Here's some news from a 2060's campaign I ran. The first bits are from the Bell Street Buzz, a matrix news site open only to members of the Seattle shadow community given access to it, with comments added after from site visitors. The last 2 are Seattle Times news stories. You may need to alter some of it to use for the 2070's, in partcular the Joint Task Force Seattle story from the Seattle Times. Feel free to use or alter whatever.
Some of of the Bell Street stuff was based on things the PC team did and may be a springboard for creating runs. Some of the comments were my players too. It was fun responding to them with npcs, but I also found it hard to keep up as it was alot of work. The comments of Dozerman about the warehouse asault in particular really got to our Ork team member's conscience and caused him to go running to the Sons of Sauron to try to get absolved of his crimes against orks. He's the username Betrayed99 on the comments.
Bell Street News, your source for the paydata you need to keep your hoop safe in Seattle's Shadows
Newsdate: January 31, 2060
Ragers Gang Leader Shin Brickbat Assassinated Near the Crying Wall
by
Muckraker Mike
Ragers Gang Leader Shin Brickbat was fatally burned by an unknown magical assailant late Saturday night, along with 3 other orks all affiliated with Tacoma's Ragers gang.
The attack happened on E Portland Avenue in Tacoma, Just blocks from the Crying Wall, a monument to the metahumans who died in the Night of Rage, and the Port of Tacoma. Witnesses reported seeing flames shoot out from a Samuvani Criscraft Otter pleasure boat out in the nearby Commencement Bay to the north, which struck the orks, causing a massive explosion. A crate one of the orks was carrying apparently held illegal fragmentation grenades, which set off several lesser explosions.
No others were injured and the Otter immediately departed north out into Commencement Bay and further out into the Puget Sound. No one was spotted crewing the Otter, leading some experts to theorize that invisibility or other illusion magics might have been used in the attack.
Lonestar detectives and DIP magicians investigating the attack are keeping the case very tight, but appear to have no solid leads at this time. The Ragers have had various gang conflicts and Humanis thugs in the past, but no major battles in recent days. It is rumored they greatly disliked the Yakuza, but they had no real ties to other organized crime syndicates.
Comments
Those in the know have known quite a while that Don Bigio wants to use the Ragers gang against the Yakuza. His overtures to the Ragers were met with cold rebuffs, but that could change under new leadership. How convenient.-Tempyst
Frag that you ignorant slot, for this to be a Mafia attack, and with that amount of mojo used, it would have to be the work of the Merlyns wizzer gang, the Mafia's go to guys for spark throwers. The Merlyn's are under the thumb of the Finnigan family, and there is no way Rowena Finnigan would have approved this. It's obviously a Yakuza hit.-Plex Peon
I hate to interrupt the makeout session, but I heard that the Ragers just scored some major hardware, something like LMGs. No word on the source. And no, I didn't hear nothing about no frag grenades.-The Reading Rat
Humanis skags maybe? That's it, time for this ork to take a vacation out of the plex.-Dozerman
When in doubt, I always blame the Brackhavens.-Noose9
Or insect spirits. Nasty fraggers.- Net Ned
It was the night hunters!- Vulkan
Sounds like Vulkan is a pow wittle elfy who got it's ears trimmed over in Renton. I heard the Renton plastic surgeons did steady business last Saturday night - Green Mohawk666
Racial prejudice is such an ugly thing and it's a wonder it still exists in this modern age - Everett Ghoul Gentleman
Wait, they allow ghouls into the Matrix now? - Dozerman
The world's changing. I heard there's even going to be a ghoul pride parade in Puyallup coming up. Could turn ugly with what's already going on down there-Net Ned
I do a brisk business in cybereyes for ghouls. The ones I deal with seem rational. The sooner we integrate them into society, the better- Doc Brown
So everyone's crying for the ghouls, but no one cares elves are getting their ears hacked off in Renton? - Shayna
Newsdate: January 31, 2060
Aztechnology Extraction
by
Samantha Squealer
Researcher Dale Hastings was extracted from the Aztechnology Pyramid early Thursday morning around 3 am by some Shadowrunners. My sources say that two individuals were involved, a Troll and a Human, and the target appeared to be willing. The runners should have been captured on cameras, but to the frustration of the Leopard Guard, the files were mysteriously eliminated. The duo and their target proceeded from the employee mall on floor 38 to the B2 parking garage, where they hopped into a Eurocar Westwind 2000 and drove out. There was only light pursuit by Aztechnology security forces and the Westwind outraced them and escaped. Aztechnology is not cooperating with Lonestar in this case.
Comments
My sources say it was inside job.-Azzie Observer
No big shocker there vidclown. The Azzies are always at each other's throats. Probaly why they haven't already ripped all our hearts out or some such drek.-Space Needle Squatter
So, who did it?-Gorge
Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies.-Black Bishop
I heard a guy was forcibly kidnapped in renton and raped around the same time this happened, word is he was supposed to be in charge of some security or somesuch.- Limerick777
Kinky. What do you have to pay to get that done to you? - Randy in Redmond
Word is that it was some hot new runner team out of LA called The Firm. I heard they got a red hot decker, so that's how they fixed the cameras- Gallant88
Curious, I've never heard of this "red hot decker" - Reading Rat
You just don't know the right people - Gallant88
Don't make me laugh, poserboy. I know you're just trying to create biz for yourself, but ask around and in the future keep in mind who you are talking to. It would be a shame for a young thing like yourself to gain a record with the Star. - Reading Rat
If rape was involved, the corpers were definitely behind it. Hahah. - Net Ned
That is so true Ned that it isn't even funny. - Plex Peon
Word is that the Cartel isn't happy with certain other factions down south and this recently spilled over into the Seattle/Northwest division-Azzie Observer
Who the hell is the Cartel? I thought blood mages ran the place and like sacrified people for kicks - Lipman12
Bell Street Buzz, your source for the paydata you need to keep your hoop safe in Seattle's Shadows
Newsdate: February, 2060
Dangerous New BTL Chip Hits the Streets of Seattle
by
Muckraker Mike
According to both street and Lonestar sources, a dangerous new BTL chip is being sold on the streets of Seattle. Renton, Bellevue, Redmond and the east side have been particularly hard hit. The chip makes takes over user's personalities and makes them act like famous people from history and fiction. There appears to be some sort of defect in the chip's programming as well, since users commonly develop a form of amnesia. Lonestar is keeping very quiet about this and the source is unknown.
A very nasty chip. It is based upon personafix BTL and lays an artificial personality over the user's normal self. - Doc Brown
Where can I score some? - LubLub300
The wonders of techn0logy. We now can't tell if the guy in the Napolean uniform and hat is old fashioned crazy or riding a chip dream. Still thinking you were Niel the Ork Barbarian could be kinda fun... - Net Ned
Puyallup Ork Underground Warehouse Hit; Guards Slain
by
Libel Larry
A Harbor Island warehouse reputed to belong to the Puyallup Ork Underground was assaulted Monday night by a Shadowrunner team weilding heavy magics. Over a dozen orks and trolls guarding the warehouse were slain and several crates of weapons stolen. It's unknown who the Shadowrunners are, but several of them were quite distinctive. One was apparently some kind of Shifter and another was an ork with a steel skull.
My sources inside the Puyallup Ork Underground say that there is a high level of frustration that there was an ork involved and that they are blaming elves for the attack, but no word on why they believe this. It was mentioned that elves are master manipulators and can even get orks to kill other orks - Dozerman
Interesting. I wonder this is how someone was supplying guns to the Ragers gang in Tacoma. Steal guns from orks to give guns to other orks? A bit confusing. - Net Ned
Sigh. More shifters. Time to shoot me some werewolves again - Deep Redmond Hunter
The Puyallup Orks have been harboring ork terrorists for decades. They finally got what is coming to them is all that happened. - Talis
I am the ork in question. I was hired by a a fixer named Logos out of the elven ghetto. He clearly has partially betrayed my identity, so I will return the favor. I would never take a run against the Sons intentionally, and will be evening the scales as soon as possible in humanis blood. Viva la revolution. - Betrayed99
Logos has a solid rep in the shadows, so this is a little hard to buy Betrayed. - Plex Peon
I can verify that the Sons were the real target of the attack and no one mentioned this until Betrayed. - Reader Rat
Logos is already among the dead then, even if he still thinks he is walking around. - Dozerman
So, who is Betrayed? - Gorge
He's Damien Knight in full ork drag. - Net Ned
We were double crossed. I'd never attack an orc underground warehouse if I could help it. That damn elf Logos has made an enemy today. If anyone is looking for him, send me a pm and we'll talk business. - Leadfoot69
I'm looking for him. We'll take your pet shifter too. A tail would add some flair to my necklace of elf ears. Green Mohawk
Oh drek, I hate tailchasers. - SteelSam11
Listen well young ones, do yourself a favor and just shoot the Johnson before he can open that pretty mouth and spout honeyed words. - Beakman
Hmmm....who is Leadfoot? - Gorge
He's President Dunkelzahn. - Ace Face
Make mock not of Dunkelzahn. We will ascend to a state of unity and fraternity under his anima's guidance. - Aeisha
I'm the driving force behind the revolution in Seattle. First orcs, then soon all metas will be rising up. The time of a human ruled world is coming to an end. They've had it too easy for too long. - Leadfoot69
The MPs swarmed to the Harbor Island chokepoint the night of the raid and arrested several gatehouse guards on corruption charges. Naturally, both Lonestar and Knight errant are renewing their bid to gain the Harbor Island security contract, and the Metroplex guard is crowing. - SPD
Can I join? - Gorge
If anyone needs to hire some real runners that don't turn on their Johnson, send me a pm. MadHat30
Humans aren't so bad. You just gotta selectively turn off the cyberears at times, to cut off the jabbering. Korz
Shigeda-gumi Yakuza Clan Imports Bunraku Parlors from San Fransisco
by
Samatha Squealer
The Shigeda-gumi Yakuza clan has been making enormous amounts of nuyen lately by importing the latest craziness out of Bankgok, Thailand and San Fransisco, California, bunraku "flesh puppet" brothels, using prostitutes modified with personafix BTL chips to make them into whatever the client wants.
The smell of nuyen has attracted several of the Yakuza's rivals and it is rumored that the Mafia and several Seoul rings are planning their own parlors. - Plex Peon
Ick. Just ick. - Shayna
A despicable practice and abuse of science. Often the "workers" are outfitted with cranial bombs to prevent the removal of the chipjack. - Doc Brown
Bell Street Buzz, your source for the paydata you need to keep your hoop safe in Seattle's Shadows
Newsdate: February 16, 2060
Elven Gangers Vanish While in RPD Custody
by
Muckraker Mike
The 21 members of the Sygils, an elven street gang, vanished while in the custody of the Renton police department sometime yesterday, with the public none the wiser. Although there is a clear electronic record of Renton PD transporting them to Shadowlake Correctional Facility, and electronic receipt of the prisoners at the prison, our sources inside Shadowlake say the elves have not been seen.
The elves were arrested last week just after a gang of elves with FN-Har assault rifles terrorized the teachers and students of a Renton school for autistic ork children.
Shadowlake has a history of experimental treatments and unorthodox methods for prisoner rehibiliation, leading to the possibility that the prisoners are being kept from the general population for some particular experimental program or the like. However, not even the usual guards in charge prisoner intake and checkin have seen the elven gangers. Which leads to the obvious questions...Where are they? And why isn't the mainstream media reporting this?
I did some time at Shadowlake, before I learned my way around a deck. A hideous place to live, especially for deckers. I only was there a year, but I was 5 years recovering from the experiments with BTL and skillsofts they routinely practice on prisoner deckers. - Reading Rat
Sounds like a Humanis conspiracy. - Dozerman
Is there anyone left ignorant of the fact that the Humanis Policlub owns Renton and thus the officials inside it? -Plex Peon
Though Renton has made a concerted effort to eliminate racism, the Humanis Policlub and its ilk are not only active in the district, but they have made alarming progress in recent years. The policlubs actively recruit the district's bored and rebellious teenagers, with so many voting-age young people now swelling the ranks of these hate groups that they now have representation in the district government. - Smiley
As usual, Smiley is too polite to come out and say that the Humanis scum have a virtual stranglehold on the district's future. Even 20 years ago when I was a rookie in a prowl car, I saw Humanis reccruiters hanging around the schools waiting to fill kids with their drek about this-or-that race being responsible for all the world's troubles. The worst thing about it is that the racists taught the kids to hide their hatred and prejudice behind phony smiles and fake demonstrations of racial good will. At least the fools in the Barrens are up front about who they hate and why. In Renton, you can't be sure if a smiling teenager is really a straight-thinking believer in giving everybody a chance, or a twisted little pervert ready to sink a knife into some poor Metahuman mother the second her back is turned. - SPD
We deplore the comments made by SPD (whoever he is) about our district. He is obviously delirious to imply that our streets are home to nothing but knife-toting racists. - The Renton Race Relations Coalitiion
I served the Seattle Police Department or 30 years before it disbanded, and I know this city better than I know my wife and kids. I stand by what I said, and I might further point out that on the day the Renton Race Relaions people filed their complain, three elves were found excecuted in south Renton. Don't ever call me a liar again. -SPD
Careful, chummer. The way you say that makes it sound like you did it. - Findler-Man
Newsdate: February 16, 2060
Shadowrunners Hit Bellevue Luxury Hotel; Steal Master Chef
by
Samantha Squealer
The blessed lives of the filthy rich guests staying at the luxury hotel the Chateau were brutally interrupted this morning when armed Shadowrunners began attacking security forces. Both gunfire and magic were exchanged on both runner and security sides, with the runners making effective use of wide area stunball spells. Many of the hotel guests were caught in the spells and knocked out as well.
After defeating the security forces near the kitchen, the runners broke into the kitchen and forced the hotel's master chef to come with them. The runners escaped in a getaway car, but were pursued by a hotel security rigger. The Shadowrunners managed to best the rigger by the simple expedient of blowing out his engine with automatic weapons fire.
Our sources both in the sky and in Lonestar tell us it appeared the runners were going to be caught in the infamously tight coils of Bellevue's multi layed police and barrier cordons, but then vanished as if by magic. (Quite possible with the heavy use of magic by the runners during the assault)
Demonstrating a mastery of the media beyond most mortal ken, the hotel somehow managed to massage the "official" news story to be about bratty rich kids stealing cars and going for a joyride in Bellevue.
And who were these heroic shadowrunners? Like I told last night's conquest, I'll never tell.
Oh, the lame stream media, I never trust them. Oh wait, does this place count? Damn, I'd have to get a social life if I couldn't waste countless hours here. - Net Ned
Rather vulgar use of magics and autofire, but still the unorthodox use of a vehicle mask spell to escape the Star was timely indeed - Sorcerous Bill
So, who was it? Gorge
Governor Schultz's zombified corpse - AceFace
