TEXT: CREDITS
  Writing: Oliver Gagnon
  Cover & Interior Art: Ian King, Mauro Peroni
  Map: Mauro Peroni
  Layout: Matt Heerdt
  Shadowrun Line Developer: Jason M. Hardy
  Shadowrun Ebook Developer: Peter M. Andrew, Jr.
  Art Direction: Brent Evans
  © 2016 The Topps Company, Inc. All Rights 
  Reserved. Shadowrun and Matrix are 
  registered trademarks and/or trademarks 
  of The Topps Company, Inc., in the United 
  States and/or other countries. Catalyst 
  Game Labs and the Catalyst Game Labs 
  logo are trademarks of InMediaRes 
  Productions, LLC.
  
  JACKPOINT
  Connecting to JackPoint VPN...
  ...Identity Spoofed
  ...Encryption Keys Generated
  ...Connected to Onion Routers
  >>>Login: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
  >>>Enter Passcode: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
  ...Biometric Scan Confirmed
  YOU’RE IN. USE IT WELL.
  > “I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine.”  -FREDDIE TRUMPER
  JackPoint Stats
  58 Users are active  
  on the network
  Latest News
  >  The largest piles of drek hide 
  the biggest cases of nuyen.—
  Anon
  Personal Alerts
  > You have 37 new private 
  messages.
  > You have 19 new responses 
  to your JackPoint posts.
  > The party is scheduled to 
  start in thirty minutes. Do 
  you wish to activate the blast 
  chiller now?
  There is 1 Member online and 
  in your area.
  Your current rep score: 814 
  (67% Positive)
  THE INNER CIRCLE
  > Current Time: 18 Oct 2078, 
  0400 hrs
  Welcome back to JackPoint, OMAE:
  Welcome back to JackPoint, chummer; your last connection  
  was severed 5 hours, 19 minutes, 49 seconds ago.
  TODAY’S HEADS UP
  > The darkest city under a dragon’s wings.—Glitch
  Incoming
  > The Matrix has become the home of a number of different “friends.” [Tag: 10 AIs]
  > Sometimes the only payoff is keeping your life. [Tag: Vladivostok Gambit]
  > Remember: You don’t ask the mark for money. You wait for  
  them to offer.  [Tag: Cutting Aces]
  Top News Items
  > Three unidentified ork bodies are found at White Center’s Stuffer Shack 
  #7 location. The bodies were found without an immediately visible mark on 
  them. Knight Errant is investigating. Link
  > Burien reports its first White Center Mauler slaying. This represents the 
  killer’s first foray outside of the troubled White Center district. Link
  > Renraku has proposed their slate of replacement Philippine legislators to the 
  Corporate Court. The corporation has also requested the nation’s constitution 
  be modified to allow the selected representatives to serve for life. The case 
  has yet to be heard by the officiating body. Link
  
  MalanDRagEM
  3
  MalanDRagEM
  Batucada dodged the roundhouse kick coming for his head 
  and dropped into a rasteira, sweeping for his opponent’s leg. 
  This was nimbly dodged via an au cartwheel ending in the 
  low negative stance. Batucada had read his opponent cor-
  rectly and was ready for this, planting the sole of his foot 
  inches from the other capoeirista’s face, a slight mischievous 
  grin on his face. The score made and the flow broken, another 
  capoeirista signaled the master and dropped into play against 
  Batucada. Out of the corner of his eye, however, Batucada 
  spied a lanky ork standing outside of the capoeira’s roda. Ba-
  tucada’s grin disappeared, and he signaled to the next await-
  ing player to take his place, exiting the roda.
  Batucada was covered in sweat from the efforts of the ca-
  poeira class and subsequent ending roda. He wiped his hands 
  lightly on his pure white abadá pants. He noticed they were 
  getting dirty. He promised himself he’d wash them soon. Lena 
  was sweet on him, maybe he could pay her a visit tonight. He 
  could get her to wash his stuff, and while he was there, who 
  knows what could happen …
  That sweet thought quickly left his mind as he looked back 
  up and saw the lanky ork waiting for him. His thoughts easily 
  wandered after exercising, but this was serious business. He 
  had to keep focused. As he neared the ork, nodding at him 
  in greeting, he saw suspicion and anxiety covering the other 
  man’s face. The ork returned the nod, then turned and walked 
  away, indicating with his chin that Batucada should follow him.
  They turned the corner of a stucco building that had once 
  been painted white and azure but was now pockmarked with 
  beige holes where the outer layer of masonry had fallen out in 
  chunks. The chipping clearly revealed a pattern of automatic 
  fire here, shotgun spread there. All the buildings in the favela 
  were like this.
  “Oi, Tanque …” called out Batucada as his ork contact kept 
  leading him on into the moist alley between buildings. He 
  didn’t want to go into the shade shirtless and covered in sweat. 
  “Let’s talk here, omae,” he told him.
  “Fine,” answered the ork. “If you have the information I 
  asked for, then I don’t want anyone hearing this, neh?”
  “Yeah, yeah, there’s nobody here. I have the info, yes. You 
  have what I asked for” replied Batucada. He didn’t like Tan-
  que. The ork didn’t have a good reputation. And he was ugly. 
  Tanque had been a childhood playmate, but the two had long 
  since gone separate ways, and Batucada felt the unfair, uncho-
  sen bond of early life together forcing intimacy he didn’t want. 
  If one of his girlfriends saw him with the ork, it would be humil-
  iating. He looked around, just to make sure. He froze.
  “Wait,” he said to Tanque in a hushed whisper. Tanque read 
  the body language pretty well and froze.
  “What is it?” asked the ork.
  Batucada nodded off into the distance. “Over there, that bird …”
  “Where? You think it’s DISA?” asked the ork.
  Batucada didn’t answer. He stared at the bird. It was a larg-
  er species, prominently sitting on a wire, with a clear view on 
  them. If he was a shapeshifter from the DISA, that’s where he 
  would be. Right there, with a clean view of them both.
  Just then, the bird flapped its wings and flew away.
  “It’s nothing,” dismissed Tanque, his tone working hard to 
  insinuate that Batucada was a paranoid idiot.
  Anger didn’t even rise in Batucada and the ugly ork’s chal-
  lenge. He’d been violently reminded that what he was doing 
  was no game. The stakes were real.
  “Let’s just get this over with,” said Batucada in a low voice.
  He clicked a few buttons on the Sony ActiveLife! sports 
  commlink secured to his wrist, transferring the files to Tanque. 
  “I wrote down what you needed. You want to talk to Toneai. 
  I spoke to him, he’s interested in your offer. When you meet 
  him, if he likes you, you’ll be in.”
  Tanque nodded, receiving the files. “Just to be absolutely 
  sure—Toneai, he’s the one connected to A Voz?”
  Batucada frowned. “Yes, what the fuck do you think we’re 
  talking about?” Really, Tanque was too much.
  “Nothing,” answered Tanque, his voice strange. Before Ba-
  tucada’s look of disgust could change into a question, Tanque 
  raised a silenced pistol as Batucada’s face and fired. The capoe-
  irista’s head jerked back violently and he fell backwards. Tan-
  que fired two more rounds into him.
  Looking around the corner of his eyes for any sign of a wit-
  ness rushing off or anything like that, Tanque unscrewed the 
  silencer from his pistol, putting the weapon back into his 
  quick-draw holster and dropping the silencer into his pocket.
  He looked down one last time at the bloody corpse at his 
  feet. His mouth squirmed into a tight grimace. Batucada wasn’t 
  a bad guy. Bit of an asshole playboy, but relatively friendly at 
  his core. He was just dumb as shit. Whereas Batucada had 
  concentrated on playing and getting girls, Tanque has found 
  real purpose with the Amazonian government. Batucada had 
  feared DISA, like everyone does, but he had failed to under-
  stand the bigger picture. Batucada might have thought flirting 
  with A Voz was something cool to do, but it was deadly seri-
  ous. Now, Batucada was dead, as ordered by Tanque’s superi-
  ors at DISA, as was the proper fate of anyone who associated 
  with traitors.
  Tanque hurried away into the shadows. Batucada’s file gave 
  him everything he needed. He’d make arrangements with 
  some DISA field agents to raid the meeting place Tanque had 
  given him, tonight. He didn’t doubt the fate that awaited any 
  present. The senior field agents—shapeshifters, of course—
  would tear everyone present apart, save for a few they would 
  bag and interrogate before killing. Tanque’s heart beat a little 
  faster at the thought. He’d done good work. Maybe he would 
  be allowed to go in with the agents during the raid. Maybe 
  tonight was the night he’d be truly able to prove his loyalty 
  and his strength, and they’d promote him to a full field agent. 
  Tanque smiled and dreamed as he walked on. Batucada has 
  been worried about a bird. He squinted so hard at the threat of 
  death that he missed it rushing into his face.
  
  HISToRy
  4
  HISToRy
  gEnESIS
  More than any other place, Metrópole is a city caged by its 
  past and its future. To understand the place, you have to under-
  stand where it came from, and where it is going. The beginning 
  is August 28, 2034. The Awakened forces of Amazonia, led by 
  the Great Dragon Hualpa, declared war on Brazil. Now, this has 
  to be contextualized. At this point in time, the UCAS is a mere 
  two years old and still coming to grips with itself. In Europe, a 
  devastating war raged on. Of course, by now everyone knows 
  the rules of the world have changed: the Great Ghost Dance is 
  fresh in everyone’s mind. Further, just a few years ago, Awak-
  ened forces wrested control of Siberia away from the Russian 
  state. So, when Awakened forces that dwarf anything anyone 
  has ever seen rise up out of every nook and cranny of Brazil to 
  wage merciless war, the rest of the world looks sideways while 
  whistling a tune. Brazilians are left to fend for themselves. Of 
  course, they don’t stand a chance.
  The Brazilian Armed Forces consisted of roughly 300,000 
  active men and women, with easily six times that number in 
  additional reservists and National Guard. It also included plen-
  ty of main battle tanks, fighter jets, attack helicopters, and all 
  the other required engines of war. The Brazilian Army was also 
  quite skilled in jungle warfare and guerrilla tactics. However, 
  that doesn’t mean much when a squadron of adult dragons, 
  whose magical nature is still not well understood, swoops out 
  of nowhere undetected and nukes your barracks. Or when the 
  very ground you stand upon—the forest that surrounds you 
  and the air you breathe—are the domains of spirits that your 
  weapons largely cannot hurt, but who in turn can destroy en-
  tire platoons in an instant. There is no front; no rear lines. Sup-
  ply lines cannot be protected. There is nothing to fight, yet you 
  are attacked from everywhere. 
  Two months after the start of hostilities, the Brazilian 
  government surrendered unconditionally. To what, they still 
  weren’t sure. Amazonian propaganda, of course, now labels 
  this as a great liberation. And, truth be told, the Brazilian gov-
  ernment at the time wasn’t exactly loved. Most Brazilians lived 
  in poverty, many in complete misery. The disparity between 
  rich and poor was staggering. There is a world of difference, 
  though, between a corrupt government of greedy bastards 
  and a giant lizard monster thing that has spent the last two 
  months eating your nation’s soldiers. People wept in the streets 
  and clutched loved ones, awaiting their fates.
  Hualpa did not, however, kill and destroy everything, much 
  to his friend Sirrurg’s chagrin. Powered by an intellect far more 
  powerful and effective than any human politician will ever 
  wield, Hualpa set in motion great changes. Brazil, a nation just 
  shy of 200 million souls at the time, was ordered to empty 
  out the interior. The entire population of the country would 
  need to move to the coast. Hualpa decreed that the zone be-
  tween Rio de Janeiro (population: about 12 million) and Sao 
  Paulo (population: 18 million) would become a mega sprawl 
  and receive the bulk of citizens: the new Metrópole da Ama-
  zonia. And that was it. No negotiation, no protests. Either you 
  moved, or you would be killed.
  Perhaps 150 million Brazilians were now refugees, evicted 
  from their homes, their jobs, and their lives. Evicted and point-
  ed toward cities with slumped economies, cities that already 
  were failing to provide a decent quality of life for their exist-
  ing citizens. Everything these people knew, all their posses-
  sions, all their friends, their daily routines, the cities they knew 
  and called home—gone, in the blink of an eye. Understand-
  ably, this did not go over well. Hualpa understood the human 
  mind perfectly well, of course. He understood there would be 
  resistance. You could say he didn’t care, but that’s not quite 
  true. If he truly didn’t care, Metrópole would not exist today. 
  The mind-boggling logistical feat of actually moving 150 mil-
  lion people was child’s play compared to the task of creating 
  some place for these people to go. The basic infrastructure 
  needed to be built, often from whole cloth. Homes for 150 
  million people, new roads, hospitals, schools, sewers, mar-
  kets, everything was erected quickly, in some cases practically 
  over night. Yet again, another feat made seemingly trivial by 
  the real challenge: avoiding a complete and total economic 
  collapse. Hualpa wasn’t out to destroy Brazil. He was out to 
  create Amazonia.
  Brazil’s own finances were far from rosy. The new Awak-
  ened government defaulted on the national debt, since Brazil 
  was gone; this was now Amazonia. Call it what you will, inter-
  national money lenders lost a lot of money. Under other cir-
  cumstances, this would have been a first-class ticket to third-
  world nationhood.
  Instead, powered by his unknowingly vast draconic intel-
  lect, Hualpa led the greatest nation-building feat of the world 
  and built Metrópole and Amazonia. Without foreign currency 
  reserves, an economy stopped dead as the entire inland nation 
  stopped working to move, and the coast working to accommo-
  date the influx, many doomed the budding nation to failure. But 
  Hualpa secured funding—much of it out of the personal hoards 
  of the draconic leadership, some through crafty dealmaking. 
  Work efficiency was greatly boosted by copious magical feats. 
  Within eighteen months, Metrópole, and by extent Amazonia, 
  was rising out of the ashes of Brazil. Infrastructure came out of 
  nowhere, jobs appeared, and homes sprang up.  
  > 
  Whoa there. If you were a Matrix software engineer, and now 
  Hualpa says there are plenty of jobs for electricians, how does 
  that help you? As has been mentioned, Brazil was a place of great 
  social inequality, which means a huge chunk of those displaced 
  people were unskilled or semi-skilled laborers. This limited what 
  they could do; it was the same with specialists, really. Creating 
  jobs is one thing. Creating the right jobs and making them 
  accessible to the right people is another. The truth of the matter 
  is that tens of thousands of families sank to poverty because they 
  could not find work that suited them, and tens of thousands of 
  budding business tanked because they could not gain access to 
  the labor they needed.
  > 
  Axis Mundi
  
  azTlan
  5
  > 
  This is why the arcology model was so privileged during the 
  construction of Metrópole, especially in the new Centro district. 
  It’s a dirty little secret of Metrópole’s inception, but much like 
  Hong Kong or Manhattan, Metrópole is almost entirely private. 
  Hualpa did miracles with the little money available, but even that 
  wasn’t enough to build a megacity of 100+ million people. You 
  need trillions of nuyen to do that. Amazonia had no choice but to 
  privatize and sell off land to whomever promised to build on it.
  > 
  Sounder
  > 
  If that sounds like every corporation’s wet dream, you’re damn 
  right it is. There were millions of people desperate to secure 
  good housing for their families at any cost. Lowest bidders got 
  the jobs and housing, indebting themselves and their families for 
  generations to come. Wage-slavery at its most successful, right 
  in the heart of the supposed anti-corporate, pro-people nation of 
  Amazonia. Don’t believe all the hype. 
  > 
  Snopes
  These feats bought Hualpa a lot of goodwill from his new 
  subjects. Things were notably different. Pollution was a big no-
  no. Heavy industry and primary-sector enterprises had to take 
  an adapt-or-die (often literally) mentality to do business, de-
  veloping and adopting eco-friendly technologies in a hurry. A 
  lot was imported from the fledgling NAN and newborn elf na-
  tions, who had a head start on environmentally friendly tech-
  niques and technology. However, none of these new lands 
  had the pressure of great dragons breathing down their necks, 
  and so Amazonia pioneered many new innovations. Powered 
  by sheer necessity and aided by Hualpa, who needed this to 
  succeed, fueled by hard labor and more than a touch of magic 
  provided by their Awakened overlords, Metrópole was built.
  azTlan
  The very existence of Amazonia is an affront to Aztlan, and 
  vice-versa. It is said the only reason Amazonia exists is to 
  stop Aztlan expansion to the south. Indeed, if Hualpa hadn’t 
  created it, in all likelihood all of South America would be part 
  of the Aztlan empire. The two nations truly exist only as ene-
  mies, an antithesis of one another.
  For a long time, the two nations faced off in a cold war that 
  occasionally heated, then cooled back down. They fought 
  each other via black ops and proxies, supporting any enemy of 
  their enemy. Late in 2072, however, everything changed and 
  open war broke out, nominally over the city of Bogota. Both 
  sides fought viciously, but ultimately, Amazonia lost. Bogota 
  is now officially an Aztlan city, and the Amazonian border was 
  pushed back a good bit. Ultimately, as far as day-to-day Ama-
  zonian life is concerned, that stuff is no big deal. The loss of 
  morale and the loss of belief from Amazonians hurt a bit more. 
  The biggest blows, however, were the defeat of Sirrurg and the 
  subsequent cloistering of Hualpa along with his top draconic 
  adjuncts: Marcela Ruiz, the nation’s top diplomat, and Maria 
  Locasin, Hualpa’s personal translator and important political 
  figure. In essence, Amazonia lost its topmost leadership. 
  While the state appears to be functioning as normal, the 
  disappearance of  the country’s leader—a spiritual father-fig-
  ure leader for many—has been a tough and confusing blow 
  for Amazonians. Nobody in Amazonia believes Aztlan is go-
  ing to stop there, and many wonder if Amazonian forces will 
  be able to stop them at all. This has created a blanket of fear 
  and confusion over the city. While the number-one subject 
  of conversation remains football, Aztlan conspiracy theories 
  and wild rumors are a close second. How people react to this 
  varies. Many are patriotic, and enlistment in the armed forces 
  has gone up slightly. Most are unsure but ultimately apathetic. 
  On the other side of the spectrum though, many wonder if 
  life under Aztlan rule would be any worse than under Manaus’ 
  inhuman leaders. Many believe now is the time to overthrow 
  the dragons and take back Brazil. Metrópole is ground zero for 
  all this conflicting activity.
  > 
  Discussing politics in Metrópole is a dangerous thing. First of all, 
  everybody touts a patriotic, pro-government stance in public, no 
  matter what they really believe. That’s because DISA hunts down 
  traitors. While the majority of Amazonians truly love their country 
  and what it stands for, a significant portion are simmering in 
  discontent and desire for change, their sympathies firmly aligned 
  with extremist groups like A Voz. DISA can repress all they want, 
  but people find a way to gather and communicate. Secret societies 
  and double-meanings are plentiful in the streets of Amazonia, 
  and determining where the people you do business with stand is 
  important. Determining where you stand is important, too. It will 
  come up, sooner or later. You will need to pick a side.
  > 
  Kay St. Irregular
  METRÓPolE
  With almost 200 million souls, Metrópole is best considered 
  as not one but three large cities. When Hualpa’s forces de-
  cided that the interior of the country wasn’t for people, 
  Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo were already bristling dens of 
  inequality of more or less 10 million inhabitants each. That 
  still left about 180 million people without homes and jobs. 
  While both the Rio and Sao Paulo hubs were boosted to cre-
  ate more living space, the vast majority of Brazilians ended 
  up in the area between the two metropolises, an area known 
  simply as Centro. Each of these three broad cities is a world 
  of cultural diversity and amalgamation of sub-districts; each 
  has their own flavor and sense of living. However, it would 
  be pointlessly long to enumerate every single neighborhood, 
  as this is a treatise for shadowrunners. So I’ll be giving you 
  a general sense of the dominant culture of each sub-city, as 
  well as pointing your attention to the more interesting places 
  of each area.
  
  gETTIng  In & ouT
  6
  gETTIng  
  In & ouT
  Travel to Amazonia does not require a visa for most coun-
  tries. The major exception to this is, unsurprisingly, Aztlaners. 
  While Aztlaners are not outright banned from entering the 
  country, quite a bit of paperwork is involved and only a limit-
  ed number are allowed each year. It goes without saying, any 
  shadowrunner looking to come in should use anything other 
  than an Aztechnology or Aztlaner SIN and do their best not 
  to look Aztlaner nor speak with an Aztlan accent.
  > 
  Well, yes and no. Amazonia isn’t simply being paranoid here, 
  Aztlan does have spy networks inside the city. If you have a 
  marker to call in with Aztlan or Aztechnology, you might be able 
  to get them to hook you up with their underground network to get 
  you in the city. They’ll probably ask you to bring something in for 
  their agents as well while you’re at it (gear, sensitive information, 
  etc.), but it might be an option worth considering. Whatever you 
  do, do not get caught coming in though.
  > 
  Marcos
  Metrópole is served by three major international airports. 
  Travelers can land in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, or Centro. Sao 
  Paulo is by far the biggest and busiest of the three. There are 
  other smaller airports that can receive regional flights, though 
  these are no less scrutinized. In any case, so long as you’re 
  not an Aztlaner, Amazonia doesn’t care much if you come into 
  their country.
  Coming in from the interior is quite difficult. Amazonia is 
  one gigantic jungle of murderous fauna and flora. Anyone with 
  the idea of crossing over the border from a nearby nation and 
  trekking through land routes will almost certainly never be 
  heard from again, unless they stick to the few well-established 
  routes or get help from local guides. Some of these guides are 
  metatype who have no respect for nuyen, so you may well 
  have to get creative in what you offer to obtain their help.
  Along with legally flying in, coming in by boat is another 
  good option, especially is you need to bring in heavier equip-
  ment and/or need to come in completely illegally, and using 
  forged SINs isn’t an option. In such circumstances, it might be 
  tempting to consider hopping in a smuggler’s Cessna or a can-
  opy-grazing T-bird, but Amazonians are on the lookout for Az-
  tlan intrusions, and this will pretty much look exactly like that. 
  The good news is that Amazonia only has a few SAM sites to 
  shoot you down with. The bad news is that they prefer to use 
  dragons, wyverns, and spirits for that sort of thing.
  This means coming in via the ocean may be the best option. 
  The coast is patrolled, of course, but there are good smugglers 
  who should be able to get you ashore without too much dif-
  ficulty. One can land surreptitiously on the coast outside of 
  the Metrópole sprawl and trek the rest of the way from there, 
  or attempt landing directly in the city, thought this may draw 
  more attention and require extra bribes to get you through.
  Getting around the city may or may not be complex. Long 
  distances, say, between the Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro poles, 
  is actually quite speedy. The rich and important have access 
  to helicopters, LAVs, or small-plane shuttle rides between the 
  various sectors. For everyone else, there is a high-speed rail 
  that links the various districts along a nice, straight axis cutting 
  across all of Metrópole. There are also highways connecting all 
  the districts together that are remarkably good, though during 
  the night they become go-gang turf, so things get spotty.
  > 
  There are two ways to deal with those gangs, depending on what 
  they want. One option is to pay them off, which works best if they 
  FACTS AT A GLANCE
  Population: 188,736,519
  Human: 31%
  Elf: 16%
  Dwarf: 14%
  Ork: 25%
  Troll: 6%
  Other: 8%
  Per Capita Income: 13,786¥
  Estimated SINless: 8%
  Below Poverty Level: 26%
  Corporate Affiliation: 12%
  > 
  For those of you keeping score at home, that’s over 15 million 
  “other” beings. We’re talking nagas, centaurs, shapeshifters 
  of all kinds (the biggest sub-group, by far), dracoforms, 
  sasquatch, free spirits, and tons of other stuff. The “other” 
  category only contains the type of “other” more or less 
  globally recognized. If it were up to Amazonia, they’d also 
  count a whole lot of other stuff in their population numbers. 
  > 2XL
  TEMPERATURE
  Metrópole is a pretty comfortable place year-round in terms of 
  temperature (mid-teens in the winter and high twenties Celsius in 
  the summer), being treated as a Mild environment for Fatigue tests. 
  However, Metrópole tends to be pretty humid and muggy most 
  of the time, at least sixty percent and up to one hundred percent 
  relative humidity most of the time, generally counting as a High 
  humidity environment. Thus, per the Fatigue rules (p. 172, SR5, and 
  p. 146, Run & Gun) character must take a Fatigue test every 3 hours 
  from the heat and high humidity, and, should the characters not 
  hydrate themselves properly, a first Fatigue test for Dehydration 
  after 4 hours with subsequent tests every 3 hours under non-
  strenuous conditions.
  
  gETTIng  In & ouT
  7
  
  CulTuRE
  8
  are serious about making money. But for thrill gangs looking to 
  get their rocks off by terrorizing motorists, well, just show them 
  that tangling with shadowrunners is a bad idea, and they will back 
  off quick enough.
  > 
  Balladeer
  The irony of Amazonian logistics makes itself apparent 
  when you merely need to travel a short distance. Sub-city travel 
  is served by main thoroughfares, but beyond that, it’s a night-
  mare. Streets are crammed with debris, people, and the make-
  shift shelters of the homeless. Relatively uncluttered streets are 
  perpetually jammed with traffic. This is made worse by Amazo-
  nians’ tendency to park their cars everywhere—and to double 
  park anywhere. There actually is a GridGuide (it’s called ViaMet-
  ro here), but it is essentially useless. Again, the rich make their 
  way around town via point-to-point air travel. Metrópole has 
  the most private helicopters of any city in the world.
  > 
  This is important to know if you are in the booming talent 
  extraction business. VIPs are seldom truly vulnerable. They live 
  in secure enclaves, they commute via air travel, and they work 
  in secure facilities. If they go for a night out, they will still use a 
  helicopter.
  > 
  Hard Exit
  > 
  One man’s difficulties are one hacker or rigger’s opportunity. 
  > 
  Rigger X
  > 
  Since Metrópole is such a huge and demanding market for air 
  travel, manufacturers produce vehicles with far more advanced 
  bells and whistles than you might be used to seeing, with a lot of 
  those new gadgets being security features. Don’t think because 
  you have a hacker or a rigger that can hijack the controls that the 
  challenge ends there.
  > 
  DangerSensei
  > 
  Let’s not forget about flying critters. You can’t hack those. While I 
  have yet to meet a VIP that flies to work atop a dragon, the dragon 
  itself (or any number of sentient flying critters) might be your 
  extraction target.
  > 
  Stone
  > 
  An exec flying to work atop a dragon would be pretty fucking epic.
  > 
  Slamm-0!
  CulTuRE
  Culture is one thing Metrópole has in spades. A lot has 
  changed in the forty years since Brazil was clawed asunder 
  and reshaped into Amazonia, but many things remain. First 
  and foremost, no matter what happens to them, Amazon-
  ians will always be football (soccer to many North Americans) 
  fans. It remains a national obsession. There are several ma-
  jor stadiums, including the gigantic Novo Maracanã stadium 
  with its half-million seating capacity, and countless smaller 
  community fields. Of course, to almost every child, anywhere 
  is a football field. If you want to make any sort of connec-
  tions, you better brush up on your football. If you can mean-
  ingfully talk about it, every pub in the city has people that will 
  want to talk to you.
  The other world-famous tradition is, of course, Carnival. If 
  anything, every year it gets bigger and bigger. Carnival occurs 
  immediately before the Christian Lent period, so that places 
  it typically in February (let’s not forget that Amazonia is in the 
  Southern Hemisphere, which means February is in the middle 
  of summer). This euphoric frenzy of partying, dancing, cos-
  tumes, colors, sounds, and light is something to behold. Even 
  the Awakened critters have gotten into it, joining in to display 
  their own unique plumages and furs. It’s quite something to 
  see a normally grave feathered serpent cut loose and move 
  spastically to display its shimmering multi-colored plumage.
  > 
  Carnival is not just pleasure; it’s also business. It is a multi-billion 
  nuyen industry attracting all the big players in the entertainment 
  industry. Where there are billions of nuyen, there are shadowruns. 
  Espionage and sabotage is a big thing; so are dirty tricks during the 
  negotiation process to get exclusivity deals and that sort of thing. 
  > 
  Mr. Bonds
  > 
  Even if you’re staying out of that kind of work, if you’ve got 
  chummers at samba schools in the favelas, they might hit you up 
  for favors this time of year. Espionage and sabotage between rival 
  samba schools is very common and can get dirty. You’d think it’s 
  all for fun, but the gangs get involved in that stuff too, and bruised 
  egos can lead to real feuds and bloodshed. There is definitely a 
  seedy underbelly to Carnival. Of the less-fun type of seedy, not 
  the good kind.
  > 
  2XL
  Those constants aside, Amazonians are very different from 
  who their Brazilian parents and grandparents were. There is 
  a certain polarization of society in regards to what Amazo-
  nia stands for, meaning preservation of the environment and 
  Awakened issues. This polarization is directly related to where 
  one’s family ended up following the government relocation 
  program. If things ended up well for you and you are comfort-
  ably middle-class, then you probably believe in Amazonia’s 
  fight for global environmental stewardship, the protection of 
  Mother Nature, and the inclusion of sentient critters in society. 
  If, however, your family lost everything and you live in a favela 
  and work a body-and-soul-crushing, seventy-hour work week 
  of less-than-minimum wage in a sweatshop, you probably hate 
  Amazonia with a fiery passion. Maybe you hate Amazonia even 
  more than you hate Aztlan, and that’s saying something. As you 
  will see, this internal malaise is an important part of Metrópole 
  that may severely impact the city’s future and your time there.
  Despite everything, Metrópole’s citizens remain a laid-
  back, festive bunch. People go out, talk, and socialize. They 
  party, they dance, they dance some more, and then they party 
  some more. Nothing is ever that serious. Most things can wait 
  to be fixed tomorrow.
  
  THE EConoMy
  9
  > 
  One other thing that hasn’t changed is “Brazilian time.” Nothing 
  starts on time in Metrópole. Any sort of meeting or scheduled 
  event will start late, typically in the range of one to three hours. 
  When you arrange a meeting time with a contact, only start 
  thinking you’re being stood up after three hours have passed. 
  Bring something to read.
  > 
  Cosmo
  > 
  Be careful about hasty generalization and stereotypes. Metrópole 
  has a higher population than most countries. Cultural diversity is 
  huge, and there are millions of corporate citizens that are closer to 
  their corporate culture than the city their physical bodies happen 
  to be located in. Do not show up late with a meeting with a MCT 
  Johnson because you think she’s a laid back carioca. She isn’t.
  > 
  Dr. Spin
  THE EConoMy
  As has been repeated a few times by now, Metrópole is an in-
  credibly vast megasprawl, bigger than many European coun-
  tries. The economic output of Metrópole is comparable to 
  the GDP of many nations. It is a well-known fact that Amazo-
  nia is a tad touchy about natural exploitation, but this is often 
  misunderstood. In many countries, the corporations delight 
  in painting Amazonia as a giant jungle where humans are 
  killed on the spot for chopping down a tree. The facts aren’t 
  quite so simple.
  The Awakened government of Amazonia can be under-
  stood to be taking affirmative action in the environment’s fa-
  vour. Truthfully, the problem is that metahuman activity has 
  gone unchecked for too long, to the point where the concept 
  of achieving a natural equilibrium between our needs and the 
  environment—sustainable practices, essentially—is a long for-
  gotten concept. So it’s not that Amazonia fundamentally be-
  lieves all humans must be eradicated in favour of a pristine lush 
  green planet—it is simply that, for now, the balance must be 
  tilted more toward the environment in order to counter the 
  decades of unchecked abuse the Gaiasphere has suffered.
  As such, the need for metahuman industry is understood. 
  Primary sector activity—mining, lumber jacking, agriculture—
  are necessary. However, that doesn’t mean highly destructive 
  processes like strip mining are the answer. Thus, it is a fact that 
  a large part of Amazonia’s economy comes from resource har-
  vesting. Iron ore, bauxite and tin top the list, mined by corpor-
  ations who must mandatorily be headquartered in Metrópole. 
  This is a requirement that comes up a lot in Amazonia. En-
  vironmental laws in Amazonia are exceptionally strict. In or-
  der to ensure corporations abide by them, many industries are 
  required by law to be operated by a corporation registered in 
  Amazonia, with at least fifty-one percent ownership by Ama-
  zonians. Further, these companies must maintain physical of-
  fices in Metrópole. The city of Metrópole da Amazonia has a 
  special status within the country, serving as a sort of special 
  economic zone. The cost of doing business in Amazonia is 
  ranked one of the highest in the world—except in Metrópole, 
  where it is on par with such corporate havens as Hong Kong 
  and Manhattan. So long as the ground rules are obeyed, Ama-
  zonia directly interferes little in the affairs of corporations.
  > 
  In regards to the fifty-one percent Amazonian ownership rule—
  don’t worry too much about that. It doesn’t mean you’re not going 
  to see your favorite Big Ten (well, except for Aztechnology). It just 
  means they do business as “Ares Amazonia” instead of “Ares.” The 
  parent megacorporation typically owns the forty-nine percent, 
  with a local web of local investors—banks, holding corporations, 
  etc.—owning the majority share Those investors in turn are often 
  indirectly wholly owned by the parent megacorps. 
  > 
  Mr. Bonds
  > 
  Uh, so, what the hell is the point of the rule then?
  > 
  Chainmaker
  > 
  The point is a modicum of regional buy-in, and it eliminates the 
  extraterritoriality clauses the megas enjoy elsewhere. To meet the 
  rules, the megacorps have to get Amazonian citizens involved 
  somewhere in there. These Amazonian investors thus become 
  incredibly wealthy. This keeps some of the money here, and, in 
  theory, these citizens will hold Amazonian values to heart and 
  thus act in such a way as to regulate the corporation’s unchecked 
  greed. In practice, well, I suppose it’s better than nothing at all, but 
  not by much.
  > 
  Mr. Bonds
  The bread and butter of Metrópole’s economy is in the 
  dull but steady business of textiles, apparel manufacturing, 
  shoes, that sort of thing, along with ore transformation, mak-
  ing steel, cement, plasteel, etc. It’s not sexy, but it pays the 
  bills, giving jobs to millions of unskilled and semi-skilled 
  workers in the megasprawl.
  > 
  We’re talking some of the worst sweat shops in the world here, 
  where child labor is alive and well. This is the daily hell of millions 
  of Amazonians, toiling in abhorrent conditions for just enough 
  nuyen to stay alive.
  > 
  Marcos
  Luckily for shadowrunners, aside for these industries of 
  daily grind, Metrópole is ground zero for the industries known 
  to employ the most deniable of assets to serve their cutthroat 
  business practices. First up is the aerospace industry. Prior to 
  the Amazonian revolt, Brazil was a world leader in the aero-
  space industry thanks to Embraer. Aztechnology, back when it 
  was ORO, bought up Embraer, and then things got dicey when 
  the dragons took over. With a lot of skilled people but no real 
  employers, other corporations took notice and moved some 
  of their aerospace subsidiaries in. Even Embraer eventually 
  came back, though Amazonia made sure a convoluted web of 
  ownership kept Aztechnology proper far enough away. In any 
  case, there is no industry in the world more ravenous in its de-
  mand of shadowrunners than the aerospace industry, where 
  
  nEIgHboRHooDS
  10
  each individual contract is measured in the billions of nuyen. 
  Spying, sabotage, theft of prototypes; this is what shadowrun-
  ners live for, and it goes flying every which way in Metrópole 
  (pun intended).
  Next up are the two sociopathic siblings, pharmaceuticals 
  and cosmetics. Again, while harvesting practices are tightly 
  regulated, we are far from talking about a ban on the exploit-
  ation of the Amazon. With thousands of known plants, Awak-
  ened or not, andnew drugs with near-miraculous properties 
  being discovered every day, Amazonia is the capital of drug 
  research. And where there are pharmaceuticals, there is the 
  dark stain of metahuman vanity, cosmetics. Plants to firm up 
  your skin, make you more beautiful longer and make your farts 
  smell like strawberries, you name it. Both of these industries 
  share the same over-the-top cutthroat mentality to business. 
  For as long as they have been around, messing with their rivals 
  has been the norm. However, even amongst the soulless cor-
  porate world, these two industries are known to be extreme. 
  They’ll murder each other’s personnel, poison products des-
  tined for the public to generate bad press, destroy research 
  into cures on the verge of helping millions of people, etc. The 
  pay is good, but it takes especially black-hearted shadowrun-
  ners to get into that.
  Finally, it is worth discussing Metrópole’s huge Matrix ser-
  vices sector, mostly situated in the Sao Paulo side. Metrópole 
  is one of the world’s leading providers in various Matrix servi-
  ces. This ranges from software development companies of all 
  stripes and sizes, to infrastructure services to security special-
  ists. Most people will never know nor care, but a lot of the time, 
  when they are on the Matrix, the hosts they are visiting are ac-
  tually servers run and maintained in Metrópole. The software 
  inside your smartgun was very possibly coded in Metrópole.
  From a shadowrunner perspective, this means a lot. The 
  Matrix will always be important, and so opportunities run from 
  extracting key geniuses to day trips into the city to facilitate 
  direct-connection host hacks, to good old data thefts of cut-
  ting edge projects. Also, on the flip side, Metrópole has a large 
  and thriving hacker community. technomancers are more 
  commonly found here, as the Amazonian natural tolerance 
  of all things Awakened and incomprehensible means there is 
  much less persecution than anywhere else. Corporations still 
  look at technomancers like they are the Four Horsemen, but 
  everyday people don’t quite fear them as much.
  nEIgHboRHooDS
  RIo DE JanEIRo
  If all you picture is sunshine, beaches and bikinis when you 
  think of Rio, you can be forgiven. The truth isn’t far off. Rio 
  de Janeiro remains a tourist friendly area, bringing in both 
  money and good PR for Amazonia. It is a truism that cariocas, 
  as residents of Rio are called, are free-spirited partiers. 
  Along the waterfront, and about six or seven blocks deep 
  from there, Rio is all glass skyscraper or historical colonial archi-
  tecture. This is a mix of condominium and corporate-friendly 
  hotels. All over the world, nothing keeps a good little corpor-
  ate drone happier than an all-expenses paid trip to one of Rio’s 
  beachside resorts. Thousands of hot corporate resources: ec-
  centric scientists, brilliant engineers, one-of-a-kind marketing 
  gurus and up-and-coming managers fly to Rio for vacation. 
  Rio is one of the world’s most thriving markets in terms of 
  extraction work, whether that is on the extracting side or the 
  security detail side. The local talent pool can’t meet demand, 
  and Mr. Johnsons are always flying in foreign teams to perform 
  jobs on both sides of the fence. Some crews do so well here 
  that they never leave. The scene is so desperate for talent that 
  one crew can work to extract a VIP from the clutches of an em-
  ployer one week, only to find themselves hired the next week 
  to re-extract that very same person. Interestingly, corps do not 
  hold a grudge. People flow back and forth between the corps 
  so fast that last week’s extraction is ancient history by the time 
  a new batch of travelers arrives the following week.
  > 
  That’s a bit of an exaggeration. It’s true the market doesn’t bear 
  a grudge—if you play it clean and professional. Make a mess, 
  and you won’t be working Rio very long. Plus, some people are 
  worth more than others. You can swap scientists all month long, 
  but when suddenly you nab that one irreplaceable guy, you’ll 
  suddenly find that cozy Rio market to be a double-edged sword. 
  There’ll be no shortage of recovery teams gunning for your 
  bounty, and all your friends are gonna sell you out.
  > 
  Hard Exit
  > 
  You need better friends.
  > 
  Chainmaker
  Not all your marks are going to be outsiders, though. We 
  all know about that statistic of one percent of people being 
  super-rich, right? Well, in a city of 200 million, that translates 
  to a whopping two million people. While this elite crust of 
  Metrópole is scattered all over, most of them want a beach-
  front pad to land in when they get tired of fucking the little 
  people over and need a place to kick up their feet. This little 
  community of super-rich elites funds its own segment of shad-
  ow activity all by itself. Rules and laws don’t apply to these 
  people. They need resourceful people who don’t let little 
  things like the law get in their way. They need people to kidnap 
  each other, murder each other, steal stuff from each other and 
  Ghost knows what else their sociopathic minds can come up 
  with. If you have few moral scruples about taking work from 
  people that have lost any sort of moral compass, then what 
  can I say, the pay is good and you will be exposed to luxury 
  like you have never imagined before. You’ve been warned.
  > 
  Leblon is one of those neighborhoods that attracts most of these 
  super-rich. One tip, though, there are more corpsec VIP protection 
  guys per square meter there than anywhere else in the city. They 
  are proactive in their defense and can spot a shadowrunner casing 
  a job a mile away. If you have business in Leblon, stay away until 
  the last minute. Otherwise, you’ll tip your hand. Yes, this makes 
  
  nEIgHboRHooDS
  11
  preparing for that run especially difficult; but you didn’t think they 
  were paying this well because it was easy, did you?
  > 
  Fiancetto
  However, deeper in Rio and beyond what is Rio proper is a 
  massive sprawling morass of suburban slums. Rio is hilly terrain, 
  and house after house is built on the grade, inexorably going 
  up until the ground is too steep to build anything. But let me 
  tell you, it takes a while before Cariocas admit civil engineering 
  defeat at the hands of the hills. People will pile on structures, 
  precariously perched on the flanks of the hills. Overall, the city 
  is a maze of proportions a foreigner cannot imagine. People can 
  live their whole lives without ever leaving a dozen block radius.
  While Hualpa’s great transformation of Brazil into Amazonia 
  rearranged society and made an effort to bridge the great so-
  cial inequality that existed, it is far from true that this affected 
  everyone. The Rio favelas still contain millions of people, most 
  of them SINless, never accounted for by the Amazonian gov-
  ernment living in deep poverty. Many of these are people that 
  did not submit to the government’s great censuses, not trust-
  ing any government to count them (or census takers lacked 
  the courage to go into the slums—or they had it, went in, and 
  never came back out). There are people here who are largely 
  unaware of what their government is. All they know is their 
  slum and which gang controls it today.
  > 
  There are two places in the world where one can hide something 
  so it can’t be found again. One of those is deep in Amazonia’s 
  living jungles. The other is in Metrópole’s teeming slums.
  > 
  Am-mut
  The crushing weight of humanity living in such conditions 
  breeds dangerous infections. There are some nasty diseases 
  that fester in those open pools of waste and dumpster-like 
  sanitary conditions. No vaccine in the world can protect you 
  against some of the stuff brewing there. The infant mortality 
  rate is thought to be the highest in the world in those slums. 
  Perhaps unsurprisingly, a few radical eco-terrorist groups use 
  these Metrópole slums as focus of their rage and an example 
  of why humanity must be destroyed. It is the favorite punch-
  ing-bag of GreenWar, one of the most dangerously radical 
  eco-terrorist outfits in the world. The group is held responsible 
  for the death of tens of thousands of people by now. But even 
  as some of their plans succeed—and end up poisoning entire 
  neighborhoods and killing whole districts full of families—the 
  vacated space is simply moved into by residents of the over-
  crowded surrounding areas. 
  > 
  Of course, this frustrates GreenWar to no end. They keep coming 
  up with deadlier attack scenarios. By now, slum-dwellers are 
  universally weary of eco-terrorists. If you’re a shadowrunner with 
  business in the slums, I advise you that, no matter what, make 
  sure nobody points at you and yells “GreenWar!” There aren’t 
  enough bullets in the world to protect you from the lynching 
  coming your way if that happens.
  > 
  Ecotope
  PlaCES oF InTEREST, 
  MoVERS anD SHaKERS
  gRanD PalM HoTEl
  Rio’s hotel industry is dominated by the same soulless and 
  forgettable experience of the cardboard cut-out corporate 
  hotels lining Rio’s beaches. Few independent hotels survive 
  for long. The Grand Palm Hotel is probably the best of the 
  lot, and a favourite of the understated scene. It is unclear 
  who actually owns the Grand Palm or how long it has been in 
  business. Some say before Amazonia, some say it is far more 
  recent. In any case, the hotel itself seems timeless. The air is 
  still and heavy, circulated only by large ceiling fans. Guests all 
  end up at the bar, the only real source of refreshment. Mous-
  tachioed bartenders in white linen suits mix the best caipirin-
  has and mojitos in town, with a fine rum collection second to 
  DISEASES IN METRÓPOLE
  Metrópole’s decaying slums are home to diseases and illnesses 
  that are largely thought nonexistent elsewhere in the modern world. 
  While rare and exotic pathogens like Cryptococcus Metaformans 
  Awakened mushrooms (Bullets and Bandages, p. 20) are an ever-
  present danger, simple diseases like typhoid and cholera, due to 
  poor sanitation, are much more common threat. Gamemasters 
  can use the statistics below to represent these kinds of bacterial 
  infections:
  Bacterial Infection
  Vector: Ingestion (contaminated food or water)
  Speed: 1 day (30)
  Penetration: 0
  Power: 3
  Nature: Bacterial
  Effects: Nausea, Stun Damage
  A catch-all term for a number of nasty bacterial infections one 
  can catch from poor sanitary conditions, typically by ingesting 
  food or water that has come into contact with the feces of 
  another infected individual. The infected character must roll a 
  Toxin Resistance test every day for thirty days. Most medkits 
  (Rating 2 and above) contain antibiotics that can be used to treat 
  the infection. Care in a proper medical facility as well as certain 
  spells can also quickly stop the infection. Under these condition, 
  the infection immediately stops; the character needs only to rest 
  to heal any incurred damage. If, however, the character is stuck 
  without proper care, things can get ugly. Without proper care, the 
  character is incapable of healing any Stun damage while infected. 
  Stun damage incurred due to this infection’s Power will continue 
  to pile up, continuing on into Physical overflow until the thirty days 
  have passed, or the character dies, whichever comes first.
  
  nEIgHboRHooDS
  12
  none. The Grand Palm is a favourite staying place of a certain 
  kind of Mr. Johnson, as well as the occasional shadowrunner. 
  Evenings are filled with discreet bossa nova or piano music, 
  perfect for discussing business over a drink.
  > 
  There’s something more to this place. There is a vibe when 
  you’re in there, like you left Metrópole and are somewhere else, 
  or perhaps more accurately somewhen else. It is true the entire 
  building is heavily warded from the outside. You’re either inside, 
  or you’re outside. No peeking.
  > 
  Elijah
  > 
  I met an old, homeless man once, his face lined and creased from 
  years in the sun. His aura told me he was Awakened, though I’m 
  not sure he knew what that meant. I asked him for directions to 
  the Grand Palm Hotel, and he laughed a dry, coughing laugh. He 
  told me the Grand Palm Hotel goes where it wants to go, and you’ll 
  find it if it wants you to. I’ve stayed there a dozen times since, and I 
  swear it’s always been at the same spot. I can tell you the address, 
  right now. But if you ask me what is next to it, or what’s across the 
  street from it, and I can’t come up with an answer.
  > 
  Axis Mundi
   
  oS DISCIPuloS  
  DE CRISTo o REDEnToR
  Since the Awakening, the area around the statue of Christ 
  the Redeemer, the iconic one of Jesus with the outstretched 
  arms, has been swathed in unstable astral space that sim-
  mers, boils, crackles and tears with very real and fatal conse-
  quences to the physical world around it. This astral phenom-
  enon has of course attracted a lot of attention from scholars 
  and researchers of the astral space, though the whole thing 
  remains under the tight scrutiny of the Amazonian govern-
  ment, who insist that such a phenomenon must be treated 
  with respect.
  So, while researchers may be limited by Amazonian red 
  tape, that hasn’t stopped people from getting ideas of their 
  own about the meaning of such a thing. The Disciples of Christ 
  the Redeemer are one such group. They have a permanent 
  camp nestled in the slums built up into the northern side of 
  the hill, though many followers live elsewhere, only to come 
  congregate every Sunday for the pilgrimage up the hill and 
  subsequent sermon near the statue. 
  The Disciples are actually a type of Pentecostal Christians. 
  Their leader, an old troll called Doutor Leonildo, is a high-grade 
  initiate who claims to derive his power from his close asso-
  ciation with the Cristo Redentor phenomenon. He preaches 
  knowledge of Christ through knowledge of the astral miasma 
  that surrounds the statue. Many disciples, typically novices, 
  die during close encounters with the astral energies, but this 
  hasn’t prevented the cult from growing in popularity among 
  the desperate looking for meaning.
  > 
  I assensed Leonildo and some of his senior followers, and I 
  have to say, they are crackling with power. They are some of the 
  highest-grade initiates I have ever met. They pretty much only 
  use their magic to heal, and they offer this service to anyone who 
  seeks them out. So if you’re wounded and need to lie low, visiting 
  and asking for a little help is a good way to get mended while 
  staying off the grid.
  > 
  Elijah
  > 
  Don’t. There is something wrong with Leonildo and his disciples. 
  They are hiding something. I don’t know what they are up to, 
  but that astral rift does not lead to Christ; quite the opposite. The 
  power they derive is unholy, and too many regularly go missing 
  for their disappearance to be accidental.
  > 
  Ethernaut
  THE TRIbunal
  Tucked away in the darkest corner of the Rio favela, known as 
  Cidade de Deus, lays the Tribunal—a loose association of shad-
  owrunners, gangers, drug dealers, pimps and other unsavory 
  sorts. The Tribunal is an authority for those that live outside 
  of authority, existing as a confrérie and self-imposed control 
  mechanism, held together by the tenants of Quimbanda.
  Quimbanda is a ritualistic Afro-Brazilian religion based on 
  summoning male or female spirits in order to ask favors. It is 
  a street religion, an angry and vengeful religion fueled by the 
  anger of social injustice, and shaped by the brutal lives of the 
  marginalized—the whore, the ganger, the hustler. 
  Always a faint marginal religion, Quimbanda, as well as 
  such related faiths as Camdoblé, Umbanda and Macumba, saw 
  a great surge in popularity following the Awakening and the 
  takeover of the country by dragons and spirits and other things. 
  Over the years, Amazonia, once an almost uniformly Catholic 
  country, has seen a huge generational shift of younger people 
  worshipping these previously marginal spiritualist religions.
  In the streets, Quimbanda is a big deal. It is a religion devel-
  oped by and for the downtrodden. The Tribunal has emerged as 
  INCOMING MESSAGE
  Oi, beleza? I have clients looking for a team willing to acquire a 
  certain artifact said to exhibit abnormal properties when near the 
  Cristo o Redentor phenomenon. My clients think this thing could be 
  the key to unlocking the whole thing. They just need to borrow it, but 
  its Amazonian custodians just aren’t sharing, know what I mean? Is 
  it really breaking the law when we’re talking about such significant 
  scientific progress? Well, yes, it probably is. But that’s why they are 
  going to pay you big bucks. Drop me a line and we’ll set it up. Já é!
  
  nEIgHboRHooDS
  13
  a sort of nexus for this otherwise decentralized religion. The Tri-
  bunal’s writs are enforced by a core cabal of powerful and ex-
  tremely dangerous magicians following the Quimbanda faith. 
  While the Tribunal is far from being impartial, just, or merciful, 
  it is brutally efficient at keeping a semblance of order in the 
  chaos of the deep corners of the slums. Those with grievances 
  can petition the Tribunal to right a perceived wrong. The Tribu-
  nal will typically commune with Exus, Pomba Giras, or Ogum 
  spirits. The other party may or may not have a chance to defend 
  themselves. Whatever the Tribunal decides, it almost certainly 
  involves punishment of one or the other party. That punish-
  ment usually reflects the dark nature of Quimbanda spirits, so 
  it can range from outright murder or beatings of great violence 
  to public shaming and social outcasting of rivals.
  > 
  I don’t think it’s intentional, but The Tribunal is more than a little 
  similar to the Corporate Court. It’s a club created by those on 
  top to keep those at the bottom in line. It is regulated only by 
  self-interest and the real determining factor in getting favorable 
  resolutions is who you know and the favors you can exchange. 
  It is entirely corrupt and savagely violent, but its writ is the only 
  form of law and control in the favelas.
  > 
  Kia
  The Tribunal is essentially a community made up of those 
  that wish to be part of it and strong enough to take a place. 
  It’s essentially a secret society. The leadership of the Tribunal 
  is currently made up of three people. The first is Catarina, a 
  dark and beautiful ex-high-end call girl who was shut out of 
  the trade for reasons nobody has uncovered yet. She is unpre-
  dictable and can turn on anyone, even those who thought they 
  had her favor, without notice and with great savagery. 
  Then there is Garibaldi. A bit of a rake and former playboy, 
  Garibaldi is burdened by his relationship with the Exu of Quim-
  banda. He seems like he would just want to play and woman-
  ize all day, were it not for the fact the Exu seem to have picked 
  him for their severe duties. In lieu of the life he would have 
  wanted, he has turned to dark, cynical humor. Don’t mistake 
  him for a kind man; he’s watched the last light go out of men’s 
  eyes too many times for that. 
  The third and final member of the Tribunal’s top seats is a 
  sentient ghoul simply referred to as A Bruxa—the Witch. Cata-
  rina and Garibaldi constantly bicker and feud, but they instant-
  ly fall quiet when A Bruxa croaks her judgments.
  CoConuT loungE
  The Coconut Lounge is a venue popular with the corporate 
  tourists. Most corporate resorts have all the entertainment 
  amenities one could want, and the Coconut Lounge isn’t part 
  of any resort. That is precisely why it’s popular. It attracts the 
  corpies with a little feistiness in them, those who step out 
  of the resort and brave the streets of Metrópole for a little 
  authentic entertainment. As far as it goes, Coconut Lounge 
  is not in a very dangerous part of town, and its authenticity 
  is somewhat watered down, but it’s undeniable it has more 
  edge that the resort clubs. The real corporate VIPs that a 
  shadowrunner team might be hired to extract would never 
  hang out at the Coconut Lounge; they wouldn’t be allowed 
  by their security detail, and no amount of pleading would 
  change that, but it’s a great spot to meet a personal assist-
  ant or secretary who is staying at the same resort as “one 
  of those divas” and might find it thrilling to exchange some 
  information regarding that VIP’s security arrangements.
  > 
  Be careful with these wageslaves. They get all crazy because 
  they’re being a little naughty, but push them too hard and they’ll 
  remember they don’t want to get into any real trouble. Still, the 
  right story can get you a surprising amount of assistance. I once 
  pulled a job where we had our face Don Juan a research assistant. 
  It played out so well—we got her to place some cameras and 
  QUIMBANDA TRADITION
  Quimbanda is a dark tradition of anger and revenge. It is a 
  tradition of the upriser, of the downtrodden-no-more. The Exu are the 
  spirits of the cutthroat, the thief, and the criminal, and they beckon to 
  the life of the urban misfit, of indulgence of vices. The female Pomba 
  gira spirits, the whores, the Maria of the Trash, are summoned and 
  cajoled into casting down your hated adversary. Wise warrior Ogum 
  sits between them, dispensing justice with the cold steel of the 
  revolver and the blade, just war and street justice served.
  Rituals to invoke these spirits are performed in “marginal 
  locations”—cemeteries, forests, beaches, favela crossroads—
  and always at night. The practitioner offers sacrifices and gifts—
  alcohols, cigars, BTLs, drugs, candles—and performs the ritual as 
  appropriate, meaning, for example, acts of aggression for violent 
  revenge, or acts of courting for love spells. 
  Quimbanda is a tradition focused with materialism, with the 
  provision of the now and immediate, of earthly delights and earthly 
  and immediate justice. 
  Combat: Fire
  Detection: Water
  Health: Earth
  Illusion: Air
  Manipulation: Man
  Drain: Willpower + Charisma
  PREFERRED SPELLS
  Powerbolt, Agony, Foreboding, Compel Truth, Fashion
  PREFERRED ADEPT POWERS
  Commanding Voice, Cool Resolve, Killing Hands, Voice Control
  
  nEIgHboRHooDS
  14
  sensors around our mark’s floor. The intel we got this way made 
  the extraction a cakewalk. Everything went so smooth our face 
  kept contact with the assistant, and she is now selling corporate 
  secrets to us in exchange for a few nuyen and the occasional hot 
  date with her bad boy shadowrunner boyfriend.
  > 
  Haze
  CEnTRo
  The entire vast stretch of territory between Rio de Janeiro and 
  Sao Paulo is known as Centro. It’s actually divided in two ad-
  ministrative districts, as there are two mayors sharing this vast 
  stretch of the city. Centro is where the bulk of the displaced 
  Brazilians ended up. This entire section was built pretty much 
  from scratch to support the influx of people. Centro is some-
  times known as the City of a Thousand Arcologies. There are, 
  in fact, more than a thousand arcologies of various sizes in 
  Centro. Indeed, Hualpa greatly favoured the concept of the 
  arcology when construction crews hit the ground to create 
  a megapolis out of thin air to accept millions of incoming 
  citizens. The concept of the arcology is simple: an entirely 
  self-contained, self-sufficient (to a degree) mini-city where 
  people live, work, and play.
  As a result, Centro is a breathtaking sight for visitors. It is 
  a vast stretch of megalithic buildings of different shapes and 
  styles. Many are covered in tropical plants, reminiscent of that 
  marvel of the old world, the Hanging Gardens. Large avenues 
  stretch between the mega structures, with plenty of well-main-
  tained stretches of jungle creating breathing space between 
  the buildings. These jungle spaces and the vegetation cover-
  ing the arcologies aren’t purely decorative; large numbers of 
  animals and sentient critters call them home, living within their 
  own organized communities.
  Hualpa did not want to shut people up in arcologies where 
  they would live and die. So, purposefully, the arcologies are 
  not wholly self-sufficient. It is common for residents of one ar-
  cology to go shopping in the mall of a neighbouring one. Also, 
  there are more residents than jobs available in most arcolo-
  gies, so it is not uncommon for people to live in one structure 
  and to work in another. 
  Hualpa’s idea somewhat overestimated human nature, 
  however. It is the goal of most arcology residents to leave 
  their home structure as seldom as possible. Those who work 
  in other arcologies are considered at best unlucky, at worst 
  traitors to their building. Shopping in another arcology is ta-
  boo and done as little as possible, with most people favouring 
  
  nEIgHboRHooDS
  15
  online shopping instead. It is not to the point where there is 
  real hatred between buildings, but there is definitely a sense of 
  “otherness” to residents of other buildings.
  This is mostly true for “non-aligned” arcologies—that is 
  to say, arcologies that do not belong to a single corporation. 
  There are, however, a great many number of arcologies that 
  are wholly owned and operated by corporations, mostly the 
  Big Ten but also a few other large entities. For example, Shia-
  wase owns and operates a gigantic conglomeration of eleven 
  arcologies. Life in corporate arcologies is different. The mega-
  corps strictly enforce a sense of culture and unique belonging 
  to the corporation. People rarely leave their arcologies, and 
  if they do, it is never to travel to arcologies outside of their 
  corporate banner. For all intents of purpose, the few million 
  residents of corporate arcologies are no more citizens of Ama-
  zonia than Enrico Silva is.
  > 
  Who?
  > 
  /dev/grrl
  > 
  Enrico Silva. For fuck’s sake, the president of Aztlan. Come on, 
  work with me here.
  > 
  Kane
  That being said, visitors to Centro quickly discover the 
  complexities of the region. By law, animals and sentient crit-
  ters have equal rights to metahuman citizens. However, the 
  laws are complex affairs that adapt to the mores and habits 
  of the thousands of type of critters. One random example: An 
  alligator has the right, protected by law, to eat a human that 
  falls into the water. This is the course of nature. It would be 
  illegal for hunters, or perhaps members of the victim’s family, 
  to come and kill this alligator. That would be considered un-
  lawful murder and would be as harshly punished as any hu-
  man-on-human murder. As each of the tens of thousands of 
  species sharing living spaces have different natural behaviours 
  and needs, this quickly becomes an unmanageable affair. This 
  system of law applies to all of Amazonia and thus every part 
  of Metrópole, but it is especially relevant in Centro as nowhere 
  else in the mega city do metahumans and critters share living 
  spaces to closely and so densely.
  The general sense from metahuman perspective is that just 
  about any critter can kill you, but you can’t kill them outside 
  of self-defence. This policy has numerous repercussions. First, 
  and perhaps most obviously, this reinforces the idea that you 
  should not step outside of your arcology. Secondly, it plays 
  ever more into the sense that metahumans are second-class 
  citizens in Amazonia. Finally, there is no way these laws can 
  be actually fairly and uniformly applied and enforced. Thus, 
  hostility and violence between species is extremely com-
  mon. Troublesome critters tend to go “missing” a lot, and in 
  many cases “un-natural” revenge attacks of sapient critters 
  on metahumans, which are just as illegal, also occur. The law 
  only shows up when there are significant flare-ups of violence. 
  And, as most metahumans will tell you, the law usually strikes 
  down hardest against metahumans to end conflicts.
  > 
  If I kill another human and then eat him, is that legal?
  > 
  Cayman
  > 
  No, cannibalism is illegal, and so is murder. There are no laws that 
  allow you to kill another metahuman, save in self-defense.
  > 
  Glasswalker
  > 
  If I kill a dragon, that’s right though?
  > 
  Cayman
  > 
  Only if you then eat him.
  > 
  Glasswalker
  > 
  Are you serious?
  > 
  Cayman
  > 
  Tell you what, kill the dragon first, then I’ll tell you.
  > 
  Glasswalker
  > 
  Asshole.
  > 
  Cayman
  Note that Centro isn’t just one giant sprawl. Only about 
  twenty percent of this vast expanse of land is urbanized. The 
  rest is farmland, intractable jungle, and rugged hills covered 
  with Amazonia’s famous lush greenery. There are dozens of 
  back-to-basics tribals that live in these uncharted and shifting 
  jungles, sharing their existence with countless Awakened ani-
  mal tribes, sentient and not. 
  > 
  Be careful dealing with these voluntary primitives. Few of them 
  were born into this life; almost all of them came from Metrópole, 
  voluntarily choosing to leave the modern urban life behind. Most 
  are extremists in their views, believing the choice they made 
  should be the choice all should make. You have some serious 
  grade eco-nutjobs in there who hate everything from the urban 
  world. Just don’t forget—they aren’t simple. They all remember 
  what a commlink is and how it works. Try to pull fast ones on them 
  at your own risk. 
  > 
  Goat Foot
  PlaCES oF InTEREST
  THE InnER gaRDEn
  Located to the south of the Centro, in the nooks of the Parque 
  Nacional da Serra da Bocaina, far from arcologies and settle-
  ments, lies one of the lairs of the adult dragon Pedrinho da 
  Metrópole. Pedrinho has dedicated himself to bridging the 
  gap between metahumans and Awakened. He works to build 
  relationships and curb anti-dragon sentiment in Amazonia. 
  Of course, some in the Awakened camp consider him a softy, 
  or worse, a traitor, while the anti-dragon resistance will al-
  ways view him with some suspicion. Still, neither side can 
  deny his good work, and all value him as an essential neutral 
  party emissary between the two camps. 
  
  nEIgHboRHooDS
  16
  For Jack and Jill Shadowrunner, Pedrinho is a good source 
  of employment. Officially—and unofficially as well—the Awak-
  ened forces hate the anti-lizard resistance and offer them no 
  quarter, and vice-versa. However, cooler-headed elements 
  within both camps realize the need for dialog. Pedrinho can’t 
  be everywhere at once, and some of this inter-party discours-
  es are so unofficial that he can’t touch them himself. His need 
  in capable deniable assets is vast.
  > 
  Pedrinho pays extremely well, but that’s because the work is 
  extremely demanding. When you take on these jobs—be it 
  bodyguarding a faction leader going incognito for off-the-books 
  talks, or just carrying messages between individuals in either 
  camp—the only thing you can count on is that someone will try 
  to kill you or get that information out of you. If it isn’t hardliner 
  elements looking to find out who the “traitors” are, info brokers 
  are looking to claim that information to sell to the hardliners. The 
  second you accept a job, you’re a target. 
  > 
  Stone
  > 
  The good news is, Pedrinho will back you if he can. A chummer 
  of mine working for the dragon had his LAV shot down during a 
  job. His team was desperately holding off the mil-spec merc team 
  after them, bunkering down around the downed wreckage of their 
  transport. They were outnumbered and outgunned, and things 
  were looking grim, when suddenly a pair of dragons swooped 
  out of nowhere and blasted the mercs hard enough to make them 
  back off.
  > 
  Lyran
  > 
  Sure, but more often than not, just as with any other gig in our 
  business, if you die, you’ll die alone. Deniable asset means just 
  that; there ain’t nobody going to stick his neck out to come help 
  ya, the exposure just can’t happen. Don’t count on the scalies to 
  bail your hoop.
  > 
  Kane
  PaREDÃo
  In Amazonian Portuguese, the word paredão means a high, 
  thick wall, or a breakwater wall. This is used to describe the 
  favela that grew in the canyon formed by two arcologies in 
  Centro, just east of the Sao Paulo district limits. The sides of 
  the two stepped-pyramid-style superstructures are covered in 
  dwellings made from coruscated metal, wood, and whatever 
  other materials residents could find. Thousands of people live 
  in that canyon, houses clinging to the sides of the arcologies 
  like so many mollusks pockmarking the sides of ocean cliffs. 
  Live wires crisscross between the two sides, carrying stolen 
  power to those able to pay the controlling gang’s fee. 
  Paredão is the poorest of all of Metrópole’s favelas, tucked 
  away in the crevasse between the arcologies that don’t even 
  notice their existence.
  
  nEIgHboRHooDS
  17
  > 
  Paredão has another meaning in Amazonian Portuguese. It 
  refers to the wall against which mass executions are carried 
  out. I am pretty sure it is this meaning that gave the favela 
  its name. It is filled with the crushing masses of desperate 
  humanity who end only go there to die. If it’s not the brutality 
  of the gangs, the unsanitary conditions or malnutrition would 
  get them soon enough.
  > 
  Glasswalker
  > 
  The place has a high background count. Like the moist crack 
  between rocks teeming with insects, Paredão attracts predatory 
  critters. The Infected, bugs, shedim; they’re all there, in addition to 
  other Amazonia wildlife that won’t eat your soul, just your flesh.
  > 
  Axis Mundi
  > 
  Why would anyone ever go there?
  > 
  Netcat
  > 
  We don’t always get to pick our business partners. There are 
  few prying ears and eyes, if any, in Paredão, making it a popular 
  meeting spot for contacts who need to stay out of the spotlight. 
  Also, if you have serious heat on your tail and you can’t shake it, 
  lying low here should do the trick. You’ll need to survive the time 
  you spend there, but payback squads won’t venture here. 
  > 
  Hard Exit
  loCalE 646
  The arcology known as Locale 646 was actually built by a 
  defunct Aztechnology manufacturing subsidiary named Mer 
  Corporation. This was in the early days, when Amazonia was 
  growing sharply concerned about Aztechnology shell com-
  pany intruders, and the Azzies hadn’t taken seriously the 
  idea they needed to operate more obscurely. The Amazoni-
  ans found out about the direct ties and had Mer Corporation 
  dismembered as a corporation, its assets seized by Amazo-
  nia for auctioning, including the arcology they had built for 
  themselves. Unfortunately, it turned out after inspection that 
  its Aztechnology affiliation was not the only thing Mer Corp 
  had lied about. The arcology structure had countless gross 
  safety and construction violations. The arcology quickly went 
  from an asset to a nightmare. The cost of fixing the place to 
  code was so prohibitively high nobody wanted to touch it.
  On paper, the Amazonian government still owns the arcol-
  ogy. In practice, while the whole debacle was going on, the 
  citizens who lived there decided to take charge. Mer Corpo-
  ration’s workers had long wanted to unionize, but Mer had re-
  pressed such notions. Free to emerge, union sympathizers in 
  the arcology hooked up with other existing unions in the city 
  and got organized, taking over the arcology and quickly turn-
  ing it into a pro-anarchy, pro-communist paradise. 
  Locale 646, officially a condemned building, is now a peo-
  ple’s haven. They answer to no one but themselves. The politics 
  in Locale 646 change faster than anyone can track. Sometimes 
  a democratically elected leader emerges, only to be replaced 
  later in a communist-backed coup, while for periods of time 
  Berlin-like flux anarchy subsides as the arcology fracturing into 
  little self-governed sub-groups.
  The Locale’s workers use the arcology’s factories the best 
  they can, bringing in raw materials and outputting … some-
  thing. While the arcology has the facilities to output millions of 
  nuyen worth of goods per week at full capacity, due to poor 
  maintenance and a highly sporadic record of correctly paying 
  suppliers and meeting promised deliveries they barely bring in 
  half a percentage point of the factories’ true potential.
  > 
  That’s still enough money for control of the factories to be the 
  key turning point of political battles. Problem is that most of the 
  chumps are all greed and no skills. They pressure the experienced 
  workers to simply output more, without any idea how to go about 
  improving efficiency. Then, shortly after, those managers all get 
  bumped by a new bunch who demand much the same thing. 
  Except more of it.
  > 
  Kay St. Irregular
  > 
  Competent workers who know how to work or maintain the 
  machines are prized over there. Experienced workers and the 
  facilities they run are the treasure, while the unskilled masses end 
  up being drafted as soldiers, fighting in the unbearably hot and 
  tight confines of the rusting interior. It’s madness that goes round 
  and round, paupers fighting for scraps, trapped within the shell of 
  an old dream.
  > 
  Marcos
  INCOMING MESSAGE
  Centro covers a vast area, a lot of which remains uninhabited. 
  This paradoxical combination of “isolated” and “close to the city” 
  makes it a tempting spot for corporations to place R&D compounds. 
  Amazonian law is famously tough on corporate misdeeds, except 
  within Metrópole city limits. Almost anything goes here, making it 
  a favorite spot for corporations looking to do the kind of research 
  that is illegal almost everywhere else. One such black research 
  site belongs to Universal Omnitech. The site itself is very real—it’s 
  visible on any map. Its avowed purpose is fairly routine research 
  into cancer treatments. I have inside information, though, that says 
  a closed-off portion of the compound is working on CFD research. 
  This is the thing, though—they aren’t working on ways to treat it. 
  They are working on better delivery mechanism to customize it, 
  make it work more precisely, as it was originally intended. If you can 
  get evidence of this, you could expose the whole thing, and make 
  yourself rich in the process. What, don’t believe me? Then go talk to 
  Arturo Gilberto at the Tanquà Lounge in Sao Paulo. Ask him what he 
  knows. Then you’ll believe me, chummer. And then you’ll give me a 
  call, and we’ll set this up.
  
  nEIgHboRHooDS
  18
  > 
  That being said, if you can survive the politics, Local 646 is 
  great for shadowrunners. They have some incredible mechanics 
  to fix your drones and vehicles, places to hide, and street docs 
  no worse than anywhere else in the slums. The black market’s 
  selection leaves something to be desired, but you can pick up 
  a few basic goods. But yeah, the odds someone will try to draft 
  you in their war or have you do some extractions are pretty high. 
  Those crackpot faction leaders might be petty, but they command 
  a lot of men, and there is nowhere to run as long as you’re in 
  Locale 646.
  > 
  Turbo Bunny
  Sao Paulo
  Métropole ends in the west with the Sao Paulo district. Prior 
  to the formation of Amazonia, Sao Paulo was Brazil’s largest 
  city and the economic heart of the country. Not much has 
  changed. The Sao Paulo end of Metrópole is where all of the 
  Big Ten, along with countless other A and several AAs lev-
  el players have their regional headquarters. In addition, Sao 
  Paulo is a hub of tertiary sector activity, such as financial and 
  Matrix services. Metrópole, and especially the Sao Paulo dis-
  trict, is a worldwide hub of Matrix services. Countless AR and 
  VR design firms, big and small, are based here.
  Feeding all these high-paying, high-skill jobs are numer-
  ous technical schools and top-grade universities, including 
  the world-ranking University of São Paulo (USP). As one might 
  expect from the Awakened nation of Amazonia, most univer-
  sity programs contain magic-related studies. A student might 
  learn how magic can enhance a production line, or a materials 
  engineer might learn all about certain Awakened plants and 
  their unexplainable elasticity.
  Sao Paulo, now more than ever, remains a city of haves and 
  have-nots. Those who were already rich became even more 
  so as they exploited the influx of displaced Brazilians. The es-
  tablished became the entrenched, millionaires became billion-
  aires. The newly arrived had to compete for jobs. Those with 
  the right education merely succeeded in become wageslaves, 
  while those lacking diplomas and the desired skills fought 
  amongst themselves to become shop tenders, street vendors, 
  and hustlers—a subclass living off the crumbs of the rich.
  Violence soared in the face of social inequality, only to be 
  quickly fended off with a spike in private security measures. 
  Always reluctant to meddle in the human administration of 
  Metrópole, the Amazonian government does little to curb 
  common crime. Dissatisfaction often turns more general, and 
  so DISA is always in the shadows, waiting to pounce, often 
  literally, on criminals-turned-agitators, but common crimes 
  of murder, kidnapping, and extortion are of little concern to 
  them. Police forces are wholly inadequate, understaffed and 
  underfunded to tackle the scope of Sao Paulo’s violence. In 
  lieu of a proper police force, private security thrives in Sao 
  Paulo. Perhaps surprisingly, Amazonia is very lax in terms of 
  the right to bear arms and their use in self-defense. Depending 
  who you ask, some see this as a move from Manaus to apply 
  to metahumanity the same rights to aggression and defense 
  that animals have; they figure that instead of fangs and claws, 
  we use guns and bigger guns, while some simply think Manaus 
  hopes all the annoying monkeys will exterminate themselves 
  in a bloodbath of their own making.
  In any case, as the saying goes in Metrópole, “murder is 
  murder, unless the other guy had a gun.” In many regards, 
  Metrópole, and specifically Sao Paulo, borders on being an an-
  archist state where security is a wholly private affair; where a 
  delicate balance exists between individuals. It’s relatively easy 
  to get away with murder, so long as you survive trying to kill 
  your target.
  PlaCES oF InTEREST
  unIVERSITy oF Sao Paulo
  The USP is Amazonia’s most prestigious university, train-
  ing Metrópole’s best and brightest, turning them into Am-
  azonia’s business and civic leaders. The university’s campus 
  keeps expanding, with the sprawling main campus located 
  smack in the middle of Sao Paulo and several satellite build-
  ings scattered around.
  Like all things in this country, the university is bathed in Ama-
  zonia’s magical and environmental nature. Studies stress ecology 
  and sustainable development in all courses. Its medical program 
  is one of the leading centers to learn “enhanced” healthcare, 
  meaning the use of magical and traditional medicine, while en-
  gineering programs focus a lot on environmental stewardship, 
  along with using magic to enhance conventional methods.
  It is no surprise that the programs the university is most 
  famous for is environmental studies. The fora and fauna avail-
  able to study, both mundane and Awakened, are second to 
  none. Researchers come from all over the world in the hope 
  of studying and discovering powerful new properties from the 
  things found in Amazonia’s mysterious rainforest. 
  > 
  While on any day of the year the USP’s research is prime material 
  for datasteals, recently there has been this vague … I don’t know, 
  undertow in the shadows. Some sort of rumor about some very 
  important finds. Fixers throughout Sao Paulo are trying to get in 
  on it. Seems like nobody really knows what’s up, but everyone 
  knows it’s big and nobody wants to be left behind. I’ve had several 
  offers from Mr. Johnsons asking to investigate and get whatever I 
  can.
  > 
  Elijah
  > 
  Would this have anything to do with those Logos guys I trailed 
  recently?
  > 
  Haze
  > 
  Logos?
  > 
  Sunshine
  > 
  Logos is a recent splinter group from the GreenWars terrorist 
  organization. A splinter group composed entirely of Awakened 
  members. From what we know, they were running operations in 
  
  nEIgHboRHooDS
  19
  Metrópole when they found something. Something big enough to 
  see them break with GreenWar and single-mindedly pursue it
  > 
  Ecotope
  > 
  The wild ones have long been warned that their methods were 
  reckless. The invae and the shedim should have been warning 
  enough, but they did not listen. Now they wish to conceal their 
  blunder, foolishly believing they can hide it from the world while 
  they scramble to deal with their ugly secret.
  > 
  Man-of-Many-Names
  > 
  Wait, what? Are we going to face another invasion of otherworldly 
  things?
  > 
  /dev/grrl
  > 
  The gnarled roots of the Amazon grew sustenance from substances 
  we had no right to touch. The dragons, in their arrogance, believe 
  they control everything, but even they fear maws that extend to 
  swallow stars and dreams.
  > 
  Man-of-Many-Names
  > 
  That doesn’t sound good.
  > 
  Sunshine
  loVElESS
  Located off the main nightclub circuit, the Loveless isn’t your 
  ordinary nightclub. It is a hangout for some of the city’s most 
  powerful Awakened beings, from metahuman shamans and 
  mages to free spirits to less-defined things. The owner of 
  Loveless, a spirit of man whose power few have ever been 
  able to assense, somehow alters the background count of the 
  club. Every night, it’s a new, unique signature, with a distinct 
  taste to the air and an intoxicating feeling that courses though 
  the soul. While the feeling is unexplainable to mundanes, 
  the effect very much is this: the astral background count at 
  Loveless gets the Awakened drunk. However, even the price 
  of admission to Loveless is out of the ordinary; guests must 
  suffer the loss of something they love. A person, an object, a 
  memory; it matters not.
  > 
  What. The. Fuck. You Awakened people are messed up.
  > 
  Snopes
  > 
  Say what you will, Loveless’s vibe is addictive as hell. The taste 
  of that background count … It’s like lying half asleep in the 
  Garden of Eden, sweet smell of spice and lavender in the air 
  while you listen to a stream tickle by. You lose yourself. But if you 
  can somehow keep your wits on business rather than pleasure, 
  there is absolutely no place in the entire world that beats the 
  concentration of Awakened power in that club. The networking 
  one can do is mind-boggling. That is, if your mind isn’t already 
  boggled by the astral liquor.
  > 
  Haze
  THE FIgHTS
  The Fights, as they are simply known, aren’t held in a single 
  place. They move throughout the city, though always in in-
  dustrial or warehouse districts. They aren’t that hard to find, 
  when you’re in the know. This underground martial arts cir-
  cuit isn’t for the faint-hearted. Organized as a joint venture 
  between the Komata-Kai Yakuza and the Comando Verde, 
  The Fights aims to bring Amazonia’s famous diversity to bear 
  in combat. You can see shapeshifters take on cybered killers, 
  anacondas against spirits, etc. All the participants are willing 
  and tough. Recurring victors are celebrities and earn quite 
  a pretty penny. Obviously, the entire thing is an excuse for 
  gambling, but the Komata and the Comando have been run-
  ning a shrewd operation that has attracted large followings in 
  all classes of people, including some very wealthy individu-
  als. The Komata have begun pairing these demonstrations of 
  exotic combat with services from exotic prostitutes as well. If 
  you like your vices bloody, dirty, and exotic, the Fights should 
  satisfy your cravings
  > 
  Let’s be clear, the entire thing is disgusting. More than a few of 
  these “willing” combatants are coerced in some way by their 
  managers, fighting because they don’t have a choice, hoping that 
  it isn’t a lie that after enough wins they will be set free. 
  > 
  Pistons
  > 
  Speaking of coerced combatants, guess what happens to 
  shadowrunners that cross the Yakuza and can’t pay back their 
  debt?
  > 
  2XL
  > 
  The Comando and Yakuza are kind of like shareholders in this 
  shindig, as neither has nowhere near the finesse and patience 
  to run an event of this size so smoothly. The real brains behind 
  the Fights is an elf adept named Cícero Pereira. A wry, muscled 
  elf covered in tattoos, Cícero is dangerously shrewd. Through 
  sheer force of personality, he is keeping this thing from getting 
  LOVELESS
  Vector: Contact (Astral Space)
  Speed: 5 minutes
  Duration: 10 minutes
  Addiction Type: Psychological
  Addition Rating: 8
  Addiction Threshold: 3
  Effect: –2 Reaction, +2 Charisma, –2 physical action dice pool 
  modifier
  The ambient astral space at Loveless is like a drug. It stimulates 
  sensations of euphoria in characters capable of Astral Perception. 
  The effects quickly wear off once the character leaves the confines 
  of the club or stops astrally perceiving.
  
  PolITICS
  20
  pulled apart by his partners’ greed and impatience. Don’t trifle 
  with this guy.
  > 
  Glasswalker
  PolITICS
  Metrópole is a city, but it holds more citizens than most na-
  tions. As such, it needs a governing system to match. In the-
  ory, Manaus calls the shots. In practice, Hualpa’s government 
  lets Metrópole take care of itself. The megapolis is governed 
  by no less than four elected mayors, each responsible for a 
  quarter of the city. While nominally in charge, these mayors 
  actually answer to an elected council.
  The end effect is a highly ineffective and deadlocked sys-
  tem incapable of making big moves. Without a doubt, this was 
  Hualpa’s intention when he formed this system. Let the humans 
  govern themselves, make sure that resources and the day-to-
  day needs of the city are met; but create a system where the 
  innate greed and lust for power of these silly monkeys ensures 
  they can never form a nation within a nation and rise up against 
  Manaus. As has been demonstrated many times before, Hualpa 
  has no problem understanding human nature.
  Politics in Metrópole are an extremely dirty business. Cor-
  ruption, nepotism, and cronyism are rampant. Politicians are 
  far more interested in covering their hoops and focusing on 
  gaining more power than governing.
  MayoRS
  lazaRo MaCHaDo
  MayoR oF RIo DE JanEIRo
  There is little doubt that Lazaro Machado, the mayor-elect of 
  the Rio de Janeiro district, is the most obviously corrupt and 
  debauched of all the mayors. Caught multiple times in scan-
  dal after scandal, the mayor somehow keeps coming back for 
  more. He is a highly charismatic ork who plays the role of buf-
  foon and carioca party animal well. Stories of his debauched, 
  drug-and-whore-filled parties are so common that they have 
  stopped being scandalous. The unapologetic attitude of the 
  mayor have endeared him to the common carioca voter.
  However, despite the apathetic attitude of many toward 
  their mayor, there should be enough serious voters to have 
  seen him out of office ages ago. However, therein comes the 
  second part of Machado’s recipe for success, a cozy relation-
  ship with business. Lazaro Machado is sold out through and 
  through to the corporations. While the DMAIC sets tight rules 
  for business in Rio just as anywhere else in Amazonia, the 
  mayor has a lot of leeway in applying them. By making Rio 
  the most business-friendly district for outside corporations, 
  especially the kind of corporation that doesn’t want to play by 
  Amazonian rules, Machado has made himself a rare commod-
  ity, an Amazonian protected by the megas.
  Currently, this situation has reached its apex. The DMAIC 
  is furious with Machado for his laxity, to the point where there 
  is serious talk of government action (read: a dragon is going 
  to eat him). However, Manaus has no direct authority over 
  the mayors. The megas have made it plain that they will do 
  everything in their power, from legal actions all the way to mil-
  itary intervention to keep their yes-man in power should Ma-
  naus overstep its constitutional boundaries, since nobody but 
  Machado will ever be insane enough to go against Manaus as 
  he has. Thus, Manaus faces open corporate rebellion should 
  they choose to openly intervene. Any shadowrunner worthy of 
  the title should see the obvious solution to this problem: deni-
  able assets. Rio is a bloodbath of shadowrunners moving for or 
  against Lazaro Machado. Jobs on the government side range 
  from high-stakes data theft and surveillance in an attempt to 
  gather federally incriminating evidence against Machado to 
  outright attempts at assassination, while the megacorporate 
  contracts focus on countering these attempts, mostly by de-
  tecting and killing government teams. 
  > 
  Much, much, much easier said than done. Pro-government teams 
  are no pushover, well aware of the situation and ready to defend 
  themselves. The level of firepower being slung both ways is 
  astounding.
  > 
  Stone
  TUDO BEM?
  Literally meaning “Is everything good?”, this common colloquial 
  Amazonian greeting is also the name of a Manaus propaganda trid 
  show. Hosted by the honey-voiced Doutora De Souza, a would-
  be grandmotherly figure that instead gives everyone the heebie-
  jeebies, the show aims to talk to the citizens of Metrópole about 
  social issues, covering things like the proper ways to behave and 
  act as good citizens.
  While the show has its fans, others see it as a source of 
  provocation, a talk-down from Manaus, filled with nice ideas 
  that don’t work in real life and that fail to address the state’s 
  shortcoming and responsibility in problems, preferring to blame it 
  on “bad citizenry.”
  The show has spawned a parallel pirate broadcast called “E 
  você?” (“And you?”). Most attribute the broadcast to A Voz, but 
  truth is that it could very well be a smaller group or even a hacker 
  group with or without political affiliation to insurgents. In any case, 
  this response broadcast spits back what the latest Tudo Bem talked 
  about, showcasing the state’s hidden responsibility in problems or 
  recalling people’s focus to what really matters whenever Tudo Bem 
  attempts to cause a distraction.
  Tudo Bem and E você occasionally spark riots. For visitors, it 
  is worth paying attention to, as the latest broadcasts are always 
  sources of discussion amongst Amazonians.
  
  PolITICS
  21
  > 
  The paychecks are certainly tempting, but there are two caveats 
  to that. Firstly, both sides only pay upon success. That means 
  you either get the data you’re looking for or successfully grease 
  the team you’re going against. The way things are now, most 
  assignments end in stalemates, and nobody gets paid. Second, 
  the attrition rate is very high, so those paychecks are getting fatter 
  and fatter simply to attract talent. No guarantee you’ll live to see 
  that money, chummer.
  > 
  Thorn
  > 
  If you don’t want to play this game, that doesn’t mean you 
  should stay away from Machado. His parties—and let me tell 
  you, they are more debauched than the rumors suggest—attract 
  the worst villainy of the city. Just the kind of people enterprising 
  shadowrunners might want to meet.
  > 
  Kat o’ Nine Tales
  > 
  Conversely, if you figure crashing a Machado party is a good idea 
  to get at a target attending the event, you’d better think twice. I’d 
  give better odds of surviving a barefoot walk from Metrópole to 
  Manaus than pulling something at a Machado party, given the 
  security.
  > 
  Balladeer
  CÉSaR MoREIRa
  MayoR oF Sao Paulo
  César Moreira, known as O Velho de Sao Paulo (The Old Man 
  of Sao Paulo) is a tenacious, ornery old bastard who rules his 
  city with an iron fist. The doyen of Metrópole’s truculent polit-
  ical scene, Moreira has been re-elected no less than six times, 
  two of those while under siege from scandals. Now at nine-
  ty-one years of age, most assume what will cause his seat to 
  go up for grabs is his death rather than any electoral loss. 
  Moreira’s invincible political tenure owes to several fac-
  tor. First, he has a popular “open line”-type show broadcasted 
  over the Matrix that runs once a week, on Thursday mornings, 
  where he fields questions from the population. Anyone can 
  call, rich or poor, and complain about something or ask about 
  something, or whatever it is they want. The mayor will field the 
  question and, more often than not, act on the grievance. He 
  sugarcoats nothing and does not hold back. Anyone that has 
  an unrealistic or just plain stupid demand gets verbally back-
  handed in short order. Watching the old man dispatch idiots 
  is one of the reasons his show is so popular. However, any fair 
  demand gets fairly answered, in the kind of straight talk that 
  makes people admire him. 
  The other main reason for his success is the fact half of 
  the politicians in power from Rio to Sao Paulo owe him some 
  sort of favor. Moreira has, throughout his career, seen value in 
  nurturing cronyism. He has helped, and continues to help, up-
  and-coming politicians at every strata of Metrópole’s political 
  game. He manages a complex board of peons, a web of favor 
  trading, never forgetting who owes what due to what. In addi-
  tion, Moreira is known to be one of the city’s biggest Mr. John-
  sons. One of his fixers—always someone that, officially, cannot 
  in any way be connected to him—will handle all the business at 
  first. Teams that have proven themselves can be selected for 
  especially sensitive jobs, in which case Moreira will deal with 
  the runners personally. Most of these jobs center around caus-
  ing or averting blackmail or scandals, though the occasional 
  kidnapping or sending a message is not uncommon. All run-
  ners working for Moreira are expected to avoid making scenes 
  and, as much as possible, avoid any sort of killing. Moreira, for 
  all his corruption, abhors the loss of life. 
  > 
  If you think Moreira uses only his ninety-one-year-old memory 
  to manage all this, think again. Moreira maintains a database, a 
  little black book of everyone he owns and for what reason. This 
  database is kind of held as a fabled holy grail in the underground 
  community. That database would be worth millions to a number 
  of buyers. Any runner that acquired it would be able to retire on 
  the profits.
  > 
  Bull
  > 
  Assuming one lived long enough to see that deal through and 
  then enjoy the money. The sheer amount of powerful enemies 
  this would attract is rather mind-boggling. Think about it. Every 
  single person listed in that database would literally kill to protect 
  themselves, not to mention Moreira himself. There are easier 
  ways to make a nuyen.
  > 
  2XL
  > 
  Pssh. Pussy. If you’re not in it to make quick millions of nuyen and 
  then fight off enemies for the rest of your life, you’re not in the 
  right business.
  > 
  Haze
  Moreira has maintained a truce for a number of years with 
  the city’s powerful Yakuza clans. Moreira is no friend to crim-
  inals (save those he hires himself, natch), but a pragmatic old 
  dog such as him grudgingly accepts the fact that organized 
  crime can be used to reduce overall crime, especially violent 
  crime. Sao Paulo’s police chiefs turn a blind eye to the Oy-
  abun’s vice dens, in exchange for the Yakuza’s help in con-
  trolling small-time criminal and violent crime on their turf. 
  Moreira doesn’t like to do this too much; usually the Yakuza 
  are allowed to maintain one or two specific addresses as vice 
  dens, with the understanding anything beyond that is subject 
  to normal police action. The Yakuza have found (through con-
  certed effort) that beyond this meagre arrangement, the may-
  or cannot be made to allow any further impunity.
  > 
  While Moreira’s edict to his police chiefs is rather narrow in what 
  the Yakuza are allowed to get away with, many policemen have 
  taken the liberty to expand on this a little. Many will “enhance” 
  the scope of what they do not see in exchange for favors from 
  the Yaks. For example, if the Yaks help in setting a trap to capture 
  particularly annoying shadowrunners that have been causing 
  public trouble in the city, the police will allow the Oyabun to set 
  up a brand-new gambling den in a prime location. That sort of 
  
  PolITICS
  22
  thing. So, if you’re causing problems in the city, think carefully 
  about turning to the Yakuza for some help. That even extends 
  to the Yakuza’s greater circle of influence, such as fences and 
  suppliers. Favors for favors runs all the way down the line.
  > 
  Mihoshi Oni
  KalIna SToyKoVSKa
  MayoR oF EaSTERn CEnTRo
  While her name marks her of Bulgarian descent, Kalina Stoykovs-
  ka is second-generation Amazonian elf. Stoykovska is mayor of 
  the eastern half of the Centro district. Stoykovska is nearing the 
  end of her first term as mayor, and her re-election looks shaky. 
  Unfortunately, Stoykovska has inherited a troubled district. A 
  string of serial killings that has lasted over a year have made her 
  administration look weak. The fact that the killings have been 
  particularly gruesome, and all the victims were expectant meta-
  human mothers, has inflamed public outcry and fear. A rumor, 
  whose roots are difficult to trace but on which police will not 
  comment, says the targeted ritualistic murders are the work of a 
  dark naga cult. In Centro, where metahuman/critter relations are 
  always a challenge, this has brought things boiling over the top. 
  Racial distrust is at an unbearable point, and acts of violence be-
  tween the two sides are through the roof. Stoykovska’s election 
  is riding on not just her ability to stop the murders, but also on 
  her skill at turning her PR machine into overdrive to reverse the 
  public’s hatred of her perceived incompetency.
  > 
  Stoykovska is desperate. Her police force is clearly incapable of 
  cracking the case, and she can’t scapegoat her way out of this—
  the killings need to stop for real. She has tried begging DISA for 
  help, but so far they haven’t lifted a paw. Stoykovska has sent 
  calls out to the shadow community to help. Any deniable asset on 
  the case would have the freedom to use whatever methods they 
  want to get to the bottom of this. Stoykovska doesn’t care about 
  anything other than solving this problem.
  > 
  Sticks
  > 
  Beware those who go looking for this darkness. The maw only 
  leads into the gullet.
  > 
  Man-of-Many-Names
  nElSon baSToS
  MayoR oF WESTERn CEnTRo
  Nelson Bastos has the interesting honor of being the world’s 
  only openly vampiric mayor. Afflicted with HMHVV, Bastos 
  is nonetheless on this second term as mayor of his quarter 
  of Metrópole, showing that anything really does go in Ama-
  zonia. Bastos has opted for a strategy of transparency to con-
  vince voters he isn’t a monster. He records most of his life in 
  real-time, with the feed available via the Matrix. Of course, 
  being a mayor calls for the occasional closed-doors session, 
  in which case the feed turns off. This has given his detract-
  ors the opportunity to claim he does all kind of unspeakable 
  things during these supposed meetings, but these conspir-
  acy theories are for the most part ignored.
  Bastos is, of course, close to the cause of HMHVV victims, 
  speaking out against the exclusion of the Infected from society 
  and patiently repeating facts concerning the Infected to dispel 
  misconceptions. He is a very eloquent and photogenic per-
  son, which has nothing to do with any vampiric powers. In fact, 
  while many if not most vampires are known to be Awakened, 
  Bastos claims he is a mundane. All Awakened individuals that 
  have assensed him have concurred, meaning he either real-
  ly is mundane or is an off-the-charts powerful initiate able to 
  hide his true aura from everyone. Again, conspiracy nuts know 
  which of the two versions they believe is the right one.
  > 
  There is no argument here. Vampires are not mundane. Be afraid.
  > 
  Thorn
  Perhaps unsurprisingly, Bastos has been the target of sev-
  eral assassination attempts, mostly by self-titled vampire hunt-
  ers and one Christian fundamentalist that belied him to be the 
  devil incarnate. In all cases but one, the attempts were foiled 
  by the mayor’s personal security team, though in one event, 
  recorded live via the vampire’s feed, Bastos was forced to kill 
  his assailant, a woman that had made it into his private quar-
  ters. The feed shows Bastos killing her with his bare hands. 
  While the video went viral with the mayor’s groupies, the 
  event had a profoundly traumatic effect on the mayor. Analy-
  sis of the video has led to suggestions that his body language 
  and the broken sentences that could be heard imply he knew 
  the woman personally, but Bastos has denied this, and no link 
  was ever formally uncovered.
  Despite all of this sideshow from his personal life, Bastos 
  has a reputation with his citizens—those that don’t think he is a 
  demon out to enslave metahumanity—for being incorruptible, 
  efficient, generous, and honest.
  > 
  We in the shadows, of course, know better. Bastos’s live feed 
  seriously cramps his ability to personally conduct shady deals, 
  but one does not become a successful politician in Metrópole 
  without doing dirty deeds, no matter how much people want to 
  believe in white knights. Bastos handles all his dirty business via 
  his right-hand woman, Flora, also a vampire. Flora hires many 
  shadowrunners and she pays pretty well.
  > 
  Fiancetto
  > 
  Flora isn’t just Bastos’s Johnson, she is his sister. And she displays 
  none of her brother’s virtues. She is cynical, dramatic, and rather 
  brooding. She makes a pretty good vampire.
  > 
  Red
  > 
  Supposedly there is bad blood (is that a pun?) between Bastos, 
  Flora, and the Ordo Maximus. I’m not sure what that’s all about, but 
  having those boogeymen as enemy can’t be a good thing. Word is 
  that last assassination attempt, the one where Bastos had to snap 
  the girl’s neck, had something to do with the Ordo Maximus. 
  > 
  Pistons
  
  PolITICS
  23
  > 
  Well, whatever is going on there, I’m sure they need shadowrunners 
  > 
  2XL
  THE CounCIl
  The Council is the vast political apparatus immediately under 
  the mayors. While technically the mayors ultimately call the 
  shots, the Council has more than enough power to ensure the 
  mayors must have the support of the Council to do anything. 
  As such, and by Manaus’ design, the mayors and the Council 
  are in a perpetual state of deadlock.
  While it is not a prerequisite for a mayor to have been part 
  of the Council, most of them indeed serve time there. The rea-
  son is simple: The Council is like a prison. Much like a small-
  time crook learning all the tricks of the trade from other in-
  mates, fresh new politicians joining the Council quickly get 
  their ideology beaten out of them to learn that politics in 
  Metrópole, much like the rest of the world, is all about who 
  you own. The Council is a complex web of relationships where 
  allies become enemies at the drop of a coin. It’s all about who 
  you can buy or coerce to vote your way. To be mayor, one must 
  build up a little black book of contacts and understand how to 
  own them, something only years in the infernal machinery of 
  the Council can teach.
  While every Councillor is elected, their actions generally are 
  not visible to the public; the mayors get the brunt of public ex-
  posire. That means there is no real incentive for the Council to 
  appear efficient, much less actually be efficient. When the mayors 
  want to get something done, it can thus take months or years for 
  a majority to form, as Councillors switch back and forth, work-
  ing bids for their votes ever higher. This paralyzes Metrópole, as 
  any and all high-stakes project must make their way through the 
  Council like a blunt dagger through hardened fat.
  The position of Councillor pays next to nothing, so the only 
  way to make a living is through graft, collusion, and corrup-
  tion. Money is the only real power in this city. To gain influ-
  ence, Councillors need money to buy their peers. So the more 
  money they siphon through graft, the more they can spend on 
  influence to pass more projects they can attach themselves to 
  like leeches.
  > 
  Do I even need to say the Council is a never-ending source of 
  work? These guys are ridiculous. The system is so opaque, they 
  aren’t afraid of any legal repercussions. Work usually centers on 
  data theft, surveillance, blackmailing, and counter-blackmailing, 
  but wetwork comes up pretty frequently too. 
  > 
  Cosmo
  > 
  If you’re looking to make a change in the world, though, this kind 
  of work might not be for you. I know guys who have worked this 
  circuit steadily for years, taking Council job after job, and it’ll 
  make you a cynic for damn sure. The Council is so rotten even I’d 
  be disgusted—if the pay wasn’t so good.
  > 
  Cayman
  oTHER InFluEnCES
  DISa
  Every citizen of Amazonia knows, and most likely resents, 
  DISA (the Department of Intelligence and Security of Ama-
  zonia). However, most are probably more familiar with its 
  street name, as Ombras negras, the Black Shadows. DISA—
  whose leadership contains no metahumans, only Awakened 
  creatures—answers directly to Hualpa yet usually operates 
  autonomously without supervision. DISA is responsible for 
  the security of the state, whether protecting it from outside 
  forces (i.e., Aztlan) or inside forces (i.e., Aztlan-backed insur-
  gents). The Department is composed of a large back-office 
  of analysts of all stripes as well as active field agents. Almost 
  all personnel are Awakened creatures, and almost all of these 
  creatures can be described as anti-metahuman. 
  Hualpa has always indicated that metahumanity has a place 
  in the world, it’s just that we pollute too much and don’t know 
  our boundaries. Amazonia, in Hualpa’s vision, is a balance be-
  tween metahumans and Gaia, a place where we stop acting 
  like resource-devouring viruses and more like every other ani-
  mal in the world, living in balance with our environment. Philo-
  sophically, that’s not so bad.
  The problem is that the vast majority of Awakened crea-
  tures in Amazonia do not share Hualpa’s point of view. Were 
  it not for Hualpa, most Awakened creatures would kill every 
  last metahuman and gleefully topple their cities. However, 
  perhaps even more so than metahumans, most Awakened 
  creatures fear Hualpa and obey him and his laws, even if they 
  secretly disagree with him.
  The Awakened agents and officers of DISA are, of all of 
  Amazonia’s sentient paracritters, those with the most leeway 
  in expressing their dislikes. DISA’s mandate expresses itself as 
  a form of secret police. DISA firmly believe that us monkeys 
  are constantly planning and plotting to overthrow the Awak-
  ened government and restore a pro-Corporate Court, anti-Ga-
  ia government. They believe our nature will never change, that 
  we are selfish, greedy, and destructive by nature. We cannot 
  be reasoned with, we cannot be enlightened; we can only be 
  contained and controlled. Thus, their approach is to infiltrate 
  all aspects of society and monitor us. DISA makes no distinc-
  tion between family life, work life, and play time. Treasonous 
  thoughts and actions can surface at any time and must be act-
  ed upon immediately. 
  Of course, no agency in the world, not even one with drag-
  ons as intelligence analysts, can effectively and perfectly mon-
  itor the crowded population of Metrópole. So DISA agents 
  weave in and out of people lives, monitoring, judging, and 
  acting. What they consider crimes important enough to act on 
  is hard to fathom. Drug dealers from the favelas are known to 
  DISA, yet left to operate. Why? Because the drugs they supply 
  keep the other monkeys in line, too distracted and enslaved by 
  the toxic substances they ingest to act against the State. They 
  commit crimes, yes—but that is for regular law enforcement to 
  deal with. However, get drunk one night at the bar and speak 
  
  PolITICS
  24
  a little too loudly against Hualpa, and you might never make it 
  home. The Department regularly has to be reined in by Hualpa, 
  reminded that metahumans and the Awakened are meant to 
  live in equality and harmony in Amazonia. However, despite 
  public rebuttals, the Department has never been restructured, 
  leaving many to think Hualpa quietly condones their methods.
  DISA has a huge network of informants. Ironically, most 
  Awakened critters living in Metrópole refuse to work with 
  DISA. These creatures that have chosen to live in the city tend 
  toward a more complicated view of the metahumans they 
  share their lives with. Certainly, to their eyes, we will always be 
  sloppy creatures, but they disagree with how DISA sees and 
  treats us. Most DISA informants are, in fact, other metahumans 
  who are selling out their brothers and sisters.
  DISA field agents, the Black Shadows, are deadly critters. 
  Shapeshifters of all kinds make up the biggest amounts of 
  them, being versatile in ability. However, drakes, free spirits, 
  and dracoforms (including dragons) are not uncommon. Sur-
  prisingly, there are also many metahuman field agents. Some 
  are there to prove the critters wrong, showing them that 
  “good” metas are just as interested in rooting out “bad” metas 
  as any sapient critter. Some are there because they agree with 
  the creatures, and they hate themselves and their own kind. In 
  any case, these metahuman agents definitely have something 
  to prove, so they are even more zealous in their actions than 
  the critters might be.
  If DISA finds the lives of everyday citizen concerning 
  enough, the politicians of Metrópole hold a special place in 
  their hearts. However, unless there is serious proof of collab-
  oration with known dissident groups or foreign agitators (read: 
  Aztlan), DISA cannot act so directly against such public fig-
  ures. There is an unspoken rule that Metrópole must be run 
  by metahumans as they see fit. But just as it is in all places, 
  politics is a dirty business. Those who offer a hand to polit-
  icians in need often tend to be the exactly who DISA wishes 
  to hunt down. Thus, an incredible game of cloak and dagger 
  between politicians and DISA goes on. Politicians tend to be-
  come very knowledgeable in spycraft in order to survive DISA 
  surveillance attempts while they go about exchanging favors 
  for power from shadowy and unsavory groups.
  DMaIC
  The Department for the Environment, Interior and Commerce, 
  whose Amazonian-language acronym works out as DMAIC, is 
  a federal ministry with a pretty self-explanatory name. Like all 
  of Hualpa’s Manaus-based departments, its charter makes it in-
  credibly powerful. The DMAIC is the extension of Hualpa’s will 
  in matters of commerce. However, in Amazonia, as the title of 
  this department suggests, commerce is inexorably bound to the 
  environment and the very heart of all domestic policy. 
  Amazonia has chosen not to ratify the Business Recogni-
  tion Accords, whose most famous tenet is the extraterritorial-
  ity of megacorporations. Few countries in the world have been 
  able to defy the Corporate Court in this manner. Amazonia’s 
  concern in this matter is, of course, the environment. Extra-
  territorial corporations have few restraints in regards to pollut-
  ing in the name of profit, and the Awakened government will 
  not have that. Thus, corporations face a thick codex of laws 
  and obligations they must face in regards to the environment 
  when operating in Amazonia.
  However, Metrópole holds a special status in Amazonia, 
  kind of a deregulated zone, where business is mostly left to it-
  self. DMAIC inspectors will still make the rounds, but it would 
  take an army, which DMAIC does not have, to properly inspect 
  everything. Further, while smaller corps are easier to investigate 
  and pressure, the megas know how to play this game all too 
  well and hide all sorts of things in all sorts of places. DMAIC is 
  thus one of Amazonia’s weakest institutions in the city.
  > 
  Well, not really. You see, DMAIC is extremely frustrated that they 
  can’t do their work properly. And, as anyone in that Department 
  will tell you, their work is the most important work in all of 
  Amazonia. After all, Hualpa seized the forest to protect it, and 
  DMAIC is the embodiment of that stewardship. So what you get 
  are a bunch of critters and people, most of whom are extremely 
  ideological, who get all uppity about the fact they usually fail to 
  bring down polluters and abusers due to lack of evidence. DMAIC 
  reconciles this by having a culture of vigilantism. So even though 
  they are the authority, the DMAIC usually short-circuits its own 
  laws to hire shadowrunners to strike at corporations breaking the 
  rules.
  > 
  Hard Exit
  > 
  I don’t understand. Why don’t they just change the rules, or make 
  it so they can be more aggressive in their effectiveness?
  > 
  /dev/grrl
  > 
  The 
  situation 
  with 
  DMAIC 
  reflects 
  splendidly 
  Manaus’ 
  schizophrenic approach to Metrópole. They’ll take over the entire 
  jungle and swear to kill anyone that abuses it, but then neuter the 
  agencies in charge of doing just that inside of Metrópole because 
  they “have to give the humans a chance.” However, these various 
  government branches make sure to hire highly ideological 
  extremists… so try telling them that their job in Metrópole is a 
  “look but don’t touch” kind of deal. The DMAIC’s departmental 
  culture is completely at odds with their mandate in regards to the 
  city. And that’s not a powder keg waiting to blow up—it has blown 
  up.
  > 
  Kay St. Irregular
  > 
  There’s a lot of shitty, soul-sucking work in Metrópole, but 
  honestly, at least working for DMAIC feels like working for the 
  good guys.
  > 
  Treadle
  > 
  Shit, that’s what you think. That’s what we all think. At first, you 
  agree the evil corporations are just using legal loopholes and 
  manipulation to get away from the reckoning coming to them. 
  So, yeah, fuck evidence, you go in guns blazing, and it feels good. 
  Then you start noticing that DMAIC long ago stopped doing any 
  real due diligence. You start noticing that maybe they failed to find 
  
  PolITICS
  25
  evidence because there wasn’t any, because the corp was playing 
  by the rules. Then you notice your DMAIC handlers really don’t 
  care. Not one bit. And you think about the single mom wageslave 
  doing her best to just make ends meet that ended up as “collateral 
  damage” on your last run, and you know the mission was fubar, 
  but all you get are pats on the back by the DMAIC guys. You think 
  what you want, but I’ll gladly take a “soulless” Council job rather 
  than work for the DMAIC again.
  > 
  Beaker
  METRÓPolE uRban CounCIl
  Metrópole did not exist fifty years ago. Rio de Janeiro and 
  Sao Paulo, sure. Bustling metropolises, accounting for just 
  shy of twenty million citizens each, and both were popping 
  at the seams, struggling to even accommodate these kind 
  of numbers. From one day to the next, orders came down to 
  quadruple that capacity.
  Humanity has rarely seen projects of this scope. In relative 
  terms, the pyramids built by the pharaohs in Ancient Egypt 
  are laughable. So how does one spring up the largest city in 
  the world overnight? With a lot of planning. This is where the 
  Metrópole Urban Council comes in. This monolithic govern-
  mental entity is in charge of planning and managing all con-
  struction in Metrópole. 
  In the early days, the Urban Council was the unsung hero 
  of Amazonia. Consisting of city planners, project managers, 
  architects and engineers, the Council worked around the clock 
  to organize construction throughout the megasprawl, securing 
  able contractors, construction crews (mostly the newly arrived 
  refugees—a good way to keep these people busy) and secur-
  ing supplies, all while adhering to the blanket, top-down edicts 
  of nature conservationism and eco-friendliness. 
  Now, forty years later, the city continues to see non-stop 
  construction. However, the Metrópole Urban Council has sunk 
  into a political, bureaucratic nightmare. Nothing happens unless 
  this bloated organization approves it. Since the Council was giv-
  en far too much power with far too little accountability, corrup-
  tion is rampant. Bureaucratic molasses and red tape can slow 
  down the construction of even small edifices to the point of ren-
  dering project unprofitable. Corruption is rampant; bribes are 
  the only thing able to cut through red tape. On the other side of 
  the scale, smaller projects often go ignored, resulting in thou-
  sands of unlicensed projects springing up everywhere. Rackety 
  buildings spring up in what are meant to be alleys, bracketed by 
  the structures on either side. Extensions are built up on top of 
  
  PolITICS
  26
  existing buildings, spilling over like cancers to other neighbour-
  ing rooftops. These types of shoddy, unlicensed add-ons are 
  called secunda vida (second lives). This is important to know, as 
  address numbers bearing the “s.v.” mark mean you have to look 
  for it in the add-on, not the host building.
  That being said, the Metrópole Urban Council is primor-
  dial in city politics. No mayor can hope to achieve anything or 
  get re-elected without support from the Urban Council. Not 
  only do they control any sort of public project, but to a less-
  er degree private ones as well. This means the Urban Council 
  can and does squeeze corporations on their building projects 
  when they don’t get their way. The corporations then quickly 
  get the message and orchestrate a change in civic leadership 
  to get the Urban Council off their backs.
  > 
  This clusterfuck of a corrupt, bureaucratic nightmare is, you 
  guessed it, highly lucrative for us. There is a nonstop stream 
  of runs to acquire blackmail material, make blackmailers 
  disappear, acquire incriminating evidence, acquire intel on 
  future plans, deliver messages of all sorts, and so on between 
  all these assholes.
  > 
  Cosmo
  > 
  It’s far from routine. The Metrópole Urban Council is a curious 
  entity. It is the most public and accessible of Amazonia’s 
  governmental branches, yet it has been inducted into some of the 
  most occult secrets of the Awakened leadership. The mojo that 
  got slung around to accelerate the construction of Metrópole is 
  no garden-variety parlor trickery. We’re talking serious magic. A 
  lot of people want to know those secrets. A lot of people have died 
  trying to get them.
  > 
  Fianchetto
  unDERWoRlD
  CoManDo VERDE
  The Comando Verde have a long history in Metrópole. Al-
  legedly descendants from Brazil’s infamous Comando Ver-
  melho gang from the turn of the century, nobody quite knew 
  how the organization managed to survive, much less thrive, 
  with the sheer level of disorganization it suffered from. In di-
  rect competition with the Ghost Cartels and the other smaller 
  but highly aggressive gangs of the megasprawl, the Coman-
  do Verde has had a rough last couple of years.
  The turning point in the genesis of the current-day Comando 
  Verde was the death of its supposedly unkillable leader, Diogo 
  Cao. Few people know exactly how it went down, but if rumors 
  are to be believed, a dragon took him out, along with an entire 
  city block. Which dragon and why isn’t clear. It was long be-
  lieved the Comando somehow survived, thanks in part to ties to 
  one of the major Amazonian dragons, either Sirrug or M’boi, so 
  the attack may have been related to that in some fashion.
  > 
  Everyone thinks that, but it’s actually quite the opposite. Russian 
  Spetsnaz forces were known to be in Metrópole for some time. 
  What do Russians worry about? The Yakut Awakened forces. 
  Comando Verde was the number one provider of weapons and 
  supplies to the Yakut—especially destabilizing agents working 
  the shadow war in Vladivostok. In a masterful move, they 
  took out Diogo, playing on the rumors of his association with 
  dragons.
  > 
  Plan 9
  > 
  I have a chummer who saw the charred ruins where the attack 
  took place. That kind of destruction looks like the handiwork of a 
  dragon. How do you explain that?
  > 
  Winterhawk
  > 
  Easy. The Russians has a secret payload of Sutr they used to make 
  it look like a dragon’s work.
  > 
  Plan 9
  > 
  Whoa there. Nothing defines “international ban” like the horrific 
  nanoweapon Winternight used to melt people during Crash 2.0. 
  There’s no way I buy the Russians even having any, much less 
  using it so casually.
  > 
  Clockwork
  > 
  Exactly what they want you to think.
  > 
  Plan 9
  > 
  Okay that’s enough, take it to a sub-forum.
  > 
  Bull
  What’s better known is what happened after that. Diogo’s 
  second in command, Aitana, a sociopathic and cunning jaguar 
  shapeshifter fond of hosting gladiatorial deathmatches, was 
  always thought to be a more able leader. She’d always let Dio-
  go run the show, though. But after his death, she quickly found 
  her voice. Once Diogo was out of the way, most competing 
  outfits figured the Comando’s number was up, so they began 
  moving in on its territory. What they found was an organized 
  and revitalized Comando Verde more than able to fight back. 
  The little gang wars that sprung up all over Comando Verde 
  territory were quickly quelled. 
  Surprisingly, as it seems completely at odds with her per-
  sonality, Aitana ended a lot of wars through negotiation and 
  mutually beneficial concessions. The Comando Verde shrank 
  in overall membership while becoming more elite. They now 
  favor federation and outsourcing with dozens of smaller gangs.
  Aitana’s new Comando Verde is now a gang heavily in-
  volved in shifting alliances. It is the nature of gangers to get 
  stupid greedy, so the Comando spends a lot of time bash-
  ing the heads of traitorous allies, but every time a gang dou-
  ble-crosses the Comando, two new ones join the alliance.
  > 
  This makes figuring out the gang politics in Metrópole a full-time 
  affair. If you start shit with one gang, you need to be on top of 
  current events to figure out which other gang to turn to for help. 
  Otherwise, your ally is liable to sell you out.
  > 
  Kay St. Irregular
  
  PolITICS
  27
  > 
  Aitana’s successful leadership is pretty simple, she delegates to a 
  handful of trusted advisors. Rumors are these advisors are from 
  Siberia …
  > 
  Mihoshi Oni
  yaKuza: KoMaTa-KaI
  Sao Paulo has had a large Japanese ex-pat population since 
  well before the turn of the century. That population has es-
  sentially never stopped growing, as the rise of Japanacorp 
  pre-eminence drove ever more sararimen to accept positions 
  in Metrópole. Arriving on the coattails of these migrant wag-
  eslaves, ever ready to provide the vice and entertainment in 
  demand, were the Yakuza.
  Metrópole—indeed, all of Amazonia—is Kamota-Kai gumi 
  territory. The Kamota-Kai are part of the world-spanning 
  Watada-rengo, known for its strict traditionalism and respect 
  of the Old Ways. If there is one place in the world that “tra-
  ditional” does not apply to, it is Amazonia. So how does this 
  contradiction work?
  The answer is simple. While Amazonia as a whole is an ex-
  ample for diversity and tolerance—everyone hates each other, 
  but in a tolerant sort of way—the Japanacorp transplants have 
  contently shut that world out and created a cultural ghetto. The 
  Japanacorps—Mitsuhama, Shiawase, Monobe, Sony, Renraku, 
  Yakashima, and so on—encourage a certain culture amongst 
  all of their citizens, and that culture is firmly the traditional-
  ist Japanese mindset. The sense of “us” is never so strong as 
  when a powerful “they” exists. Forget disgraceful oni, orks and 
  trolls; there are things walking around in the streets here!
  Included in this intense need for traditional things is of 
  course a need for traditional vice. Prostitutes offered just the 
  way sararimen like them, gambling dens, BTLs from Japan, and 
  other forms of entertainment that get weirder and weirder—
  this is what the Komata-Kai offer to Metrópole. While they pri-
  marily aim to service the Japanese community, the Komata-Kai 
  have no problem accepting money from anyone else. But you 
  should expect to be treated as a second-class customer. 
  Aside for the needs of the local market, the Komata are also 
  heavily involved in trafficking. Metrópole is a huge supplier of 
  prostitutes, weapons, and drugs for Japan. The Komata-Kai 
  will recruit victims and send them off to Japan. The bulk are 
  your typical metahumans, but being able to offer sapient crit-
  ter prostitutes back in the homeland is a lucrative niche only 
  Metrópole can supply. In almost all cases, these often-naïve 
  victims are recruited under false pretenses and, once in Japan, 
  forced into prostitution by handlers there. Amazonian firearms 
  also get into the hands of Yakuza all over the world. While Am-
  azonia is an important global chemical and Awakened drug 
  port of origin, the Komata only supply the gumi back in Japan 
  with that stuff, leaving most of the serious international ex-
  ports to the other Metrópole outfits.
  > 
  Compared to Yakuza outfits you may have encountered elsewhere, 
  the Komata don’t really rank as that sophisticated. There is a 
  bit of an unprofessional edge to them. The Komata are called 
  gurentai—“hoodlums”—by the local Japan expats. They can be 
  brash, loud, intoxicated on the job, and overly aggressive. This 
  makes them somewhat unpredictable. However, they are still a 
  very important syndicate, and odds are you will need to deal with 
  them, especially in Sao Paulo.
  > 
  Mihoshi Oni
  laW EnFoRCEMEnT
  Law enforcement in Metrópole comes in two distinctive fla-
  vors: public and private. The public forces of law enforcement 
  are your standard city cops. The police departments of the 
  four districts are all equally underfunded, which keeps them 
  from being effective. Crimes do get investigated—sometimes, 
  and for some people. 
  What the cops lack in manpower, though, they make up in 
  firepower and heavy-handedness. The cops do not conduct 
  raids; they declare war. The local equivalent of SWAT, the BOPE 
  (Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais), show up in their black 
  armored carriers (called Caveirão, or Big Skulls), and kill (“pac-
  ify”) everything they can’t arrest. Every day, dozens of raids 
  happen throughout the city, which may seem like a lot, but in a 
  sprawl the size of Metrópole, it doesn’t account for much. The 
  trick is mostly to not be around when a raid goes down.
  > 
  These bad boys, the BOPE, are milspec. They are more than able 
  to take on hardened shadowrunner team. In Metrópole, that’s 
  what distinguishes the idiots from the professionals. Keep up 
  your protection payments to politicians and moles, and you’ll 
  know where the BOPE are going to hit. If you find yourself where 
  the BOPE are, do not try to outgun then. Just run. 
  > 
  Kane
  > 
  Like all local authorities, they will not chase you into extraterritorial 
  jurisdiction. There’s also a few places even the BOPE don’t go—the 
  deep, dark heart of the favelas, and fucked up places like Paredão.
  > 
  Hard Exit
  Metrópole’s public policing gap is bridged by an astound-
  ing amount of licensed private security firms. Metrópole pri-
  vatizes security in a big way. The barrier to entry for private 
  security companies is pretty low; security guards must have a 
  valid SIN and no criminal record. Of course, these two things 
  are very easy to bypass using fake credentials. 
  Private security is everywhere in Metrópole, ranging from 
  straight-up bodyguards to licensed private investigators fol-
  lowing up on various crimes. In most cases, P.I.s are a crime 
  victim’s only recourse, as actual police force detectives are so 
  few in numbers and so low in sympathy. Via some paperwork, 
  citizens can even get refunds from the government for hiring 
  private security and investigators, making the whole business 
  affordable for the citizen and lucrative for the companies. 
  > 
  If you’re a shadowrunner in Metrópole, definitely expect to go 
  against private guards and, if you don’t cover your tracks well, 
  to get a private investigation team on your ass. If you laugh it 
  
  gaME InFoRMaTIon
  28
  away picturing an old gumshoe with a snub pistol coming after 
  you, think again. Private investigation teams tasked with hunting 
  down shadowrunners to recover what you took are basically 
  shadowrunner teams themselves. They will have cyber, magic, 
  and high-powered weaponry—like yours, often better. 
  > 
  DangerSensei
  oTHER gRouPS
  a Voz (THE VoICE)
  Amazonia likes to project an image of the balance between 
  humanity and Mother Nature, the success of the soul over 
  the materialism of the megacorporate-run world. Thing is, 
  Amazonia came at a price. Millions of displaced refugees 
  within their own country relocated into cities that did not 
  want them. Families were separated, lives shattered. If you 
  think Brazilians all greeted their new reptilian overlords with 
  glee and gratitude, forgetting and forgiving the cost of the 
  creation of Amazonia, you are dead wrong.
  There are dozens of rebellious groups with a burning ha-
  tred that will never forgive or forget, never stop fighting until 
  Amazonia is run by humans again. Of these groups, the largest 
  and most organized is A Voz. Seeing how DISA mercilessly 
  and gleefully hunts down such group members, sympathizers, 
  sympathizers’ relatives, and the people that say “hi” to sym-
  pathizer’s relatives, the shroud of secrecy surrounding A Voz 
  is pretty thick. Disinformation, seeded by the group itself and 
  perpetuated by rumormongers, is rampant.
  The most credible stories of the group’s founding and lead-
  ership relate to surviving military brass from the war of 2034. 
  Soldiers are not people prone to going “oh well, we lost” when 
  the going gets tough. Brazil’s armed forces certainly contained 
  more than a few hardline patriots. After the surrender of the 
  nation, the new Awakened government carefully purged the 
  armed forces. Large portions of the army were kept, mainly to 
  help displace their own kind from the interior, but also to keep 
  all these trained people busy. However, in the chaos, more than 
  a few officers went missing, due to Hualpa, or possibly Sirrug 
  purging (eating) the troublemakers. You can be sure the officers 
  who saw it coming, if they were able to, went underground.
  It’s been forty years since that day, so clearly few of these 
  original soldiers are still around. But, built on such solid foun-
  dations, the group would have easily been able to continue re-
  cruiting and training subsequent generations of rebels to keep 
  the fight for Brazil going strong.
  A Voz operates all over Amazonia, in all the cities. Assas-
  sination and sabotage are their most direct actions, though 
  gathering support for their cause is by far their most dangerous 
  talent, and the reason DISA hunts them so mercilessly. Hualpa 
  needs the divide between metahumanity and the Awakened 
  creatures of Gaia to be bridged in order to make a single unit-
  ed Amazonia. It must be so, for Hualpa has larger concerns 
  than the civil administration of a country. It must be so, or Azt-
  lan will swallow them all. It must be so, or worse things, things 
  we do not understand, will befall us. 
  The dissension A Voz and other groups like it cause is 
  unacceptable and the single biggest threat Amazonia faces. 
  However, following Aztlan’s recent victory in the war on the 
  northern front as well as on the international political stage, 
  disenchanted Amazonians are greater in number than ever. 
  They have cause to doubt their leader. They have cause to think 
  the mighty, invincible forces that thrashed their army in so few 
  days are perhaps no longer so mighty. The god bleeds …
  Thus, Metrópole has seen a significant boost in insurgent 
  activity lately. Weapons have flown from black-market arms 
  dealers in the city to A Voz quartermasters. More and more 
  gangers and mercenaries, sworn to secrecy but loosed-lipped 
  after a few drinks, have let slip their allegiance to the group. 
  Government representatives, convoys, and installations have 
  been brazenly, violently, and professionally hit by A Voz bri-
  gades. Rumor is that the group is gearing up to start a real, 
  countrywide insurgency with the full intention of liberating 
  certain strategic locations. Metrópole is far too big a gem for 
  them now, but it remains a vital center of resupply as well as 
  battleground.
  gaME 
  InFoRMaTIon
  SaMPlE nPCS
  boPE TEaM MEMbER (HuMan)
  BOPE intervention teams contain a slew of specialists, in-
  cluding a rigger, a combat hacker, and a mage. However, the 
  bulk of the team is composed of generalist riflemen there to 
  kick ass and take names. Due to Metrópole’s chaotic urban 
  environment, BOPE teams don’t always know the layout of 
  the spots they are hitting. They compensate by using over-
  whelming ground and air firepower from drones, armoured 
  personnel carriers, and support helicopters.
  B
  A
  R
  S
  W
  L
  I
  C
  ESS
  EDG
  6
  5
  5 (6)
  5
  5
  3
  4
  2
  5.1
  2
  Condition Monitor
  11/11
  Armor
  18 (hardened)
  Limits
  Physical 7(8), Mental 5, Social 5
  Physical Initiative
  9(10) + 2D6
  Skills
  Amazonian Portuguese N, Automatics 8(9), Clubs 5, Intimidation 
  5, Law 5, Leadership 7, Metrópole 3, Movers and Shakers 2, 
  Organized Crime 2, Perception 4, Police Procedure 6, Running 
  4, Small Unit Tactics 7, Sneaking 5
  Knowledge Skills
  Amazonian Portuguese N, Automatics 8(9), Law 5, Metrópole 3, 
  Movers and Shakers 2, Organized Crime 2, Police Procedure 6, 
  Small Unit Tactics 7
  Qualities
  SINner (National)
  Augmentations
  Reflex recorder (automatics), sleep regulator, smartlink, 
  synaptic booster 1
  Gear
  Light hardened milspec armor (p. 66, Run & Gun) [15, Custom 
  Fit, Holster, Gear Access, Increase Social Limit by 2 for 
  Intimidation Tests, Restrictive] with helmet [+3], Transys Avalon 
  commlink [Device Rating 6] with sim module, goggles [low-light 
  vision, flare compensation, image link, vision enhancement 1], 
  trodes, Personal Integrated Tactical Network Level II (p. 105, 
  Run & Gun)
  Weapons
  Ares Alpha [Assault Rifle, Acc 5 (7), DV 13P, AP –3, SA/BF/FA, 
  RC 2, 42 (c), EX-explosive rounds (factored)]
  Ares Predator V [Heavy Pistol, Acc 5(7), DV 8P, AP –1, SA, RC 
  —, 15(c)] 
  Flash-bang grenades [Grenade, DV 10S, AP –4, 10m radius]
  
  gaME InFoRMaTIon
  29
  PRIVaTE InVESTIgaToR (ElF)
  Private investigators are a dime a dozen in Metrópole. The 
  successful ones are those than combine a solid network of 
  contacts on the streets, with some solid Matrix investiga-
  tion capabilities and a dash of debonair style. In Metrópole, 
  a private investigator can be a shadowrunner’s best friend, 
  extending his fact-finding abilities for a price, or their worst 
  nightmare, relentlessly smoking out the runner, ready to call 
  heavy backup to finish the job.
  B
  A
  R
  S
  W
  L
  I
  C
  ESS
  EDG
  3
  4
  4(5)
  3
  4
  5
  6
  5
  4.2
  4
  Condition Monitor
  10/10
  Armor
  6
  Limits
  Physical 5, Mental 7, Social 7(9)
  Physical Initiative
  11 + 2D6
  Skills
  Acting skill group 6, Disguise 5, Etiquette 5, Perception 7, Pilot 
  Aircraft 2, Pilot Ground Craft 2, Pistols 4, Stealth skill group 7, 
  Unarmed Combat 3
  Knowledge Skills
  Amazonian Portuguese N, English 5, Law 4, Metrópole 4, Police 
  Procedures 4, Street Gang Identification 2
  Qualities
  SINner (National)
  Augmentations
  Cyberears [Rating 3, w/ audio enhancement 3, select sound 
  filter 6], cybereyes [Rating 3, w/ low-light vision, ocular drone, 
  vision enhancement 3, vision magnification], datajack, synaptic 
  booster 1, tailored pheromones 2
  RCC
  Radio Shack Remote Controller (device rating 2)
  Drones
  MCT Fly Spy (x3), Cyberspace Design Dalmatian
  Gear
  Armor clothing [6, chemical protection 2, non-conductive 4], 
  autopicker [Rating 4], data tap, fake SIN (rating 4), Hermes 
  Ikon commlink [Device Rating 5, w/ sim module], Microtrónica 
  Azteca 200 cyberdeck [Device Rating 2, Atts 5 4 3 2, Prog 2], 
  sensor tags, stealth tags 
  Weapons
  Fichetti Security 600 [light pistol, Acc 6 (7), DV 7P, AP —, SA, 
  RC (1), 30 (c)]
  DISa STalKER (JaguaR 
  SHaPESHIFTER aDEPT)
  None are more feared on the streets of Metrópole than DISA 
  agents. Shapeshifters are favored. These agents are utterly 
  loyal to the Amazonian nation and unquestionable in their 
  mandate to eradicate those whom they judge to be threats 
  to the state. DISA field agents—brutally efficient and highly 
  trained killing machines—are supported by a vast intelligence 
  apparatus feeding them information. The last mistake many 
  make is assuming DISA agents are merely animals incapable 
  of using technology.
  CoManDo VERDE  
  gangER (oRK)
  The Comando Verde are one of Metrópole’s largest gangs, 
  but there are thousands of gangs in the sprawl. Gangers in 
  Metrópole typically can’t afford many enhancements, but 
  drugs are plentiful. Most of the time, gangers are high on 
  something, typically cram, but when a planned hit is going 
  down, doses of heavy-hitting drugs like nitro and kamikaze 
  are often passed around. Twitchiness and unpredictability, 
  combined with a desperate life filled with daily violence, make 
  Metrópole gang foot soldiers dangerous people to encounter.
  HUMAN FORM
  B
  A
  R
  S
  W
  L
  I
  C
  ESS
  M
  EDG
  5
  5
  5
  5
  4
  2
  3
  3
  6
  4
  2
  JAGUAR FORM
  B
  A
  R
  S
  W
  L
  I
  C
  ESS
  M
  EDG
  6
  6
  6
  5
  4
  2
  3
  3
  6
  4
  2
  Condition Monitor
  11/10
  Armor: 2
  11 + 2D6
  Limits (Human/Jaguar)
  Physical 7/8, Mental 4, Social 6
  Physical Initiative 
  (Human/Jaguar)
  8 + 2D6 / 9 + 2D6
  Skills
  Gymnastics 10, Intimidation 10, Outdoors skill group 9, Perception 
  6, Stealth skill group 10, Unarmed Combat 10
  Knowledge Skills
  Amazonian Politics 5, Amazonian Portuguese 4, Aztlan Politics 
  3, Aztlaner Spanish 3, Corporate Politics 3, Dragons 2, English 3, 
  Insurgent Groups 6, Metrópole 3, Parazoology 5
  Qualities
  Acrobatic defender (p. 127, R&G) 
  Racial Traits
  Balance Receptor, Broadened Auditory Spectrum (Ultrasonic), 
  Low-Light Vision, Movement (x1/x5/+2), Natural Weapon (Bite: DV 
  (STR + 2)P, AP –3; Claws: DV (STR + 1)P, AP —), Shift (Metahuman 
  Form), Uneducated 
  Adept Powers
  Adrenaline Boost (level 1), Attribute Boost (Strength, Level 2), 
  Cloak (Level 3), Combat Sense 3, Traceless Walk 
  Gear
  Contacts [Capacity 1, w/image link], earbuds [Capacity 1, w/ audio 
  enhancement 1], qi focus (Mystic Armor Rating 2, Force 4), 
  respirator, Transys Avalon (Device Rating 6, w/ sim module), 
  stealth tags, trodes
  B
  A
  R
  S
  W
  L
  I
  C
  ESS
  EDG
  8
  3
  3(4)
  6
  2
  2
  4
  3
  5.5
  1
  Condition Monitor
  12/9
  Armor
  11
  Limits
  Physical 8, Mental 4, Social 5
  Physical Initiative
  7 (8) + 2D6
  Skills
  Close Combat skill group 4, Con 2, Etiquette 3, Firearms skill 
  group 4
  Knowledge Skills
  Amazonian Portuguese (street) N, Drugs 3, Fences 2, Gang 
  Identification 6, Gang Politics 4, Smuggling Routes 4
  Qualities
  Uncouth
  Augmentations
  Orthoskin (rating 2)
  Gear
  AR gloves, armor vest [9], contacts [image link, smartlink], 
  Cram (factored in stats), earbuds, Kamikaze, respirator,Sony 
  Emperor commlink [device rating 2]
  Weapons
  Browning Ultra-Power [Heavy Pistol, Acc 5 (6), DV 8P, AP –1, 
  SA, RC —, 10(c)]
  Colt M23 [Assault Rifle, Acc 4(6), DV 9P, AP –2, SA/BF/FA, RC -, 
  40 (c), external smartlink]
  
  gaME InFoRMaTIon
  30
  QuIMbanDa STREET  
  MagE (SaTyR)
  Quimbanda street mages make no excuses for their power. They 
  wield it to make their enemies pay and to feel the triumph of 
  domination. Quimbanda mages, however, tend to be hedonis-
  tic and enjoy those that bring proper deference and good times 
  with them. They love to love, and a romantic fling will bring out 
  the best in them … until it goes sour, at which time, staying in-
  side a warded area for a few months is advisable.
  B
  A
  R
  S
  W
  L
  I
  C
  ESS
  M
  EDG
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  2
  3
  4
  6
  5
  3
  Condition Monitor
  10/10
  Armor
  6
  Limits
  Physical 6, Mental 4, Social 6
  Physical Initiative
  7 + 1D6
  Astral Initiative
   6 + 1D6
  Skills
  Assensing 2, Blades 1, Con 3, Conjuring skill group 4, Etiquette 3, 
  Perception 2, Sorcery skill group 4, Stealth skill group 5
  Knowledge Skills
  Amazonian Portuguese (street) N, Gang Identification 3, 
  Metrópole 3, Quimbanda 3, The Tribunal 4 
  Racial Traits
  Low-Light Vision, Satyr Legs 
  Spells
  Agony, Compel Truth, Fashion, Foreboding, Powerbolt 
  Gear
  AR gloves, armor clothing [6], reagents (20 drams), Sony Emperor 
  commlink [Device Rating 2]
  Weapons
  Knife [Blade, Reach —, Acc 5, DV 5P, AP –1]
  a Voz InSuRgEnT (DWaRF)
  A Voz insurgents believe their country is being occupied 
  by things. If everyone knows the saying “never deal with a 
  dragon,” then how can one tolerate such a beast dictating 
  the lives of millions? These hardliners have dedicated their 
  lives to violently bringing down the current Awakened gov-
  ernment of Amazonia. The war with Aztlan may have been a 
  blessing in disguise, because now Hualpa is weak. Now is the 
  time to strike.
  a Voz HaCKER (noCTuRna)
  A Voz does not underestimate the strength of Hualpa and 
  his control apparatus. Information is restricted, propaganda 
  the norm. A Voz hackers have a duty to open the eyes of the 
  people to make them see the true nature of the dragons.
  B
  A
  R
  S
  W
  L
  I
  C
  ESS
  EDG
  2
  2
  3
  2
  5
  6
  5
  6
  5.9
  2
  Condition Monitor
  9/11
  Armor
  6
  Limits
  Physical 3, Mental 8, Social 8
  Physical Initiative
  8 + 1D6
  Matrix Initiative (hot sim)
  ([Data Processing] + 5) + 4D6
  Skills
  Automatics 2, Computer 5, Cracking skill group 6, Etiquette 4, 
  Forgery 5, Software 5
  Knowledge Skills
  Amazonian History 5, Amazonian Politics 6, Amazonian 
  Portuguese N, DISA 3, English (‘L33tspeak) 2(+2), Japanese 2
  Racial Traits
  Allergy (Sunlight, Mild), Keen-eared, Low-Light Vision, 
  Nocturnal, Unusual Hair (Colored Fur)
  Augmentations
  Datajack
  Gear
  Armor clothing [6], Renraku Tsurugi [Device rating 3, 6/5/5/3], 
  Stealth program, Sneak program, Exploit program
  Weapons
  Steyr TMP [machine pistol, Acc 4, DV 7P, AP —, SA/BF/FA, RC 
  —, 30(c), laser sight]
  aMazonIan gREaT 
  anaConDa
  Great anacondas are a relatively common sight in Amazonia. 
  Like many other sentient paracritters, Amazonia recognizes 
  them as full citizens (they are even issued SINs). Considered 
  part of the dracomorph family, great anacondas are large 
  snakes with fine scales. Anacondas often act as vassal crea-
  tures for dragons, from whom they can learn Dragonspeech 
  to communicate with metahumanity. Great anacondas, de-
  spite a lack of wings, can fly. They are often seeing zig-zag-
  ging at full speed in the skies of Metrópole, snaking between 
  buildings and trees.
  B
  A
  R
  S
  W
  L
  I
  C
  ESS
  M
  EDG
  4
  6
  6
  8
  5
  6
  4
  5
  6
  7
  5
  Condition Monitor
  10/11
  Armor
  12 (Hardened) (Immunity to Normal Weapons)
  Limits
  Physical 9, Mental 7, Social 7
  Physical Initiative
  10 + 2D6
  Skills
  Assensing 9, Astral Combat 10, Counterspelling 10, Perception 10, 
  Stealth skill group 10, Swimming 4, Unarmed Combat 9
  Powers
  Animal Control (Domesticated Animals, Reptiles), Compulsion, 
  Concealment (Self ), Dual Natured, Immunity (Normal Weapons), 
  Magical Guard (Self ), Natural Weapon (Bite: 8P, AP –1), 
  Sapience, Venom
  Optional Powers
  Dragonspeech
  Note
  Amazonian great anacondas are Mystic Adepts. Amazonian Great 
  Anacondas have +1 Reach.
  Weapons
  Bite (DV 8P, AP –1)
  B
  A
  R
  S
  W
  L
  I
  C
  ESS
  EDG
  7
  4
  3(4)
  6
  5
  2
  4
  2
  3.6
  3
  Condition Monitor
  12/11
  Armor
  11
  Limits
  Physical 8, Mental 5, Social 5
  Physical Initiative
  8 + 2D6
  Skills
  Automatics 5, Close Combat skill group 4, First Aid 2, 
  Leadership 3, Sneaking 3
  Knowledge Skills
  Amazonian History 5, Amazonian Politics 6, Amazonian 
  Portuguese N, DISA 3, Dragons 3, English 2, Small Unit Tactics 
  5, Smuggling Routes 2
  Qualities
  Prejudiced (Shapechangers)
  Augmentations
  Cybereyes [Rating 1, w/ image link, smartlink], platelet factory, 
  wired reflexes 1 
  Gear
  Armor vest [9], helmet [+2], Erika elite commlink [DR4], AR 
  gloves, earbuds
  Weapons
  Yamaha Raiden [Assault Rifle, Acc 6(8), DV 11P, AP –2, BF/FA, 
  RC(1), 60 (c)]
  Fragmentation grenade [Grenade, DV 18P(f), AP +5, –2/m]
  
  gaME InFoRMaTIon
  31
  nEW gEaR
  aVIbRaS-nISSan an 822
  Amazonia has one of the world’s largest demand for civil-
  ian helicopters, and they are extensively used to get around 
  the mega city to avoid the hazards of road transportation. 
  The Avibras-Nissan AN 822, built in partnership between 
  the Japanese giant and a local Amazonian firm is specifically 
  crafted for the reality of Metrópole air travel. It is small and 
  nimble enough to dodge competing air traffic, some of which 
  are large flying critters, such as dracoforms. It carries a suite 
  of defensive measures to ward off the ever-present mid-air 
  extraction risk. High-end executives, however, will always be 
  driven by a rigger, either remotely or physically, or protected 
  by an overwatching decker.
  Standard Accessories: Evasion Autosoft 
  Rating 
  2, 
  Manoeuvering Autosoft Rating 2, Electronic Warfare Autosoft 
  Rating 2, Rigger Interface, Manual Controls
  The AN 822 has a Device Rating of 4 and his operated 
  using the Pilot Aircraft skill.
  HANDL SPEED
  BOD
  ARM
  PILOT
  SENS
  SEATS
  AVAIL
  COST
  5
  6
  14
  10
  3
  3
  5
  10
  221,500¥
  lIFE MoDulES
  The following Nationality is for use with, and adds to the 
  available options of, the Shadowrun Life Module character 
  creation system (p. 65, Run Faster).
  naTIonalITy
  aMazonIan
  Primary Language: Amazonian Portuguese (N)
  Secondary Language (choose 1 language with 1 rank): 
  English, Japanese, German
  Universal Skills: Knowledge: Football +1, Knowledge: 
  Amazonia +1, Knowledge: Paranormal Critters +1
  Regions:
  Metropole—Rio de Janeiro : Etiquette +1, Swimming +1, 
  Charisma +1, SINner(5)
  Metropole—Centro : Computer +1, Knowledge : Paranor-
  mal Critters +1, Knowledge: Law +1, Logic +1, SINner(5)
  Metropole—Sao Paulo  : Negotiation +1, Logic +1, Lan-
  guage +2, SINner(5)
  Metropole—SINless : Agility +1, Knowledge : Metropole +1
  Amazonian Tribal : Survival +1, Archery +1, Knowledge : 
  Amazonian Rainforest +2, Knowledge: Flora +1, Body 
  +1, Uneducated
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Shadowrun [multi]/5th Edition/Shadowrun Shadows in Focus/Shadowrun_5E_Shadows_in_Focus_-_City_by_Shadow_Metropole.pdf