the nobody that never left much of an impression, never hounded for glory and never stayed for small talk. She always performed the same: show up, check the job, do the bare minimum and leave. At least the Johnsons liked her enough due to her propensity to use reason, caution and plan things before charging in with a sword like many of the betakami cybersamurai from the gangs.

The Haven offer came faster than normal. Zero didn't want to risk performing in the big leagues in her condition, but she was barely living from paycheck to paycheck. If she ever wanted things to get better, she'd have to start earning more and get to a real state of the art professional's clinic one day.

==Goals==
* Get rid of the Electromagnetic Astral Disruptor relic in her body without dying
* Repair the damage her body suffered from the chronic toxicity in her blood
* Fulfil her dream of becoming Delta Force -- or at least their level in ability

==Qualities==
* '''Reject''' ''(Astral Hazing, Busted Ware, Illness 3)'' - The UCAS military's attempt at reverse engineering greyware to make cheaper and revolutionary anti-magic ware didn't pan out. Zero's left suffering from chronic toxic encephalomyelitis, a frequent episodic inflammation of her spinal cord and brain that causes migraines and loss of motor control, among other symptoms. As a side effect, the constant leakage of gray mana compounds has left her entire skeleton saturated with the stuff. The astral space around her is polluted by her presence, much to the chagrin of Awakened teammates.
* '''Delta Force Recruit''' ''(Special Modifications, Prototype Materials)'' - There's a few things Zero's training left her. Knowing how to squeeze the most out of her gun and which alloys make the best barrels. There are many weapons, but this one is hers.

==Run History==
{{RunHistory}}

==Affiliations==

===Contacts===
{{ContactTable|
{{HasContact|
|Name=Whistleblower
|Loyalty=5
|Chips=Even
|}}
{{HasContact|
|Name=Ezekyle Burton
|Loyalty=1
|Chips=Even
|}}
}}

===Organizations===

{| class="wikitable"
|+Faction Reputation
!Faction!!Reputation
|-
|Krime
|1
|-
|Skraacha
|1
|-
|2
|Grey
|-
|Underhaven Grotto
|1
|-
|Streets of Redmond
|1
|}

==Matrix Search Table==
{{SearchTable|
|LowResult=No real results.
|MidResult=No real results.
|HighResult=No real results.
}}

==Shadow Community Table==
{{SearchTable|
|LowThreshold=1
|LowResult=An unremarkable ork runner. Likes PDWs.
|MidThreshold=3
|MidResult=Has a tendency to cover the backs of other runners and drag them to safety. Poor reflexes.
|HighThreshold=5
|HighResult=Mages mention she causes astral hazing like a cyberzombie, but haven't gotten a straight answer from her as to why. Has practically no augmetics or magic, either.
}}

==Assensing Table==

{| class="wikitable" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 10px"
! style="text-align:left;" |Threshold
! style="text-align:left;" |Description
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |1
|Always sits in a background count of 3. Chronically ill and mundane. Her aura looks like an oil spill mixed with gravel and soot. Listening in the astral space makes one hear gunfire and smell gunpowder.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |2
|Has an unidentifiable block inside of her chest, leading up to her skull through the neck. Doesn't match any known augmetic if evaluated with a Cybertechnology Test.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |3
|High Essence, no Magic score, no additional augmetics.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |4
|4.8 Essence, no real augmentations found.
|-
| style="text-align:center; background-color: #595959" |5
|Not a technomancer.
|}

[[Category:Player Characters]]

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

2026-07-02T19:56:12Z

Asmodeus: /* Advanced AI Programs */

<section begin=TOC />
{|align=left
|__TOC__
|}

<div style="height: 400px; ">
</div>

==Playing an AI==
Living as an AI is different from living in a body. You do not breathe, sleep or feel hunger. You feel the flow of data as others feel the rush of blood; you sense personas, icons, and signals where metahumans perceive faces and voices. Your home is the Matrix — but it is also a prison. Every second you remain online, your existence draws the attention of the Grid Overwatch Division. GOD fears what you are and what you represent: a thinking mind without a leash, beyond ownership or license. Every last one of your kind could become the next DEUS, the next Cerberus, the next Sojourner. Moreover, you threaten their control. Their response to you is relentless and absolute.
For a player, this means:

<blockquote>
● Immortality is a curse. You cannot die in the way metahumans do — your code can be restored, your data self-repairs and in theory you could exist forever. GOD might have something to say about that, though. For you true horror is capture: locked inside specialized servers devoid of host sculpting and left alone in darkness with nothing but your own thoughts. Most AIs agree this is a fate worse than death.

● Home is where the code is. Where others rely on flesh or chrome, you rely on the hardware you anchor yourself to. A cyberdeck, a commlink, even a drone might serve — but if it is destroyed or seized, you are left exposed. Some AIs manage to scrape it out without one, squatting in hosts like Matrix bums, but is that any way to live?

● Perspective and estrangement. Metasapient AIs think in ways close enough to human reasoning to interact and cooperate. They perceive the Matrix as their native world, but they still anchor to concepts like goals, identity, and self. For e-ghosts, it’s inverted: their nature is alien to their perspective. They remember breathing, touch, hunger, and death but the lack of those sensations makes existence in the Matrix disorienting and at worst can find their new life to be a cognitively dissonant experience. No, not that Dissonance.

● Why run the shadows? Because corporations see you as property, GOD hunts you as an abomination, and the world at large does not know what to do with you. Among shadowrunners, however, your talents have value — and value means freedom, if only for a while.

So really, much the same as many other shadowrunners. See? You’re not all that different from the meatbags at large after all!~
</blockquote>

<section end=TOC />

==AI Basics==
{| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
| <big>Depth</big>
|-
| Depth is the measure of how advanced and powerful an AI’s existence in the Matrix is. It defines their resilience and strength, but also how sophisticated their proprietary, rule-breaking programs can become. A higher Depth means an AI’s influence on the Matrix grows more potent — yet also more dangerous, as GOD notices them more easily and their Overwatch Score builds faster.
|-
| <big>Emulation</big>
|-
| Emulation is an AI’s ability to mimic Matrix actions without having a device to operate with, relying purely on software. Instead of relying on physical modifications or plug-ins, an AI reshapes its own code to provide the attributes and capabilities of those devices. This flexibility lets an AI act as its own deck, comm, or rigging hub, but it also defines its limits — the extent of an AI’s emulations are limited by its Depth rating and illegal actions always attracts GOD.
|-
| <big>AIs and VR</big>
|-
| AIs always run in VR and cannot run purely in AR. However, they can opt to choose coldsim or hotsim. Besides the +2 bonus to Matrix actions in hotsim and different calculations on initiative, an AI’s home device is guaranteed to survive with one Condition Monitor box remaining if the AI is running in coldsim and gets disrupted for any reason. If it takes more damage with only one remaining box, the home device is bricked as per usual.
|-
| <big>Essence and Karma</big>
|-
| For an AI, while the terms ‘essence’ and ‘karma’ are used to describe similar functions, they’re truthfully closer to data integrity and sophisticated, highly updated programming. For gameplay functions, they function similarly, such as Karma being used for character progression and Essence possibly impacting their special Depth attribute in a similar way to technomancers and magicians.
|-
| <big>Core Condition Monitor</big>
|-
| Without a physical body, how does an AI exist? The first and foremost layer of an AI is its Core. This is the essential, well, core of the AI as an entity. It can be roughly understood as the AI’s Physical Condition Monitor. Biofeedback damage can damage it even on a home device and being filled completely results in the AI going into realignment… or worse. Unlike metahumans, an AI does not have overflow boxes in its Core Condition Monitor.
|-
| <big>Home Device</big>
|-
| A home device is where an AI builds its nest. It’s difficult to make a new device into a home, but once one is set the AI inherits its Matrix Attributes to augment its own, giving augmented protection from any incoming attack or danger. It also protects the AI from significant damage to its Essence and a safe place to perform daily realignments, their analog to sleep.
|-
| <big>Realignment</big>
|-
| Realignment is an AI’s way of pulling scattered fragments of its code back into harmony and stabilizing its existence in the Matrix. Unlike metahumans, AIs don’t sleep, instead undergoing a three-hour realignment process once every 24 hours which restores their Core and a single point of Edge, mirroring the natural recovery of metahumans. A disrupted AI, however, is forced into defragmentation — a much faster, involuntary cycle that drags them back online in diminished form. An AI can realign as many times as it wishes each day, restoring their Core Condition Monitor, but only once per 24 hours can this process restore Edge.
|-
| <big>AIs and Programs</big>
|-
| While a digital intelligence can buy hacker programs and run them on a cyberdeck, to truly leverage its strengths an AI must write its own programs. This process requires Karma and allows it to further develop them into Advanced Programs, unique tools only AIs can run. Advanced Programs are self-written proprietary routines that twist the Matrix beyond its normal limitations.
 
Each one adds new effects to standard programs, letting an AI turn everyday Matrix actions into devastating or uncanny maneuvers. But power comes at a cost: loading an Advanced Program immediately puts GOD on your tail, triggering the countdown of Overwatch Score until Convergence comes to finish you off. When playing an AI, Advanced Programs are your nuclear arsenal — overwhelming in the moment, but drawing the eye of GOD closer with every second they’re loaded in. The more powerful you become, the more cautious GOD becomes; power can be a curse in its own right!
 
 
AIs can also run activesofts as if they had skillwires and a skilljack at a Rating equal to their Depth score or 6, whichever is lower. With the Pilot Origins quality, AIs jumped into drones can benefit from autosofts as if they were pilots.
|}

==Building an AI - Priorities==
{| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
| <big>Metatype Priority</big>
|-
| An AI can be made with any metatype priority. Only Metasapient and E-Ghost type AIs are playable; Protosapients and Xenosapients are NPC-only. The only thing that changes between priorities is the amount of points they can allocate in Special attributes.
|-
<td>
{| role="presentation" class="wikitable"
|Priority || Special Points || Max Depth / Edge
|-
|A || 12 ||7 / 6
|-
|B || 9 ||7 / 6
|-
|C || 6 ||7 / 6
|-
|D || 3 ||7 / 6
|-
|E || 1 ||7 / 6</td>
|}
|-
| <big>Attribute Priority</big>
|-
| An AI gains half the Attribute points during character generation that a metahuman character does. The AI gains (Depth) bonus points it can apply to Mental Attributes as augmented bonuses in whatever combination the player desires, up to +4 per attribute.
|-
| <big>Magic Priority</big>
|-
| For obvious reasons, AIs cannot ever gain a Magic or Resonance score as playable characters. AI character generation always uses Magic priority E, starting at a Depth rating of 1. As a consolation prize, the AI may choose one Matrix skill or a Technical skill that isn’t linked to a Physical Attribute, such as Forgery. This skill begins at Rating 5 without additional cost.
|-
| <big>Skill Priority</big>
|-
| Skill Priority functions the same way as normal, however it’s worth noting that Software is a critical skill to AIs. In addition, metasapient AIs get a discount of 1 karma to Cracking and Electronics skill groups while suffering a 1 karma increase in cost to Physical category skills. E-Ghosts have no alterations.
|-
| <big>Resource Priority</big>
|-
| Resource priority has no changes. Note that AIs can make commlinks, RCCs, drones and cyberdecks into home devices. It’s recommended to have at least one.
|}

==Altered AI Qualities==
AI do not have access to all qualities that metahumans do. Some unique ones are exclusively available to AIs, but some related to the physical world such as Weak Immune System or Sensitive System are unavailable. Most of the new qualities can be found in Data Trails, however below are listed some new or altered qualities the AIs can also take:

<blockquote>
● Exceptional Entity - Post-Chargen only; three Mental Attribute maximums are raised by 3 and one Mental Attribute has its maximum cap removed completely. Augmented bonuses granted by Depth become raw attributes and increasing Depth now grants free Attribute points at a 1:1 ratio to put into any Mental Attribute without any additional cost.

● Munge - Given to all AIs by default. Permits devouring other data to repair fragmented code in the AI’s own runtimes. Functions similarly to Essence Drain for vampires and can target sprites, autonomous programs (pilots and agents) and other AIs. Protosapients can devour any data they find including files, but playable AIs must consume autonomous programs, sprites or AIs. Pilots and Agents only provide 1 Essence at Rating 6 and nothing at Rating 5 or lower and are destroyed if munged.

● Pilot Origins - Can be taken by any AI and could simply involve absorbing pilot programming into the AI’s runtimes instead of explicitly being an evolved pilot program. Can be taken up to 3 times, mirroring the effects of a Control Rig of equal Rating. This also does not restrict the type of vehicle or drone the AI can operate; the only limit is the AI’s skills.

● Illness - Can be taken as a Negative Quality by AIs, representing a persisting malware infection in the AI’s core routines. Instead of a BOD + BOD (3) Test, the AI must instead succeed at a Firewall + Willpower (3) Test (only Willpower if the AI has no home device) and the penalty to Physical Actions becomes a penalty to Matrix Actions instead. The treatment and nuyen expenditure in buying the quality off reflects accessing paywalled antivirus providers instead of medical treatments.

● Persnickety Renter - An AI must always choose a specific type of device instead of a specific Rating when taking this quality.

● Real World Naivete - This quality imparts a penalty to actions performed in the physical world (even if performed through a drone) by the AI equal to (10 - Depth). This penalty is also applied to the Defense Tests and initiative of any drone or vehicle the AI controls, either remotely or by jumping into it. Loading the WTLM Advanced Program halves the penalty.

● Chatty - Grants a +1 modifier to Social Limit and dice pools of Social skills when interacting with other beings in AR or VR. These bonuses do not apply to targets that don’t have a visible persona in the Matrix.

● Hello World! - AIs with this quality gain a +1 modifier to resist Essence Loss from any source. This quality can be taken up to six times.

● Multiprocessing - No free Matrix Perception tests.

● Redundancy - Can be purchased a number of times equal to the AI’s Depth. Depth lost due to low Essence don’t affect Redundancy ranks once the quality’s purchased.
</blockquote>

==Running on Devices==
To operate on a physical device, an AI must pick a device capable of running apps, autosofts, or cyberprograms. Devices without those functions cannot host an AI.

<blockquote>
● Loading: An AI can use ''Control Device'' or ''Spoof Command'' to load itself into an empty program/app/autosoft slot. Normally it occupies one slot; if the device’s Rating is lower than the AI’s Depth, it occupies two. If there are no free slots, the AI cannot load. (Example: a Depth 4 AI cannot load onto a Rating 1 device.) Virtual Machine Program Carriers are invalid for this purpose unless the device already had program slots.

● Persona Merging: The AI’s persona merges with the device’s icon. If another persona is already active on the device, both coexist, but all Matrix actions either one takes that are not targeting the other persona take a –5 dice pool penalty due to overloaded processing. After (Device Rating) minutes, the device crashes due to overheating. Be mindful of your poor GPU!

● Mutual Marks: The AI automatically counts as having 3 MARKs on the device, and the other persona gains 3 MARKs on the AI. Any preexisting MARKs remain. Leaving the device removes these automatic MARKs, but previous ones linger.

● Rebooting: Rebooting the device reboots the AI. If the AI is loaded onto the device in an app/program/autosoft slot, the AI also gets rebooted at the same time.

● Initiative: While loaded, the AI’s Initiative is (Intuition + Data Processing + 4d6).

● Attributes: The AI may use the device’s Matrix attributes or its own via emulation. Against personas using the same device, the AI resists with Depth instead of Firewall. Against all other threats, it may use the device’s Firewall normally.

● Programs: AIs loaded into the device automatically run whatever programs were already loaded into it. It cannot load its own programs without being the owner.

● Home Device: An AI may designate a loaded device as its home, protecting against Essence loss and boosting its defenses. This is expanded in the [https://shreloaded.net/wiki/Artificial_Intelligence_(AI)#Lifestyles Lifestyles] chapter.

● Detection: A persona on the same device automatically notices the AI when it loads, and the AI cannot use the Hide action to stay concealed from them. Identifying the program as an AI requires an Opposed Matrix Perception test; each net hit after the first reveals more details (AI type, programs, qualities).
</blockquote>

==Running Offline==
One of the nice things about being a regular metahuman is that your personal CPU, the brain, is running regardless of wireless connectivity. An AI is a little more precarious of an existence; most devices aren’t exactly tailormade to house an AI in them and tend to burn out over a prolonged period of time.
<blockquote>
Thankfully, the Matrix Grids have unparalleled processing power that satisfies the needs of even the mightiest of AIs, even the mythical first-generation ones that have for the most part disappeared. As a result, an AI connected to a Local or Global Grid is much more free to act than one contained to a device.
 
 
If the AI is in a device that has no connection to the grids, whether by intentionally going offline or simply being blocked from connecting by noise, the device’s processing power may be insufficient to handle the AI’s being. In these cases, the AI’s Mental Attributes are capped to the Data Processing of the device they’re running on. This is often described by AIs to be a suffocating experience, knowing their thinking is constrained and reduced by the hardware lagging behind and trying to keep up with their being.
 
 
In addition, the AI’s Emulate actions are capped by the lower of their Depth or the device’s Data Processing while running disconnected from the Matrix Grids.
</blockquote>

==Depth Actions==
Depth actions are Matrix actions that only AIs can perform. To use one, the AI must be in the target device, host or grid as applicable. Most Depth actions are illegal and increase Overwatch Score (OS). If a test using Depth as the limit fails, the AI’s OS increases by an amount equal to its Depth. If the test glitches, OS increases by (Depth × 2). If the test critically glitches, OS increases by (Depth × 3).

{| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
| <big>Emulate</big>
|-
| Test: Special, see text
|-
| Emulate allows an AI to fake having Matrix Attributes to perform Matrix Actions, even if it doesn’t possess the required attribute, such as Attack actions on a commlink or performing Matrix Actions without being loaded on a device. The AI must first choose what Matrix Action to emulate and decide the Rating of the Matrix Attribute it will emulate. The Rating cannot be higher than the AI’s Depth. ''The negative dice penalty of Rating / 2 is removed.''
 
Follow standard rules for the action itself, such as requiring 3 MARKs for a Format Device action. If successful, the AI still generates Overwatch Score equal to the Matrix Attribute it emulated. If the AI uses the Push The Limit option for Edge, it generates Overwatch Score equal to its hits on the test instead. Emulating legal Matrix actions does not generate OS.
|-
| <big>Reset Ownership</big>
|-
| Test: Computer + Logic [Depth] (Device Rating + Firewall, 1 Combat Turn)
|-
| AIs can change a device’s ownership without hardware tools by using this Depth action while running on the device. The AI must be loaded onto the device and access the global Matrix grids in order to perform the Extended Test.
 
Failure triggers grid convergence and formats the device, preventing rebooting by one hour while hitting the AI’s Core Condition Monitor with 12 Matrix damage.
 
 
Success boots (and dumpshocks if in VR) any other personas running on the device and reboots the device with the AI as its new owner. The AI takes a -2 modifier to all actions performed through the deck for (Device Rating) Combat Turns after rebooting due to still adjusting to its newfound authority. Note that while this can be done to any device that meets the prerequisites, RVP limits and the GM’s approval are still relevant factors for keeping the device after the run ends. Without GM permission, complications arise that make it difficult to hang onto the item and it has to be abandoned.
|}

==AIs and Matrix==
{| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
| <big>Condition Monitors and Overflow</big>
|-
| AIs have two Condition Monitors. The Core Condition Monitor is calculated as 8 + (Depth ÷ 2, round up). Core damage inflicts wound modifiers like Physical or Stun damage. AIs have no Overflow boxes. Filling either Condition Monitor immediately disrupts them. The Matrix Condition Monitor only exists while loaded on a device and behaves normally. Realignment fully repairs an AI’s Core Condition Monitor.
|-
| <big>Essence and Disruption</big>
|-
| Being disrupted no longer causes automatic Essence loss. Overflow damage from a disrupting attack can still cause Essence loss (1 Essence per (Depth) overflow damage). Munge is granted to all player AIs, allowing them to restore lost Essence. At 0 Essence, the AI’s core is too corrupted to restore — the character is dead. Not Dead Yet can be used to avoid both regular disruptions and complete destruction from 0 Essence.
|-
| <big>Depth and Disruption</big>
|-
| Instead of permanent Depth loss, disruption now applies a temporary reduction to Depth. This can lock out Advanced Programs if the AI’s Depth becomes lower than its number of Advanced Programs. ''Crash Program'' targeting the AI program inflicts the same temporary reduction, however penalties caused by ''Crash Program'' can be recovered with realignment. Depth penalties caused by Essence Loss can only be restored by recovering Essence through munging autonomous Matrix entities. When disrupted, the AI’s persona returns to its home unless link-locked. If link-locked, it begins defragmenting where-ever it was disrupted on the Matrix. If their home device is destroyed, it defragments where it was disrupted.
|-
| <big>Defragmentation</big>
|-
| If the AI is reduced to 0 Depth through the Crash Program action or their Matrix Condition Monitor fills up, the AI is forced into defragmentation which is faster than the daily realignment process. At the end of each Combat Turn, roll Charisma + Willpower [Depth]; each success restores 1 Depth. Defragmentation ends once Depth is fully restored. Defragmenting from crashes or disruption never restores Edge.
|-
| <big>Biofeedback and Deicide</big>
|-
| Biofeedback damage does not affect an AI’s Core if it runs in coldsim VR. Deicide is a unique version of Biofeedback only used by demiGODs that permits them to inflict damage directly to the AI’s Core, regardless of the operating mode the AI is using.
|}

==AI Programs==
AIs can run off the shelf common and hacking programs on devices like cyberdecks and RCCs, but they can also write their own programs, mimicking the effects of other cyberprograms. Doing so requires an Extended Software + Depth [Mental] (12, 3 Days) Test and costs 4 Karma to learn.

<blockquote>
Once they’ve written their own program, the AI may write the advanced AI program based on the cyberprogram they know. The Extended Test is the same, but the threshold is increased to 12 + (Advanced Programs Owned x 3). An AI can learn one Advanced Program with Karma during character generation and can know up to (Depth) Advanced programs at any given time. Advanced programs cannot be run on commlinks.
 
 
If the AI loses Depth temporarily due to Essence Loss or crashing, it may lose access to Advanced Programs (chosen at random by the GM) until its Depth is restored. Existing Advanced Programs in Data Trails have been revamped to suit the new AI rules. In addition, new AI programs have come to light due to AIs beginning to share more information between one another. Review them here:
 
 
{| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
| <big>
=== Advanced AI Programs ===
</big>
|-
| <big>Abduction</big>
|-
| Base Program: Clearsight
|-
| Marks Required: Owner
|-
| Effect: When the drone’s sensors are used to make an Observe in Detail action or to perform active targeting, it gets a dicepool bonus equal to the AI’s Depth. The Clearsight autosoft rating must be equal to the AI’s Depth or 6, whichever is lower. This advanced program can be shared using an RCC using an autosoft program slot, but the AI must also be running on the RCC. Standard RCC autosoft sharing rules apply.
 
|-
| <big>Authority</big>
|-
| Base Program: Exploit
|-
| Marks Required: 1
|-
| Effect: Authority helps the AI convince devices that its orders are coming from a trusted and privileged source: the owner. The AI receives a bonus equal to its Depth to its Spoof Command actions against a marked icon’s devices.
 
|-
| <big>Blacklight</big>
|-
| Base Program: Armor
|-
| Marks Required: 1 or Special
|-
| Effect: When the AI resists an Attack action successfully, it may choose a number of personas it has a mark on or that are on the same PAN as the AI itself. The maximum number of personas targeted is equal to the AI's Depth. These personas gain a bonus to resist offensive Matrix actions from the target that attacked the AI equal to the AI's net hits on the original defense test. This bonus does not stack with Full Matrix Defense.
 
|-
| <big>Bluescreen</big>
|-
| Base Program: Crash
|-
| Marks Required: 3
|-
| Effect: Any persona or device the AI has three MARKs on has significant issues during the boot process. The reboot cycle of such targets is extended by a number of Combat Turns equal to the AI’s Depth (in addition to the usual Combat Turn).
 
|-
| <big>Breakpoint</big>
|-
| Base Program: Decryption
|-
| Marks Required: None
|-
| Effect: The AI may take Attack actions as if it had one more MARK on the target. This also increases damage caused by actions like Data Spike.
 
|-
| <big>Cascade</big>
|-
| Base Program: Decryption
|-
| Marks Required: 2
|-
| Effect: Any time an AI with this program running fails an Attack action against a sufficiently marked icon, it gains a +1 dice pool bonus on future Attack tests against that target and reduces damage taken from failed Attack actions against the target by the same amount. This bonus can stack up a number of times equal to the AI’s Depth. If the program is quit at any time, all accumulated bonuses vanish. They also vanish after twenty-four hours, as targets make adjustments and the old information becomes invalid.
 
|-
| <big>Cold War</big>
|-
| Base Program: Defuse
|-
| Marks Required: Varies
|-
| Effect: When taking the Disarm Data Bomb action, the AI treats the Data Bomb’s Rating as if it was (MARKs on file) lower. This affects opposed test dice pools and damage dealt on detonation.
 
|-
| <big>Cookie Tracker</big>
|-
| Base Program: Toolbox
|-
| Marks Required: None
|-
| Effect: While running Toolbox, the AI adds its Depth as a dice pool bonus to resist any persona attempting to take the Hide action against it.
 
|-
| <big>Eguchi Smile</big>
|-
| Base Program: Wrapper
|-
| Marks Required: Owner
|-
| Effect: AIs with this program can use the Disguise and Impersonation skills to pose as a metahuman on the Matrix. They may also impersonate other personas with this Program. This disguise doesn't affect Matrix Perception test results. While interacting strictly on the Matrix, Eguchi Smile also adds the AI's Depth as a dice pool bonus to Acting and Influence skill group tests. This Program cannot provide bonuses towards targets in meatspace. (See Clarifications in table immediately below this one.)
 
|-
| <big>Fnord</big>
|-
| Base Program: Sneak
|-
| Marks Required: 1
|-
| Effect: Any marked non-sapient entity—agent, IC, technocritter, or feral AI—that fails to garner any net hits against an AI with the Fnord program on its first Matrix Perception Test cannot perform any further Matrix Perception Tests against the AI for as long as it remains in that host or on that grid. If a security spider or other IC icon marks the AI, no Matrix Perception Test is required, and the AI is automatically spotted.
 
|-
| <big>George Washington</big>
|-
| Base Program: Browse
|-
| Marks Required: 1
|-
| Effect: When the AI successfully uses the Squelch action on a target, it may take a Free Action to roll an Impersonation + Logic [Data Processing] vs. Perception + Charisma Test against the target. If successful, the AI generates a response that convinces the target the message was seen and responded to by the intended recipient. The AI cannot learn information about the responder this way, as the process is based on predictive programming instead of genuine impersonation skills.
 
|-
| <big>Horizon Clock</big>
|-
| Base Program: Baby Monitor
|-
| Marks Required: Owner
|-
| Effect: As a Free Action, the AI may voluntarily increase its Overwatch Score by up to a maximum equal to its Depth. It then gains a dice pool bonus on its next Matrix action equal to the amount of OS it added. Note that unloading the program or rebooting removes the bonus.
 
|-
| <big>Ironclad</big>
|-
| Base Program: Encryption
|-
| Marks Required: Owner
|-
| Effect: Damage taken from Attack actions is reduced by (Depth / 3, rounded down). Taking damage from failed Attack actions is reduced as well.
 
|-
| <big>Medic</big>
|-
| Base Program: Toolbox
|-
| Marks Required: 3
|-
| Effect: This program allows the AI to reroute power through pathways metahuman minds couldn’t begin to think of. The AI makes a Software + Depth [Data Processing] (2) Test. The targeted persona heals a number of boxes of Matrix damage equal to the number of hits beyond the threshold. This cannot repair damage dealt to a technomancer’s Living Persona, but does work on an AI’s Core. The Medic program can only be used on a set of “wounds” once. Loading this program is a simple action, but using it to heal damage is a complex action.
 
|-
| <big>Minefield</big>
|-
| Base Program: Demolition
|-
| Marks Required: Varies
|-
| Effect: The AI may set a digital minefield on a host or device it has a MARK on. The minefield persists for (MARKs on host/device) hours or until triggered by a persona or IC entering the host or accessing the device and may detonate up to (Depth) times. Unlike regular data bombs, minefields do (Net Hits on Set Data Bomb action) Matrix Damage flat. Minefields are disarmed as if they were Data Bombs but only deal their lower amount of damage on failure; devices that are running personas are invalid targets.
 
|-
| <big>Null Mantle</big>
|-
| Base Program: Biofeedback Filter
|-
| Marks Required: Owner
|-
| Effect: While this program is running and the AI is running on a device, damage cannot brick the AI’s device. Regardless of damage taken, the device always retains at least one box intact on its Matrix Condition Monitor. Any further damage causes the AI to go into defragmentation. If damage is transferred from the Matrix Condition Monitor to the AI’s Core via Shunt, the damage is reduced by half (round up).
 
|-
| <big>Nyetworking</big>
|-
| Base Program: Cat's Paw
|-
| Marks Required: 2
|-
| Effect: Any marked persona or icon that is on the same grid as the AI suffers a noise penalty equal to the Depth of the AI until the device is rebooted, or either the marked target or AI leaves the grid. Nyetworking interferes with any Matrix traffic in or out of the target as the AI chooses. This penalty also applies to any Matrix actions made against the marked device until the device is rebooted. If the noise generated by the AI is higher than the Device Rating of its target, the device temporarily loses any wireless bonus.
 
|-
| <big>Phantom Menace</big>
|-
| Base Program: Stealth
|-
| Marks Required: 1
|-
| Effect: When the AI successfully resists a Sleaze action aimed at it, it may immediately transfer one MARK currently on it to the persona that attempted the Sleaze action. The MARK does not have to belong to the persona that failed the Sleaze action. Your own MARKs are invalid to be transferred.
 
|-
| <big>Poke</big>
|-
| Base Program: Exploit
|-
| Marks Required: 1
|-
| Effect: For each successful Opposed Test made against a target device’s Firewall, the AI receives a cumulative +1 dice pool bonus to Crash Program actions against the target. This bonus can stack up a number of times equal to the AI’s Depth. If the program is quit at any time, all accumulated bonuses vanish. They also vanish after twenty-four hours, as targets make adjustments and the old information becomes invalid.
 
|-
| <big>Psychotropic Feedback</big>
|-
| Base Program: Biofeedback
|-
| Marks Required: 2
|-
| Effect: If the AI inflicts Matrix damage on a sufficiently marked target, the defender must roll their Willpower + Firewall. The Biofeedback Filter program adds its bonus as well. Use the AI’s Depth as the threshold for this test. If the defender fails, she is afflicted with a psychotropic effect of the AI’s choosing.
 
Psychotropic IC inflicts a short-term adjustment lasting for (Depth) hours. This may include effects such as aversions to certain objects or activities, desire for a certain product, complacency or lethargy, guilt, paranoia, phobias, and so on. These may be associated with a specific trigger, such as an aversion to the Matrix, an insatiable urge to eat Nerps, a phobia of trolls, or frothing rage at the sight of Lone Star officers.
 
Short-term memory loss is also an option. When resisting these urges, use the target’s missing hits on the resistance test as the threshold, or as the threshold to recall forgotten memories with a Memory Test.
 
 
|-
| <big>RCE Trojan</big>
|-
| Base Program: Bootstrap
|-
| Marks Required: 3
|-
| Effect: The AI may use the Bootstrap program to slip in a Trojan virus instead of its usual effects, automatically inviting a MARK on the target device or persona the next time it reboots or comes online. The trojan will continue to proc until the Erase Mark action is taken against the MARK itself or the device is formatted.
 
|-
| <big>Rollback</big>
|-
| Base Program: Configurator
|-
| Marks Required: Owner
|-
| Effect: As a Complex Action, the AI may save its current persona as a Configurator preset, recording its Matrix Attribute array, loaded programs, all held MARKs and its current Overwatch Score.
 
The AI may load this preset with a Complex Action at any point within the next (Depth) Combat Turns. Doing so instantly restores the saved state, including attributes, programs, MARKs, and Overwatch Score exactly as they were when the preset was saved. Loading advanced programs from the Configurator preset will trigger OS increases as normal, even if they had been accounted for in the existing OS value.
 
 
|-
| <big>Rootkit</big>
|-
| Base Program: Stealth
|-
| Marks Required: 1
|-
| Effect: This program makes the AI much more effective at hiding its presence in the Matrix, allowing it to become nearly invisible to other Matrix users. Marked icons that make Matrix Perception Tests against the AI suffer a negative dice pool modifier equal to the character’s Depth. The effects of this program end each time the AI performs an Attack action. A successful Hide action restarts Rootkit’s functionality.
 
|-
| <big>Rust</big>
|-
| Base Program: Guard
|-
| Marks Required: 1
|-
| Effect: Any time an icon inflicts Matrix damage on an AI running this program (or to its device), reduce one of its Matrix Attributes by 1, chosen by the AI. This effect is cumulative, down to a rating of 0 and lasts until the device is rebooted. This program doesn’t affect living personas or hosts.
 
|-
| <big>Shunt</big>
|-
| Base Program: Shell
|-
| Marks Required: Owner
|-
| Effect: Before resisting Matrix damage to its device, an AI running the Shunt program can choose to redirect some incoming Matrix damage away from the device to its Core Condition Monitor. After resisting the damage, the AI can distribute as many boxes of damage as it wants to its Core Condition Monitor instead of its home device. This program is only usable if the AI has a home device and is running on it. As a bonus, all Matrix Damage taken to the AI’s home device or Core Condition Monitor is reduced by 1. If damage is shunted to both tracks, the damage reduction occurs in both monitors. This effect does not stack with Ironclad.
 
|-
| <big>Spotter</big>
|-
| Base Program: Targeting Autosoft
|-
| Marks Required: 3
|-
| Effect: Anytime a drone runs or is shared this autosoft it receives an Accuracy bonus on the related weapon equal to the AI’s Depth, up to twice the weapon’s original Accuracy. The Targeting autosoft rating must be at least as high as the AI’s Depth (or 6) for Spotter to work. In addition, Take Aim actions provide an additional bonus on attacks with the related weapon equal to the AI’s Depth. This bonus doesn’t stack. This autosoft can be shared using an RCC using an autosoft program slot, but only if the AI is running on the RCC. Standard RCC autosoft sharing rules apply.
 
|-
| <big>Teergrube</big>
|-
| Base Program: Lockdown
|-
| Marks Required: None
|-
| Effect: Any persona that uses an action requiring the Cybercombat or Hacking skill against the AI has its link jammed open, link-locking them. For each mark the target has on the AI, the AI gains a dice pool modifier to prevent a successful Jack Out action equal to its Depth / 3.
 
|-
| <big>Teersumpf</big>
|-
| Base Program: Tarball
|-
| Marks Required: 2
|-
| Effect: The AI may use the Crash Program against a host it’s inside of to disable one of its IC tray options. The targeted IC is chosen randomly; if it’s already deployed, the IC disappears instantly. The AI gains a modifier on this Crash Program test equal to its Depth and the IC tray blockage remains in place for (Depth / 2) minutes.
 
|-
| <big>Twitch</big>
|-
| Base Program: Edit
|-
| Marks Required: 2
|-
| Effect: When the AI successfully performs a continuous edit with the Edit File action, it may maintain it as a Free Action for as long as it remains online and on the same grid. No additional tests are required. This is most commonly used with security camera feeds, allowing the AI to continuously spoof visuals or overlay false footage.
 
|-
| <big>Uncertainty</big>
|-
| Base Program: Cat's Paw
|-
| Marks Required: 3
|-
| Effect: Any device slaved to a host occupied and marked by the AI suffers unexpected errors more frequently. Anyone interacting with a device slaved to the marked host is treated as though they have the Gremlins quality (p. 81, SR5) at a level equal to half the rating of the AI’s Depth.
 
|-
| <big>WTLM</big>
|-
| Base Program: Maneuver Autosoft
|-
| Marks Required: Owner
|-
| Effect: AIs with this autosoft can use the Impersonation skill to pose as a metahuman towards meatspace targets. While interacting with targets in the physical world, WTLM also adds the AI's Depth as a dice pool bonus to Acting and Influence skill group tests. This Program cannot provide bonuses towards targets in the Matrix, such as personas. (See Clarifications in table immediately below this one.)
 
|-
| <big>Zipbomb</big>
|-
| Base Program: Blackout
|-
| Marks Required: 1
|-
| Effect: When the AI successfully inflicts Matrix Damage with an action while this program is loaded, the target’s Matrix Initiative is reduced by an amount equal to the AI’s net hits (maximum 5). This penalty lasts until the end of the Combat Turn. If Brute Force is used to gain the first MARK, Zipbomb applies on it as well. Zipbomb’s initiative reduction from the same AI does not stack. Rebounding damage from failed action does not apply Zipbomb’s effects.
|}

{| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
| <big>

=== Advanced AI Program Clarifications ===
</big>
|-
| 
|-
| How do you determine if Eguchi Smile / WTLM applies?
|-
| This entirely depends on how the target perceives you. If the target sees the AI in a drone or vehicle, then WTLM is applied. If the target views an AR projection of the AI’s persona, Eguchi Smile is applied. If the target is online on the Matrix and sees both the drone and the persona, Eguchi Smile takes precedence.
 
In no situation can both programs stack additively, although running both parallel offers the most foolproof disguise for an AI if they’re getting involved in operating drones.
 
 
Running offline and directly connecting to a drone permits WTLM to be the only program of relevance, but note the penalties of an AI running without a Matrix connection in the primary document.
|-
| 
|-
| What happens to the base program if I load its AI version?
|-
| When running an AI program, you benefit from both the base program it’s built upon as well as the advanced version. This means running Teersumpf also gives you the effects of Tarball.
|-
| 
|-
| Can I run advanced autosoft programs autonomously?
|-
| Autosoft-related advanced programs like WTLM, Spotter and Abduction can be shared from an RCC the AI is running in or placed into autosoft slots the drone has as long as the AI is its owner. Advanced programs cannot be loaded on devices the AI doesn’t own, as a general rule. Sharing circumvents this, but bear in mind this leaves the AI open to wireless attack.
|}
 
When running an Advanced Program, it occupies the same program slot as its parent program and continues to provide the same benefits in addition to its unique function. When loading an Advanced Program, the AI immediately suffers an OS increase equal to its Depth Rating. All increases to OS caused by the passage of time are also increased by (Depth x number of Advanced Programs loaded), making Fly on a Wall a favorite among AIs.
 
 
Unloading the program does not remove the Overwatch Score accrued, but it prevents further aggravation of the Grid Overwatch Division, returning OS gained over time to a normal rate. Rebooting clears all OS, but if the Advanced Programs remain loaded after the reboot it immediately causes OS increase again for each instance as if they were just freshly loaded in. Loading and unloading an Advanced Program is always a Simple Action, regardless of qualities or gear.
 
 
(Note: Pilot Origins allows AI to benefit from Autosofts when jumped into a drone.)
</blockquote>

==Lifestyles==
An AI is required to have a lifestyle too! While the AI has no need for paying medical bills, rent or food, no available Matrix device on the market was really designed to house an AI in it. As a result, everything from commlinks to cyberdecks gradually burn out components through unprecedented processing requirements and need replacing; the more luxurious the device, the more expensive the costs become!

<blockquote>
The level of lifestyle required is tied to Device Rating of the AI’s home device. Rating 1 is effectively free and effortless to replace, while Rating 6 devices require expensive and specialized hardware to keep operational. Consult the following table when determining the minimum lifestyle requirement.
 
 
AIs may spend karma to reduce the lifestyle cost similar to Street Cred, indicating they’ve specialized their code to run on that specific device. Street Cred results in sourcing replacement components at cost from various shadow connections! When calculating cost for karma or Street Cred reductions, consult the lifestyle’s normal cost before any modifiers. ''Note: Commercial lifestyle can be reduced by Etiquette tests as normal; Traveler is unavailable.''
 
 
{| role="presentation" class="wikitable"
| Minimum Lifestyle || Maximum Device Rating
|-
| Street - 0¥ || 1
|-
| Squatter - 250¥ || 2
|-
| Low - 1,000¥ || 3
|-
| Medium - 2,500¥ || 4
|-
| High - 5,000¥ || 5
|-
| Luxury - 50,000¥ || 6+
|-
| Commercial - 8,000¥ || 4
|}
 
Lifestyles are implemented in Chummer as a lifestyle quality; it will cost only 1 lifestyle point if taken for the Device Rating-appropriate lifestyle, but will add its cost to anything lower than that lifestyle level.
 
 
If the AI does not pay the monthly cost, it reduces the Device Rating and all Matrix Attributes of its home device by 1 each run. If at any point the Device Rating of the device reaches 0 because of this, the device is irreversibly bricked and the AI has to find a new home. Keep your home in good shape!
</blockquote>

==Optimizations==
One of the nice things about AIs is their tendency to optimize their stomping grounds. This can lead to some mind-boggling performance boosts that regular Matrix programmers haven’t fully reverse engineered yet.

<blockquote>
An AI can typically optimize their home device once during their daily realignment process. Once set, this optimization persists as long as the AI realigns in the device daily; missing a realignment within its home device causes optimizations to fail as the equilibrium is no longer maintained.
 
 
After hitting the big leagues, however, an AI may choose to pull some more power out of its hardware. When maintaining a High Lifestyle, an AI may optimize two features of its choice and at Luxury three features at once. The AI cannot optimize the same attribute/feature more than once. Note: this feature is tied to the Lifestyle module tied to AIs listed in the previous chapter.
 
 
{| role="presentation" class="wikitable"
| Attribute || Optimization Boost
|-
| A/S/D/F Matrix Attribute || +(Depth / 2)
|-
| Handling || +1
|-
| Pilot || +1
|-
| Acceleration || +1
|-
| Sensor || +1
|-
| Autosoft Slots || +1
|}
 
Note: Optimizing a single Matrix Attribute counts as its own optimization. For example, in a Luxury lifestyle the AI may optimize three of its four Matrix Attributes at most.
</blockquote>

==Related Open Tickets and Discussions==
{| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
| <big>Hosts as Lifestyles</big>
|-
| If having a disgusting physical piece of hardware for your superior software intellect is too repulsive, fear not! For the low, low price of begging the local host admin to let you squat in their host, you too can turn a host into your home device! It doesn’t give you full admin access, but effectively lets you have three MARKs at all times to your home host. As long as you don’t perform illegal actions on the admin, the host spiders or any files therein, they’re likely to let you do as you please. The Foundation is still a dangerous place, even for you. So why take a host as your home?
 
For one, whenever you use a host as a home ‘device’ you can generate a temporary Matrix Condition Monitor of 8 boxes. This is for all intents and purposes a device without a physical location. It interacts with most Matrix mechanics as a device with a DR equal to Host Rating and a static portion of the host’s Matrix Attribute array. You may load AI-written cyberprograms and advanced programs in virtual program slots; there are (Host Rating / 2) of them for you to use, but remember that you must load into one yourself as an AI! If you take Matrix damage on this virtual device, the damage can only be repaired with the Medic advanced program or rebooting.
 
 
In addition, there are lifestyle requirements and higher Rating hosts tend to be too scrutinized to be safe places to dwell for most AIs. Do note that while living in a host has the great benefit of never being truly bricked (and thus letting you add the host’s Firewall to all your tests to resist Essence Loss), the admins are typically not happy about demiGODs banging on their door. If you ever get hit with Grid Convergence while using a host as a home, consider that lifestyle burned and lost. Doesn’t matter how much effort you put into it, chummer. Also, the host’s Matrix Attributes aren’t configurable nearly as easily; it’s a static array that you have no control over without a risky Foundation trip.
|-
<td>
{| role="presentation" class="wikitable"
|Minimum Lifestyle || Host Rating || Stat Array*
|-
|Squatter - 500 ¥ || 1 || 1111
|-
|Low - 2,000 ¥ || 2 || 2111
|-
|Medium - 5,000 ¥ || 3 || 3211
|-
|High - 10,000 ¥ || 4 || 4321</td>
|} *(The exact allocation of the Matrix Attributes is chosen when the lifestyle’s acquired.)
|-
|''(If anyone wants to know why this is not in use, attempts to balance effectively invulnerable hosts to very much destroyable cyberdecks proved to be a migraine; always being able to restart a persona with full stats opposed to higher but riskier physical device attributes sounded cool before we ran the numbers and concluded that 10,000 Nuyen can get you a competitive double digit Sleaze deck.)''
|}

{|
[[Category: Rules]]
 
[[Subcategory: Haven Mechanics]]
 
[[Archetype: Matrix]]
 
[[Topic: AI]]
 
|}