Shadowrun RPG Seattle Page

Sections of History
• History - Timeline up to 2050 events.
• 2050 - Seattle in the current year.
• 2072 (Future) - Seattle of the future.
• 2069 Elections (Future) - Event dealing with the futute.
• 2072 Story (Future) - A look at Seattle of the future.
• GM Section (Future) - Future Historic Events

Seattle's History

• 2017 – The Great Ghost Dance causes Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and Mt. Ranier to erupt simultaneously. Refugees flee to Seattle even as lava flows destroy most of Puyallup.
• 2018 – The Treaty of Denver ends the Ghost Dance War; under one of the treaty provisions Seattle and its satellite communities are retained as UCAS territory.
• 2019 – Flooded with refugees deported from the new Native American Nations, Seattle Mayor Lindstrom “the Conqueror” facilitates the incorporation of surrounding towns and cities into Seattle.
• 2020 – The President of the UCAS signs a bill dissolving the state of Washington and forming the Seattle Metroplex.
• 2029 – The Crash of ’29 destroys most of Seattle’s computer industry, driving Redmond into a slow decline.
• 2036 – The Night of Rage sweeps Seattle as simmering racial intolerance against metahumans boils over into widespread violence.
• 2041 – Governor Marilyn Schultz appointed.

2050 Details

Locations of Seattle

Businesses
• Hernandez Recording Studio (Recording, Downtown)
• Taetzel Building (Office Building, Redmond)

Emergency Services
• Dr Bob's Quickstitch Clinic (StreetDoc, Redmond)

Entertainment
• Seattle Art Museum (Museum, Downtown)
• Cutting Edge (Nightclub, Stripjoint, Downtown)
• Matchsticks (Nightclub, Downtown)
• Underwold 93 (Nightclub, Puyallup)

Food and Drink
• Breadboard Quaff and Stuff (Tavern, Bellevue)
• The Banshee (Bar, Redmond)
• Eye of Needle (Exclusive Restraunt, Downtown)
• Orion's Organic Grocery (Grocer, Bellevue)
• (43) Reno's (Bar, Downtown)

Government and Corporate Holdings
• Cavilard Research Centre (Research, MCT, Downtown)

Living Quarters
• Flair's Appartment (Appartment, Bellevue)
• Maria's Condo (Appartment, Downtown)

Storage
• CerberusShipping Warehouse (Warehouse, Downtown)
• The Lion's Den (Abandoned Warehouse, Redmond)

Welcome to our city. As Governor of the Settle Metroplex, I extend to you my warmest greetings and herby offer the key to our little corner of the world. What you will find in this guidebook is a close-up of a thriving, divergent, and we think, uniwue community that sets the standard of life in the Awakened Age.

Walk along our downtown streets and see Elen art ardoring the sides of Korean skyscrapers. Take a guided tour of the Underground City and look upon the intricate carvings of Dwarf and Ork sculptors. Ride to the tope of the Space Needle and gaze out over the waters of the Pugent Sound. Or maybe venture out and enjoy the natural beauty of a Snohomish forest. Watever your tastes, I know out city can satisfy them.

What makes the Seattle Metroplex unique is the way its geographuc, political, and economic positions have merged to strenghten and unify the people. With the Treaty of Denver of 2018, Seattle found itself isolated from the rest of the United Canadian and Americian States, but establishing close ties with other nations, such as California, Japan, Korea, and the vitially important Salish-Shidhe Council. We wisely took the best that each nation offered in terms of trade and culture. Over time, the result was that we became a truly global city-state.

No one can say that Seattle faces no problems or challenges. And yes, our sity has its nominal share of the chic and the shadowy - though certainly not to the excess of some popular tridoes. Having been governor of this great metroplex the past eight years. I can assure every visitor to Seattle that out Lone Star Security Services are second to none. They will do everything in their power to see that a visitor's stay is a safe and pleasant one.

When Nicholas and Yamiko Yoshida asked me to write the introduction to this latest edition of their Yoshida Guide to Seattle, I readily agreed. It is my plesure to be the first to greet you on this tour of our proud and fascinating city. Welcome to Seattle.

Marilyn Schultz, Governor, Seattle Metroplex
August 25, 2049

Elections in Seattle in 2069

There's No Place Like Home - Strouthers is fighting in earnest, though, and he won’t go down without a fight. “Seattle is a community, built with the hopes and actions of our forefathers, not divisiveness and mistrust,” said Strouthers to an audience at a recent rally. “We’re a strong city and with your help we can truly make Seattle the jewel of the Pacific Northwest.”​

The Frontrunner: Kenneth Brackhaven - Politicians are nothing if not adaptable, and Brackhaven, Kenneth is no exception. After his failed 2057 presidential bid, Seattle’s golden son spent several years as a power behind the scenes, endorsing many local candidates and the late Governor Linstrom's​ failed presidential bid in 2064. With Election Day nearing and one third of Seattle behind him, those efforts might soon pay off.​

This candidate’s inability to grow in the polls is a major concern of Brackhaven's advisors. Brackhaven supporters blame unfavorable media coverage, but outside experts speculate he has reached his popularity roof.​

Seattle, ten years after. Coming back to my far-off birthplace is a breath of fresh air in many ways. Indeed, the oceanic wind that welcomed me at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is only the beginning. Surrounded by barely friendly countries, this isolated American outpost in the Pacific Northwest keeps a wild, I-dare-you-to-try edge that is all but lost in the East. More than four million souls call Seattle home, but only one can call itself its Governor.​

Pollsters, rallies, and AR spam; oh my! The Emerald City is being bombarded by bombastic bullshit. Election campaigns are kicking into high gear and the anxiety is nearly visible. Customs gives me the Look as I hand over my press accreditation. It won’t be the last one the agent sees before E-Day.​

I’m sipping something the caffeine bar claims is real Amazonian coffee as I ride in a cab to the Mayflower Park Hotel – it’s no Laubenstein Plaza, but it’ll do. I like the retro atmosphere. Very 1990s.

The driver is in-the-flesh, not telepresent – an ork named Fred.​

Fred pretty much summed up Seattle’s dilemma. All three candidates promise the moon for Seattleites (they’d promise the sun too, but locals don’t believe in anything they can’t see), but can they deliver?​

Seattle Election Polls -
Candidate (Party) - (Now / 1 Month Ago / 3 Months Ago)
Brackhaven, Kenneth (R) - (32% / 30% / 28%)
Dzhugashvili, Josephine (I) - (30% / 23% / 16%)
Strouthers, Julius (D) - (21% / 17% / 10%)
Others - (less than 1% / 5% / 16%)

Source - UCAS Today/Gallup

The RACE for Governor - With the withdrawal of former Bellevue Mayor Reynolds, Daniel (Technocrat) for personal reasons and Representative Riordan, Susan (Libertarian) over a financial scandal, the field has narrowed to three main candidates. Given the high number of undecided voters, the election can still go to any of them.​

The Incumbent: Julius Strouthers - Strouthers, Julius hasn’t had an easy tenure as Metroplex Governor. Seattle’s sinking economy and rising unemployment are just the tip of the iceberg. Add in endemic street violence, well publicized corruption scandals involving some of his closest advisors, increased hostility from the Native American Nations, and frosty relations with President Colloton's administration, and you start to get the picture. Recent bouts of rage at Cabinet meetings show the enormous stress the dwarf is dealing with.​

The governor has been lashing out at Lone Star recently, criticizing its lack of success in catching the “Mayan Cutter” serial killer. Strouthers has entertained negotiations with Knight Errant concerning the Metroplex Policing Contract, up for renewal next year, as a tacit threat. Strouthers has also promised a new solution to solve Seattle’s energy problems, but details have been scarce.​

"Kenneth Brackhaven is doing very well with the human electorate,” said Brian Stanton, an analyst at the University of Seattle, “but I still have yet to see a metahuman voting for him. The problem was less significant when he ran for President, but Seattle has a much higher percentage of registered metahuman voters.”​

Personally, I wonder at tension within the ranks. After joining the Republican Party in 2069, Brackhaven rode a wave of former Archconservative voters to vanquish Ellen Danquist in the Metroplex primaries. Danquist had been personally nominated by President Colloton's, which puts Brackhaven at odds with the powers-that-be in DC.​

​With the death of Karl Brackhaven, his uncle and chairman of the Humanis Policlub, in 2065, the only other remaining Brackhaven is Karl’s granddaughter, drug artist Tiffany Brackhaven. Tiffany’s longstanding relationship with the Goblin Rock Star Crime Time would be a boon to Brackhaven's anti-metahuman image, but one he’s chosen not to exploit.​

The Insurgent: Josephine Dzhugashvili - Josephine Dzhugashvili has been very busy catching up with Brackhaven's early lead. She starts early with morning interviews; spends the day doing door-to-door campaigning and attending youth meetings, high profile business lunches, and primetime debates on NewsNet; then finishes every evening with another news spot and private meetings with prominent movers and shakers.​

Getting to know Seattle’s Woman of the Year took more work than expected. At a time when a misspoken line could decide the outcome of the election, Dzhugashvili’s campaign manager is leaving nothing to chance. Ten minutes, she said.​

As the leader of the Seattle Independence Party, Dzhugashvili’s campaign can be summed up with one word: secession. That so many Seattleites might vote for Seattle to become an independent Metroplex-state is a sure sign that all’s not well in Rain City, but I’ll let Dzhugashvili speak for herself on that.

​By Daniel Cregg, UCAS Today​

Seattle in 2072

Boring Factoids - Seattle’s a little more cosmopolitan than your average sprawl, which is a major plus for people in our line of work. Any ethnicity, metatype, ’ware, or outfit blends right into with the pavement-pounding downtown hordes. You really have to make an effort to get anyone to raise an eyebrow at your appearance, even in the exclusive high-sec corp enclaves (where you can look weird as long as you also look rich). It’s also easy to plug into whatever subcultural niche you prefer here. There are dozens of little ethnic neighborhoods and specialty shops where you can find anything your individual quirks desire.​

Linguachips and translation programs are ubiquitous these days, but your average Seattleite speaks at least two languages, even if they can’t write their name. The ones you’re most likely to encounter are English, Japanese, Salish dialects, Or’zet, Aztlaner Spanish, Russian, Korean, and Sperethiel.​

The Man - Each Seattle district (except for Outremer) is governed by a locally elected mayor. The Metroplex as a whole elects the governor and the Metroplex’s two senators and single representative; those last three serve on behalf of Seattle in the UCAS Congress. Relations between the Metroplex government and the various extraterritorial corporations that operate within the Metroplex are maintained by the United Corporate Council, which in turn answers to the Corporate Court. The current Metroplex Governor is Julius Strouthers, though he’s up for re-election this year, and faces stiff competition.​

The UCAS Federal government maintains offices in Seattle to represent the interests of the country as a whole and to cover anything that might fall under Federal jurisdiction. Federal and UCAS military presence has been increasing steadily in Seattle since the recent Crash, perhaps in response to the growing Independent Seattle movement.​

The Augmented Street View - Visitors to Seattle see a city of living crystal, with each building a massive polygon of multifaceted green gems lit from within. This is the much-hyped “Emerald City” AR overlay promoted by the Seattle Tourist Board, broadcast via thousands of participating nodes and networks right to your commlink. Most of Downtown Seattle, especially the looming corporate skyscrapers, has adopted the green, glassy AR theme to “skin” over their drab exteriors of concrete and mirrored windows. The street level overlay is more colorful and varied in appearance, though green and crystalline elements are still dominant.​

Rain City - Since the Pacific Northwest area around Seattle counts as a temperate rainforest, it’s no surprise that Seattle receives precipitation in excess of two hundred centimeters each year. Even when it’s not misty or drizzling, an unhealthy haze of smog keeps the city under an endless gray pallor. Being right on the ocean, though, there are times when the breeze comes in off Puget Sound and you can almost breathe something resembling air. Careful, though – the second the wind changes, you’ll get a lung full of ash from Puyallup or low-rad particulates from Glow City.​

Speaking of ash, get used to it. Ever since the quakes down in California, Mt. Ranier has been spewing a thin stream right into the clouds coming toward Seattle. The regular acid rain showers (or flurry of toxic sleet in the winter) bleach the buildings and eat away at the ferroconcrete, though many corp skyrakers sport expensive nano-material coatings to protect against the caustic elements.​

In the Deep End - Seattle’s virtual reality is pretty much like any other, though you’ll note the Emerald City design motif is standard here, too. The largest systems include Mitsuhama’s infamous Forbidden City host, the Aztechnology Pyramid, the NeoNET Constellation, and the translucent green apparition of the Arcology Commercial and Housing Enclave. Of course, no introduction to the Seattle Matrix would be complete without mentioning SeaSource, a popular public database and search engine.​

Staying in Touch - Perhaps more than other sprawls, Seattleites have wholeheartedly embraced social networking technologies. Just peek at the PANs of any pavement-slapping pedestrians, and you’ll see each and every one is linked up to at least one social networking service, if not half a dozen. If you scan your vicinity for an interactive game partner, a fellow hobbyist, or a one-night stand, you’re sure to find one. Seattleites are so heavily networked that spontaneous, unplanned (usually) flash mobs are common when word hits the airwaves about some celebrity sighting, short-term bargain deal, or similar media spectacle or draw.​

The Scene - Once upon a time, Seattle was known for suicidal, flannel-wearing grunge rockers and a popular chain of coffee houses. It’s got a lot more going on now, and interesting events always attract people who want to keep an eye on what’s new and hot. As a result, Seattle 2070 is the eyes and ears of the Pacific Northwest. It’s inundated with fashionistas, glitterati, paparazzi, cool hunters, and anybody that wants to be “in the know” or cash in on the latest trends. These cultural parasites also draw an even lower life form: marketing agents. There’s no better place to kick-start a new viral advertising campaign, music style, or targeted meme than by seeding it through Seattle’s subcultural tapestry and watching it spread. Neo-Tokyo and LA may be the hip places to watch, but you’d be surprised at how much originates from the Emerald City. Seattle has a way of mutating new artistic talent and trends for its own purposes, however, so there’s always even more that doesn’t escape into the corporate clutches.​

Seattle City Services
• Fire Safety – Franklin Associates
• GridGuide – Mitsuhama Computer Technologies
• Healthcare – City Health Services
• Matrix Service – NeoNET
• Police – Knight Errant
• Power – Gaeatronics
• Prisons – Lone Star Security Services
• Public Works – Shiawase Envirotech
• Sanitation – Eta Engineering

Story set in Seattle in 2072

I knew he was expecting the hit, but he still looked surprised when his bodyguard’s head exploded. My snipers methodically picked his people off. Saturn fried his mages somehow – I don’t know what the spell was, they just crumpled up and died. The slaughter was over quickly. The dying would take longer.

The big man was propped up against his wife’s gravestone when I walked up to pay my final respects. Dark blood oozed between his fingers. “Rowena,” he said.

“Bigio.”

He was grim, holding his gut shot. No gallows humor here. I kept my gun where he could see it, but at my side.

“You gonna finish it, O’Malley?”

“You gonna gimme a reason, Butcher?”

His eyes took on a far-away look. He told me a story as he lay dying.

“You know why they call me ‘The Butcher?’ It was the proudest day of my life, the day I became a soldatos. After sixteen years of climbing out of the gutter, I stood before Don Gianelli in a borrowed suit, cleaner than I’d ever been in my life, reciting the prayers and swearing the oath while the icon of St. Stephen burned to ash in my hand. Afterwards, he shook my hand and said he needed me for a job.”

Bigio hacked up something red from his lungs and spat it out. “It was raining when we arrived at the warehouse. The boys had tied a kid to a chair, right above a drain. The tools were all laid out on a table. They gave me room to work. I took off my coat and tie. Unbuttoned my collar. Rolled up my sleeves. The kid watched me the entire time.”

I wiped away a bit of bloody drool coming down from Bigio’s mouth. He went on.

“Kid was a Yak hacker. Stole some bank codes or something and stashed ’em. My job was to find out where. He knew the score, but didn’t say anything. Maybe he was loyal. Maybe he thought he was a hard man. Maybe he was more afraid of his bosses than he was of me. I cracked my knuckles and got to work.”

He flashed me a bloody smile at that.

“There’s something to be said for getting your hands dirty. It used to be that a little blood on your hands was a good thing. Your people respected you when they knew you weren’t afraid to do something yourself. Your father – ” he almost spat the word “ – he understood that. I’ll say that for the bastard.” He coughed again.

“Gianelli didn’t make me a made man just because I was big and tough. No, it was because I was an utterly ruthless bastard that could take a person apart like a piece of meat. Like a butcher, he told me.

“The kid wasn’t tough. I started on his hands and worked my way up. You dislocate the fingers first, and then the wrist. That way, you can still go back later and break them if you haven’t made your point yet. It took about an hour to get to his shoulders. Twist, pop, scream. Twist, pop, scream. I slapped him back when his eyes glazed over. We locked eyeballs again, and I repeated my question. He choked out. ‘If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him.’”

“Benjamin Franklin.” I said. Bigio looked at me. “It’s a quote by Benjamin Franklin.” He grunted and tried to shrug, then winced. He was bleeding slower, and he shivered, but he kept on.

“I understood what the kid meant. So I ran my hand along his skull and sure enough, there were the parallel lines of stitches that hadn’t quite healed yet. I gripped the back of his head, bent it to one side, and grabbed a blade. The kid squealed and struggled, but I held his head like a vise. It took five minutes and a pair of needlenose pliers. What was left of the kid slumped in the chair. In my bloody hand I held his headware memory.”

Bigio coughed up some more blood. All the fight was out of him. His voice grew quiet.

“I killed your father, Rowena. You’ve spent ten years taking pieces out of me. What more do you want? End it. Just make it clean. James O’Malley would have done as much.”

I nodded. The gun kicked twice. Bigio was dead. I stopped to lay the gun on my father’s grave before leaving Gethsemane. It felt right.​

Seattle's GM Section

Future History (For the GM)
• 2055 – Knight Errant Firewatch teams burn out the Universal Brotherhood headquarters and the insect spirit hive infesting it.
• 2059 – The Renraku Arcology is mysteriously cut off from the outside world, with hundreds of thousands trapped inside.
• 2061 – UCAS forces complete their recovery of the Renraku Arcology.
• 2064 – Crash 2.0. The Seattle Matrix grid is completely destroyed.
• 2065 – NeoNET installs Seattle’s new wireless Matrix network.
• 2066 – The Seattle Metroplex and the Salish- Shidhe Council win a joint bid to host the 2076 Summer Olympics.
• 2069 – Earthquakes in California trigger renewed volcanic activity in Mount Ranier, subjecting Seattle to frequent showers of ash and acid rain.​