TEXT: Technology
  
  86 — Skillwires
  SKILLWIRES
  Keith <holmes@mentor.cc.purdue.edu >
  UTILITARIAN TASK ADAPTIVE SKILLWIRES
  The basic concept behind this is that Skillwires have a
  certain amount of relative “memory” with which to
  maintain and operate the various skillsofts that users
  implement through their usage. A confusing problem
  concerning the ratings that Skillwires can actually
  “maintain” and “utilize” at one time has arisen.
  Why are they restricted according to the direct ratings of
  the skillsofts that are implemented? If everyone will please
  refer to their SR Manuals, in the description section of the
  Equipment chapter, and refer to the MP requirements for
  skillsofts, you will see what I am referring to and hopefully
  follow along for this discussion.
  On the table, you will notice a rather unusual and
  fluctual curve in the requirements for MP that skillsofts
  have at different gradations. You will also hopefully notice,
  that Concentrations and Specializations have varying
  requirements, that are not equivalent to General skill
  categories. This is the proposal as put out by a few
  individuals:
  The Skillwires mentioned at the top of the paragraph
  (UTASK for short) allow an amount of MP equal to the level
  of requirements for the general category. For example,
  someone with Skillwires level 3 will have a limit of 30 MP
  for skillsoft utilization. Someone with Skillwires level 6 will
  have 300 MP, etc.
  The limits for the maximum rating that can be accepted
  is still the rating of the skillwires, but now the MP
  requirements allow for a slightly advanced amount of skill
  allotments.
  For example, Peregrine has skillwires level 3 (the UTASK
  variety), and as such, can have up 30 MP for skillsofts, as
  long as no skill goes over level 3. He decides to go for an
  Athletics concentration in running at level 3 (18 MP) and a
  Specialization in Assault Rifles at level 3 as well, also level
  3 (12 MP). As the two of these skillsofts combined do not
  exceed 30 MP, then Peregrine is doing just fine and
  keeping his own while on the run too.
  Now I realize that this does lend itself to some abusive
  nature, as someone with a UTASK level 6, can therefore
  have 300 MP of skillsofts, and get things like 10 Level 3
  General skillsofts at the same time. Ok, this is true, one
  could do this; however, please remember the following.
  All of this takes an amount of time to load into the
  UTASK networking, which is defined as SLD and SSLD in
  the Shadowtech Sourcebook. The level of current SLD is
  the adjustment to reaction/initiative numbers for the
  duration of the loading process, and you still don’t have
  the actual skills loaded up yet.
  For example, Reflex is going to fill up his UTASK level 6
  skillwires with the full 300 MP of skillsofts. As this takes
  time to accept into the rating, the SSLD that he has
  accrued (lets say SSLD of 3) would mean a -3 to his
  reaction/initiative until the uploading was completed.
  Now then, a few of you know of Skillwires PLUS
  systems, and you may be wondering how these figure
  into the above formula. Simply putting it, double the
  amount of MP utilization that SW PLUS can handle. SO a
  SK PLUS level 6 would be able to handle 600 MP of
  skillsofts at a time, as long as none of the skills were over
  rating 6.
  What I am proposing as well, is the introduction of two
  new levels of UTASK systems. They are as follows:
  Rating
  Cost
  Essence
  1-3 (a)
  20,500/level
  .15/level
  4-6 (a)
  152,500/level
  .25/level
  7-9 (a)
  1,100,000/level
  .35/level
  1-3 (b)
  26,550/level
  .2/level
  4-6 (b)
  182,750/level
  .3/level
  7-9 (b)
  1,250,000/level
  .4/level
  The (a) is for UTASK Grade 3 skillwires and the (b) is for UTASK Grade 4
  skillwires.
  Grade 3 can accept 3 times the normal (base) MP and Grade 4 can accept
  4 times the normal MP.
  So, if Peregrine were to have UTASK Grade 4 skillwires at level 3, he could
  have 120 MP of skillsofts, none higher than rating 3, going at the
  same time.
  SKILLWIRE OVERLOAD
  It has often been speculated what happens to an
  individual when they are suddenly subject to “skillwire
  overload.” That is, the effect that happens when skillwire
  systems have their respective limitations on skillsofts/MP
  exceeded.
  As the usage of Skillwires tends to override the baser,
  natural, functions of the body’s motor neural relays, the
  body will suffer a visible effect quite similar to an overload
  that many electronics suffer.
  For a number of turns equal to (rating points
  exceeded)D6, the person will literally have little to any
  control of his/her body. ALL target numbers while in this
  situation are DOUBLED, due to the extreme chaos and
  confusion as the body tried to right itself against the cold,
  insensitive artificial relays.
  The effect can be defeated in a number of ways
  however. Removal of the Skillsoft from the accessible
  memory of the skillwires being the most prevalent of
  them all.
  During this period of thrashing about, the body can also
  suffer some damage. This is calculated, as well as an
  example of the above mentioned “overload", below.
  Overload Level (time): Skillsoft Implemented -
  Skillwires Level
  Damage: Body vs. (Twice Overload Level)L(Elapsed
  Duration) in Fatigue
  For example, Reflex decides to try and slot a rating 9
  skillsoft into his rating 6 skillwires. He immediately
  collapses into convulsions as his body attempts to right
  itself, and the skillwires go through a series of “bootup
  failures.” He will suffer the effects for 3D6 Turns. Each Turn,
  he will suffer 6L(Turn #) in stun wounds. This damage can
  be very cumulative however.
  For example, lets say he is suffering this effect for 14
  Turns (the dice rolled well). First round, he suffers 6L1,
  then 6L2, 6L3, then 6L4, etc… If the wounds exceed
  Deadly on the stun/mental monitor, then real damage
  begins to be accrued.
  For the purposes of these tests, Dermal Armor,
  Orthoskin, and Bone Lacing are of no help. Synthacardium
  bonuses (if any) do apply however. Pain Editors/Monitors
  can often delay this effect for a few moments, but
  eventually, they will be overrun as well.
  
  Clustered Datajacks — 87
  CLUSTERED DATAJACKS
  Robert Hayden <rahayden@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu>
  Tired of the bulky and intrusive cyberwear required to
  operate more than one datajack? Then these systems are
  for you.
  Clustered Datajacks are complete I/O subsystems
  designed specifically for multitasking environments. Each
  system contains two to five of our ChromeTek™ shielded
  datajacks, a matching number of our award-winning
  Conductor™ I/O processors to control traffic flow, and a
  liberal supply of memory to buffer your important data.
  Designed to be less intrusive than the old systems,
  each cluster is computer matched and synchronized to
  operate in perfect harmony with any one of our state-of-
  the-art Encephalons.
  Each system includes the datajacks, I/O SPUs, and
  memory required to multitask more that one datajack.
  Consult the tables below to determine nuyen and
  essence costs for these systems. Level indicates the level
  of all components.
  »A little, pricey, don’t you think?«
  — Splut (01:48:16/10-21-52)
  »Depends on what you need it for. Any person using 5
  datajacks will most likely have the money for it, or the
  corporate backing. Of course, for a complete level 4 system,
  you are looking at about 350k or so.«
  — Trog the Gnome (01:51:10/10-21-52)
  »Don’t forget to get a Math SPU. Multitasking can slow down
  system response, which can be deadly if you are decking. A
  Math SPU helps to alleviate some of that system delay.«
  — Fiddler (01:55:43/10-21-52)
  »Correction. A complete level 4 system will cost you about
  380k.«
  — Trog the Gnome (01:58:58/10-21-92)
  »Any truth to the rumors that Yoshida Tech is trying to match
  up the encephalon processor into the same essence friendly
  system? This would be mint because you could drop in a
  complete multiport setup with completely matched
  components.«
  — Slipspeed (02:03:41/10-21-52)
  »Yes we are. We have encountered two major problems
  though. First, the encephalon base processor doesn’t like to be
  very friendly, apparently. Computer processors don’t work well
  together unless they are synched up correctly, and even then it is
  a pretty uneasy working relationship. Our subsystems get the
  processors to “be friendly” by having a less than .00003% data
  clash rate. Unfortunately, when we add in the processors for
  the encephalon expert system, it fights like hell to dominate the
  other processors, raising data clashes to .0074%. While this is
  well below typical multasking operation levels, it doesn’t meet
  our purposes of making it easy on the human mind. Research
  continues and I think we will have a viable product on the
  market within six to eight months.
  The other problem is in manufacturing. Right now we have
  sixteen different clustered systems available. If we offer every
  level of encephalon with every level of I/O subsystem, we will
  be looking at manufacturing 64 different products, which would
  make the costs prohibitive. But then again, that isn’t my
  department. I just get the stuff made, it is up to someone else in
  the company to sell the damn things.«
  — Lincoln Howe, Vice President of Cybertronics and Matrix
  Research Yoshida Technologies (02:17:06/10-21-52)
  CLUSTERED DATAJACK COST TABLE
  Datajacks
  I/O SPUs
  Memory
  Cost
  Essence
  Level 1
  2
  2
  50
  30,000¥
  .35
  3
  3
  100
  50,000¥
  .60
  4
  4
  150
  70,000¥
  .85
  5
  5
  200
  90,000¥
  1.10
  Level 2
  2
  2
  50
  40,000¥
  .50
  3
  3
  100
  65,000¥
  .80
  4
  4
  150
  85,000¥
  1.10
  5
  5
  200
  110,000¥
  1.40
  Level 3
  2
  2
  50
  55,000¥
  .65
  3
  3
  100
  87,500¥
  1.00
  4
  4
  150
  120,000¥
  1.40
  5
  5
  200
  155,000¥
  1.75
  Level 4
  2
  2
  50
  90,000¥
  .75
  3
  3
  100
  140,000¥
  1.20
  4
  4
  150
  190,000¥
  1.65
  5
  5
  200
  240,000¥
  2.00
  
  88 — Multi-tasking
  MULTI-TASKING
  "We are in a Universe with more and more information, and less and less meaning.”
  — Jean Beaudrillard
  Robert Hayden <aq650@slc4.INS.CWRU.Edu>
  Vincent Esposito <VESPOSIT@CCVM.sunysb.edu>
  INTRODUCTION
  With the advent of the Encephalon as a cognitive multi-
  tasking control unit, a team of industrious cyber-engineers
  have been developing methods for multi-tasking several
  datajacks, allowing many interesting possibilities. Now you
  can run multiple cyberdecks, rigs, communication jobs,
  computers, synthesizers, etc. in nearly any combination,
  as long as you have enough datajacks.
  HOW MULTI-TASKING WORKS
  Multi-tasking is accomplished by switching attention
  between tasks at an incredibly fast rate utilizing the
  cognitive multi-tasking of the encephalon. A person using
  this system to run 2 decks (and thus having 2 Matrix
  personas doing different things) or someone rigging a
  vehicle and using two remote control decks, for example,
  never actually executes two commands simultaneously.
  The encephalon allows the user to have his attention on
  one task for a few nanoseconds, and then switches
  attention to another task for a few nanoseconds. This
  switching is fast, but not instantaneous, so there is some
  degradation in response time.
  Also, the encephalon was not designed to handle
  multiple datastreams, so the FIFO (First In/First Out) buffer
  is required. The buffer stores outgoing commands, and
  incoming segments of data, so that the encephalon only
  has to deal with one device. The encephalon simply looks
  up the region of the buffer that is associated with the
  datajack it is currently giving attention to, and writes
  output to that datajack in another partition of that region.
  The I/O SPU associated with a datajack looks in it’s
  assigned region of memory for data that is to be sent
  through the datajack, and places any incoming data in that
  region also.
  Furthermore, a Math SPU added to the encephalon acts
  as a floating point math coprocessor of the 20th century,
  speeding up response time so reaction penalties are
  reduced.
  TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS AND RULES
  The Basic system: To multitask several datajacks you
  need a few things:
  1)
  An encephalon of appropriate level
  2)
  A number of datajacks
  3)
  An equal number of I/O SPU’s of the same rating as
  the datajacks
  4)
  A FIFO (First-In/First-Out) buffer of headware
  memory
  5)
  (optional) A math SPU whose rating is at least that
  of the encephalon to decrease system overhead.
  These components are linked according to this chart:
  encephalon
  ⇔ FIFObuffer1 ⇔ I/O SPU1 ⇔ datajack1
  .
  .
  .
  .
  .
  .
  ⇔ FIFObuffern ⇔ I/O SPUn ⇔ datajackn
  The number of datajacks that can be controlled by an
  encephalon is equal to the rating of the encephalon + 1.
  BUFFER MEMORY REQUIREMENTS:
  This is internal memory utilized by the encephalon to
  buffer commands and data. To determine the amount of
  buffer memory that must be installed, consult the table
  below.
  Number of Datajacks
  Size in MP of Buffer
  1
  0
  2
  50
  3
  100
  4
  150
  5
  200
  REACTION PENALTIES:
  Multi-tasking does cause some loss of response time
  due to data clash and processing time spent switching
  between datajacks. Basically, this results in a reaction
  penalty depending on how many datajacks are being used
  at any given time. This is determined by the following
  table.
  # of active datajacks
  Encephalon Level
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  1
  0
  -1
  —
  —
  —
  2
  0
  -1
  -2
  —
  —
  3
  0
  -1
  -2
  -3
  —
  4
  0
  -1
  -2
  -3
  -4
  This penalty applies to each “Task” being done. For
  example: OddBall is running 3 datajacks, one is a remote
  vehicle rig, and the others are cyberdecks. This means that
  OddBall has a -2 to his reaction for each “task".
  Note: The addition of a Math SPU whose level is equal
  or greater than the level of the encephalon will speed up
  response time somewhat. Adding this extra hardware will
  reduce all reaction penalties by one point. (Suppose
  OddBall has a Math SPU, each of his “tasks” will now only
  have a -1 reaction penalty). A Math SPU will not bestow a
  bonus for running only one datajack.
  OPTIONAL: PRIORITIZED MULTI-TASKING
  Optionally, a GM can allow multitasking players (and
  NPC’s) to use the following “priority system” for reaction
  penalties.
  Instead of having an across the board reaction penalty to
  all processes, the multi-tasking user can distribute his
  reaction penalties in any fashion. This means that the user
  can rank the importance of each task by it’s reaction
  penalty (hence the name “priority system".)
  The following table shows the total penalty for running a
  given number of datajacks. The user may distribute these
  “penalty points” among his active datajacks in any fashion.
  The penalties assigned must add up to the total given by
  the table.
  # of active datajacks
  Encephalon Level
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  1
  0
  -2
  —
  —
  —
  2
  0
  -2
  -6
  —
  —
  3
  0
  -2
  -6
  -12
  —
  4
  0
  -2
  -6
  -12
  -20
  Note: The figures in this table are derived by multiplying
  the base penalty (see previous chart) by the number of
  datajacks.
  
  Multitasking — 89
  Math SPU: After assigning penalties to all datajacks,
  reduce each penalty by one if a Math SPU is present.
  (note: you cannot gain a bonus this way, a task running at
  -0 does not become +1 with a Math SPU)
  Changing Priorities: At any time, a user may change
  the way the penalties are distributed. This takes one action
  to accomplish, and is done exactly the same as assigning
  the initial penalties.
  “Dead” Tasks: If a task goes inactive, whether on
  purpose or as the result of an outside force (i.e.: A
  persona gets fried by IC, a remote drone is destroyed,
  someone pulls out one of your cords, etc.) then the user
  must re-distribute priorities immediately to reflect the
  change in the system. This will take one action.
  »You don’t actually have to redistribute immediately. But until
  you do, the penalties for the dead task are applied to all
  remaining tasks. So it’ll behoove you to clean up that dead
  process.«
  — Micromara (12:59:01/02-23-93)
  If the user chooses, he can allow the automatic
  redistribution functions to take over. If this happens, the
  penalties are equally divided between all of the active
  datajacks. This takes no action as it is automatic.
  Example: Static is running four datajacks in a prioritized
  system [total penalty is -12]. He has assigned penalties as
  0, -1, -4, -7. Suddenly, his -7 datajack is disconnected. The
  system reaction penalty is now -6 and the computer will
  automatically assign those points as -2, -2, -2 unless Static
  was to spend the next action assigning them differently.
  N E R P S ! N E R P S ! N E
  R P S ! N E R P S ! N E R P
  S ! N E R P S ! N E R P S !
  N E R P S ! N E R P S ! N E
  R P S ! N E R P S ! N E R P
  S ! N E R P S ! N E R P S !
  N E R P S ! N E R P S ! N E
  R P S ! N E R P S ! N E R P
  S ! N E R P S ! N E R P S !
  N E R P S ! N E R P S ! N E
  R P S ! N E R P S !  N E R P
  S ! N E R P S !  N E R P S !
  N E R P S ! N E R P S ! N E
  R P S ! N E R P S ! N E R P
  S ! N E R P S ! N E R P S !
  N E R P S !  N E R P S !  N E
  R P S !  N E R P S !  N E R P
  MAXIMUM PENALTIES
  Because each process must have a minimum amount of
  CPU time, there is a maximum penalty that you can assign
  to a process. This penalty is based on the number of
  datajacks being used and the processing power (rating) of
  the encephalon. Consult the table below to determine this
  maximum penalty:
  # of Active Datajacks
  Encephalon Level
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  1
  x
  -2
  —
  —
  —
  2
  x
  -2
  -4
  —
  —
  3
  x
  -2
  -5
  -7
  —
  4
  x
  -2
  -6
  -8
  -11
  Example: Splut is running four datajacks with a level 3
  system. He must distribute 12 priority points. The
  maximum number of points he could put into one process
  would be 7, and he would have to use the other 5 in any
  of the other three datajacks.
  FIELD NOTES
  »This is a classy setup, let me tell you. I once knew a rigger
  who had three datajacks. Was able to plug himself into his car
  and drive, fire the car’s guns, and control a flying drone all at
  the same time with very little apparent loss of control. It’s not
  just for deckers.«
  — Joyride (13:18:36/10-10-52)
  »The biggest problem I see with this system is the fact that it
  is not very essence friendly. I mean, if you want a Level 4
  Encephalon, 5 level 4 datajacks, 5 level 4 I/O SPUs, a level 4
  math SPU, and 200 MP of memory, you are looking at 5.16
  points of essence! Who in their right mind would do something
  like that?«
  — Splut (13:27:12/10-10-52)
  »I would.«
  — Datajerk (13:28:21/10-10-52)
  »Figures. Where this really pays off is that you can have one
  person working on five computer projects at once. I’ve heard
  of a bunch of corps giving their wage—slaves level 4 systems
  in order to increase productivity. It isn’t very cheap, but it really
  pays off in the end.
  Deckers can also make good use of this system. I know a gal
  who usually runs with three decks. Each of the personas has a
  specialty. One can fight real well, one is the master data—
  gatherer, another sleazes and scans. Remarkable setup. And
  each of the personas of course use the same memory for
  utilities, dramatically cutting down on the amount of data being
  moved around. Even Black IC have problems fighting off three
  deckers at once. Really remarkable.«
  — Fastjack (13:41:46/10-10-52)
  »Christ, Fastjack. You sound like you are in love.«
  — The Smiling Bandit (Strikes again!/Ha-Ha-Ha)
  »Well, just don’t tell anyone.«
  — Fastjack (13:43:04/10-10-52)
  »I heard that, Fastjack. Dinner! My place! Tonight! Eight
  o’clock! Don’t you dare be late!«
  — CyberGal (13:45:22/10-10-52)
  »Hmm. A woman who can do three things at once, eh? Kinda
  boggles the imagination if you let it.«
  — The Smiling Bandit (Strikes again!/Ha-Ha-Ha)
  »Shut up, Smilie.«
  — Fastjack (13:47:08/10-10-52)
  
  90 — Credsticks
  CREDSTICKS
  Wordman <lward@flashpt.com>
  SPECIFICATIONS
  Dimensions: 6cm long, 0.5cm radius at the base.
  Weight: 7g
  Styles
  Maximum Amount
  Minimum ID Level
  Bands
    Standard
  5,000¥
  Passcode
  1 Green
    Silver
  20,000¥
  Fingerprint
  2 Silver
    Gold
  200,000¥
  Voiceprint
  3 Gold
    Platinum
  1,000,000¥
  Retinal Scan
  4 Silver
    Ebony
  unlimited
  Cellular Scan
  5 Black
  Appearance
  Cylindrical hard plastic cone; thin.  The last centimeter of
  the point is transparent plastic, striped vertically with
  conductive metal. Colored rings (1.5mm thick) around the
  fatter end indicate the level of the credstick; the level is
  indicated both by the color of the band(s) as well as the
  number of bands present. The rest of the surface of the
  credstick is generally covered with whatever the bank
  which issued the stick chose (typically, the name and
  emblem of the bank, with perhaps some regional
  imagery). Many banks choose a flat matte black for
  elegance and anonymity. Certified credsticks are somewhat
  larger (8cm long) with a display in along the edge
  indicating how much credit is on the stick. Normal
  credsticks have no display of their own.
  »Some banks will give you a few newyen for certified
  credstick ‘empties’, as they can be recycled.«
   — Bubba Baby (16 AUG 56/23:32:04)
  USE
  When making a purchase with any credstick, the stick
  must be inserted into a slot near the register. They
  purchaser must then verify her identity by entering her
  passcode and any other ID verification. Note that the level
  of ID check which is required depends on the amount of
  the purchase as much as it does on the level of the
  credstick; most stores have only the ID verification
  systems most suited to their target market. For example,
  the owner of an Ebony stick would have to enter only her
  passcode at a Stuffer Shack but while buying a car, she
  would have to pass at least a passcode/fingerprint/
  voiceprint scan, and while buying a new boat, might have
  to pass all five levels of ID check.
  Once entered, the credstick verification system (CVS)
  compares the entered information to that encoded onto
  the credstick. If the entered passcode matches the one on
  the credstick (and finger/voice/retina/cell patterns come
  near enough to matching) the CVS check if the current
  balance of the credstick is enough to pay for the purchase.
  »Being ‘near enough to matching’ depends on the verifying
  system. I’ve seen good and bad.  Usually the bad ones miss
  because their recognition systems suck and so they allow a
  huge margin of error, like 60%. They great ones only allow
  about a 5% error margin. Maybe 10% for some of the cellular
  stuff.«
  — Irgos (12 APR 56/06:31:05)
  Note that at this point, the CVS has taken the credsticks
  word that all is ok. Next, the CVS gets the Matrix address
  of the bank from the credstick and connects to it. It now
  makes two checks, both based upon the fact that the bank
  has the same identification information as the credstick.
  First, it verifies that the data which was input to the
  verifiers matches the banks patterns. This check should
  almost always turn up the same way that the comparison
  to the data in the credstick did. Secondly, the patterns in
  the bank and the credstick are compared; these should
  always be exactly the same.
  »The cheaper systems aren’t this picky. Most do one check or
  the other, usually the first one. Many of your better (and worse)
  restaurants, bars and all don’t even make the first credstick
  verification and connect directly to the bank.«
  — Buliminator (7 JUN 56/04:12:15)
  »Couldn’t that be used to insert a virus into a bank?«
  — Glub-Master-Ridlin (9 JUL 56/05:50:06)
  »The bank’s routines never make an part of a credit check
  executable (in a pretty smooth way), so not. You could maybe
  use it as a trigger to a virus that's already there.  Hmmm.«
  — Yowzaa (19 SEP 56/The witching hour)
  If nothing goes wrong, the money is transferred and the
  bank and the credstick are updated. Lastly, the credstick
  and the bank confirm that they have updated correctly.
  CONSTRUCTION & FUNCTIONS
  Inside the plastic casing are a very small battery, one
  ROM chip, three RAM chips, four WORM chips, a small
  microprocessor and the connections between them. These
  provide features as follows:
  FCP (Fuchi Credstick Processor)
  This is a very small, limited processor which controls the
  read/write functions of all the chips. It can pass control off
  to hard-coded routines on other special chips (like the
  SCTP ROM, below) for more advanced functions (like
  handshaking I/O).
  SCTP ROM (Standard Credstick Transfer Protocol)
  This read-only chip contains routines which control the
  communications with CVS units. It was built with the other
  chips in the credstick in mind and can be given full control
  of the credstick.
  Eveready CS Rechargeable Battery
  This is a very small power source which exists only to
  allow credstick to credstick transfers. It has a very short life
  span, but gets fully recharged whenever slotted into a
  CVS. Except when powering stick-to-stick transfers, the
  battery provides no power to any chips; normal transfers
  are powered by the CVS.
  KeyRAM
  This RAM chip (2Mp) contains key-encrypted keys to
  locks of the owner of the credstick. The key to the typical
  lock is a 73 digit number (which generally isn't known to
  anyone or anything but the lock and the key). When first
  set up, the credstick is inserted into a new maglock and ID
  confirmation is downloaded. The lock then writes the key
  which will open it to this chip. The lock also writes a flag,
  marking the key as a key to that lock in a way that only
  the lock will understand. The lock then encrypts the key
  using a key that only the lock knows. Later, when the user
  tries to unlock the door and ID is verified, the lock
  decrypts the key, compares it to its known key and opens
  that door.
  »This sounds a bit flaky, but it basically prevents you from
  stealing a stick and figuring out which key is to which door. It
  also makes it difficult, if you do know the door, to hack out
  and decrypt the key to it and use it to open the door. The key
  the lock chooses originally depends on the ID on the credstick.
  To get the lock to send the key, it has to think that you are the
  
  Credsticks — 91
  ID on the stick, and if you can do that, you could just use the
  stick anyway.«
  — Bilbo (Beauty/Death)
  »Some don’t use encryption (and some use mutating
  encryption), but what the chumlichen is sayin’ is that it’s easier
  to use a maglock passkey, which attempts to fool the fragging
  lock that it’s already been given the key, without actually even
  messing with the whole key system. “These aren't the droids
  you’re looking for.”«
  — Max (15 OCT 56/12:13:14)
  IndentityMatrix™
  All identity verification information (password, voiceprint,
  fingerprint) is contained on this 10Mp WORM chip along
  with the owners name, SIN, photo and vital statistics
  (including MedicAlert information). The decision to make
  this a WORM chip rather than a ROM chip is that banks
  would have the ability to instantly update—but not alter—
  the credsticks of their customers. When a credstick is
  issued, the issuing bank will record and verify the owners
  information up to the level needed by the stick; when
  satisfied that the data is 100%, they write onto the WORM
  chip. Later, the owner can have his credstick upgraded by
  writing extra data to the unused portion of the chip;
  however, old data cannot be corrected or replaced.
  »The fascists at the banks keep a sphincter-tight grip of the
  tech that writes the data. Get one of those and write your own
  ticket, chummer«
  — Until (5 JAN 56/02:02:02)
  »Bzzzt. Incorrect. It ain’t exactly easy to write what you need to
  a c-stick, but it ain’t hard. The part that’s a bitch is getting the
  same data into the credit computers.«
  — Horus (Egypt/Rising)
  »Little corp kids’re given credsticks with just ID stuff at birth.
  Guess they figure that it’ll help the li’l nippers when they get lost,
  heh?«
  — Urp (12 FEB 56/5:10:29)
  Tyr5
  This is a 1Mp WORM chip which keeps licensing
  information of the owner. It functions like the ID chip, but
  it written to by licensing bureaus like the Department of
  Motor Vehicles and the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
  Flags indicating license renewal may be written in later.
  Each license has an encrypted flag which serves as a seal
  of the license issuer.
  »And also serves the owner when it is forged by a third-
  graders deck.«
  — Horus (Egypt/Rising)
  IP10 (International Passport)
  A 10Mp WORM chip which holds the passport of the
  owner (if any) and the cumulative ‘stamps’ of any and all
  border crossings made by the user.
  BNK5
  This WORM chip contains encrypted account information
  of the owner. Each account listing is encrypted by the
  bank which holds it by an encryption scheme known only
  to that bank. Each entry holds the bank’s name, the
  account number, and the bank’s LTG number. No other
  information (current balance or account history, for
  example) is held in this chip.
  »In the rare case that you…acquire a stick that has multiple
  account information you’d like to peruse, remember that each
  line is encrypted differently. If you don't tweak a decryption
  program to allow for this, you'll be wasting your time.«
  — Max (15 OCT 56/12:26:14)
  Live! At the Ugly Jazz Club!
  Creamtronic
  Dreams!
  Rock into the Summer with Vance Lance, Mickey Sean
  Cassidy, Freddie Tanes and Silver Cianide.
  Hourly Specials
  14 Normal St.
  PTV Ch. 349
  Seattle
  6¥ Access
  12¥ at the door
  No Recording!
  June 21, 8:30-12:30
  Balance
  This is a RAM chip which holds the transitory information
  about accounts, including current balance and the last
  twenty transactions (or more if the stick has not been
  updated). This information is for the owners use only and
  is not generally considered valid by the CVS; it trusts the
  bank’s information, not the credstick’s.
  »Almost. If the stick’s got a log of a stick-to-stick shake, it
  will tell the bank that. Unfortunately, the money won't appear
  until both of the sticks involved in coitus have been slotted.
  stick-to-certified is the lambada o’ banking; it is forbidden!«
  — Yearner (12 SEP 56/13:43:09)
  AIM5
  This is a standard RAM storage chip, holding 5Mp, which
  can be used for any data the user desires. Typical uses
  include holding resume, business card data, phone
  numbers, personal pictures and so on. In some countries
  (most notably the Ute Nation) votes for an upcoming
  election can be stored in this chip, then easily and quickly
  slotted in a street-corner voting booth.
  »Most personal electronic goodies (pocket secs, and what
  have you) have credstick slots in them, to make “personal
  banking the most convenient way to bank”. This means that you
  transfer credit by phone (which needs to get verified the same
  way stick-to-sticks do, unless you have a real serious
  phone).«
  — Ferrah Moan (25 OCT 56/23:20:45)
  »In about a week, Fuchi will start pushing Dataspikes™. These
  are memory (about 100Mp of RAM) which come in otherwise
  empty credstick cases (but the spikes don’t have rings). Along
  with these spikes, Fuchi will release a line of “executive
  electronics” which save space by eliminating standard optical
  chip interfaces. Think Fuchi’s trying to start a new storage
  standard? Naw!«
  — Yabba (Dabba/Doooo!)
  
  92 — The Black Market
  THE BLACK MARKET
  “Welcome to the machine.”
  — Pink Floyd
  VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS
  PORTABLE VEHICLE CONTROL RIG(PVCR)
  (thanks to Rat Rasta, jdelahunt@ccnode.colorado.edu)
  An experimental item from Mitsuhama;, the PVCRuses
  existing autopilot connections and wiring within the
  vehicle to allow a rigger better control of the vehicle. At
  this point, the PVCR is unsubtle in it’s methods, using it’s
  rating in dice to attack, with the vehicle resisting with it’s
  autopilot rating. Each turn on “conflict” takes three
  seconds, and when the PVCR wins (which it will), the
  rating of the effective VCR is the rating of the vehicle’s
  autopilot or the PVCR, whichever is lower.
  The Mitsuhama PVCR allows a rigger to move from
  vehicle to vehicle without rebuilding each vehicle.
  Once the PVCR is removed, however, the vehicle has
  no effective autopilot, and every subsequent driver suffers
  a +2 to driving target numbers.
  Rating
  Cost
  1
  20,000¥
  2
  35,000¥
  3
  55,000¥
  4
  120,000¥
  5
  190,000¥
  6
  260,000¥
  7
  660,000¥
  8
  790,000¥
  9
  999,999¥
  by Jonathon K. Henry <warmongr@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>
  »Greetings one and all, here are some ideas that a few of us
  in our Shadowrealm have come up with or come across. I do
  hope that you find them of moderate usage.«
  — The Reflex/Harbringer (11:39:42/5-21-60)
  »VUB in this catalog is Vehicle’s Unmodified Body. VMBA is
  Vehicle’s Modified Body and Armor.«
  — The Anal Anagramist (08:27:18/8-30-52)
  COMPRESS FUEL TANKS
  Parts Cost:
  VUB x 150¥
  Installation Target #:
  3 + VUB
  Installation Time:
  72 Hours ÷ Success(es)
  Facilitation Required:
  Vehicle Work Shop
  Appropriate Skill:
  Vehicle B/R, or Armor B/R
  These objects allow for a 15% increase in fuel storage for
  the spacing of the tank. The new tank(s) are considered to
  have a Body/Armor (B/A) of 2/2.
  COMPRESS FUEL TANKS (IMPROVED)
  Parts Cost:
  VUB x 350¥
  Installation Target #:
  4 + VUB
  Installation Time:
  72 Hours ÷ Success(es)
  Facilitation Required:
  Vehicle Work Shop
  Appropriate Skill:
  Vehicle B/R, or Armor B/R
  Effectively, these tank(s) are upgrades from the above
  mentioned version. They allow for up to 25% more fuel to
  be stored. The tank(s) are considered to have a B/A or
  3/2.
  COMPRESS FUEL TANKS (EXPANDED)
  Parts Cost:
  VUB x 350¥
  Installation Target #:
  4 + VUB
  Installation Time:
  72 Hours ÷ Success(es)
  Facilitation Required:
  Vehicle Work Shop
  Appropriate Skill:
  Vehicle B/R, or Armor B/R
  These are the guidelines that cover the fuel tank(s) if the
  expanded fuel storage option is utilized. These allow for up
  to 15% increase in the amount of fuel that can be stored
  within an expanded tank. They are considered to have a
  B/A of 3/2.
  COMPRESS FUEL TANKS (EXPANDED-IMP.)
  Parts Cost:
  VUB x 400¥
  Installation Target #:
  5 + VUB
  Installation Time:
  72 Hours ÷ Success(es)
  Facilitation Required:
  Vehicle Work Shop
  Appropriate Skill:
  Vehicle B/R, or Armor B/R
  Again, this is simply the upgrade for expanded tanks
  option of fuel storage. They can hold 25% more fuel than
  the standard expanded fuel tank(s). They are considered to
  have a B/A or 3/3.
  FUEL COMPRESSION SYSTEM
  Parts Cost:
  2,500¥
  Installation Target #:
  5
  Installation Time:
  72 Hours ÷ Successes(es)
  Facilitation Required:
  Vehicle Work Shop
  Appropriate Skill
  Vehicle B/R
  This system handles both the refueling and fuel injection
  system of the vehicle. It can handle the premise up to and
  including the Compress Fuel Tanks (Expanded-Improved)
  System. At the time of installation, the fuel tank volume
  and rate of flow are entered into the Vehicle’s Autopilot
  (which then registers the information to the driver/pilot).
  The flow regulation is handled within the compressor itself.
  GM’s Note: The compression fuel system only works on
  liquid fuel engines and does not work in conjunction with
  Jet Engine Technologies.
  LTA PANELING
  Parts Cost:
  VMBA x 1,500¥
  Installation Target #:
  6
  Installation Time:
  7 Days (168 hrs) ÷ Success(es)
  Facilitation Required:
  Vehicle Repair Facility
  Appropriate Skill
  Appropriate Vehicle B/R
  For aircraft only, this system allows for introduction of a
  full body system of LTA (Lighter Than Air) Paneling. It will
  increase the economy of a vehicle by an amount equal to
  (15 - VMB) in percentage. For example, a Panzer has a
  body of 16, thus the introduction of LTA Paneling will not
  increase its economy. If used on an Avenger Ultralight
  (B/A 3/3), the economy of the vehicle will be increased
  by 9%.
  The introduction of LTA Paneling also increases the
  Handling of the vehicle it is introduced into by +1 (+2 for
  Ultralights).
  
  The Black Market — 93
  DUAL BLADED, PUSH/PULL PROPELLER SYSTEMS
  Parts Cost:
  VUB x 7,500¥
  Installation Target #:
  5
  Installation Time:
  7 Days (168 hrs) ÷ Success(es)
  Facilitation Required:
  Vehicle Repair Facility
  Appropriate Skill:
  Appropriate Vehicle B/R, or
  Mechanical Engineering
  For aircraft only, this propeller engine design
  modification creates a set of two (2) parallel opposing
  “blades” which work in concert to create more “push” for
  the vehicle. The introduction of this system enhances the
  vehicles overall speed by +1%/+5%. They also increase
  the economy of the vehicle by +5%. They do however
  lower the signature of the vehicle by -2. If Dual Purpose
  Push/Pull Engines are being modified (such as in the Lear
  Platinum), then the cost is (VUB X 9,500) with a
  Installation Target # of 6.
  ENHANCED CARBURETORS
  Parts Cost:
  (VMB + Econ Inc) x 1,500¥
  Installation Target #:
  4
  Installation Time:
  72 Hours ÷ Success(es)
  Facilitation Required:
  Vehicle Repair Facility
  Appropriate Skill:
  Appropriate Vehicle B/R, or
  Mechanical Engineering
  These basically are the vaunted and mythical economy
  enhancing systems we have heard rumors of for a number
  of years. The cost of the system is equal to the vehicles
  modified body (which includes armoring) + the targeted
  increase in the vehicle’s economy. For example, Reflex
  wants to increase the economy of his Avenger Ultralight.
  The level of increase he wants to install is 20%. The cost
  for the increase system (parts only) is 180,000 Nuyen
  (WOW!!!). If the increase is desired for a MultiF requiring
  engine, then the economy increase is 2/3 normal. So if he
  wanted to upgrade the economy by 20% on a BMW
  Blitzen that utilized MultiF, the cost would have been
  100,000 Nuyen (20 X 2/3 {.6667} X 1500).
  GM’s Note: Please note that the Enhanced Carburetors
  will not work on Jet Propulsion Systems, Electric/Improved
  Electric Engines, or LAV aircraft.
  REDUCED COMPONENT RIG CONTROLS
  Parts Cost:
  Variable
  Installation Target #:
  As Standard plus CF Decrease
  Installation Time:
  As Standard X CF Decrease
  Facilitation Required:
  Vehicle Repair Facility
  Appropriate Skill:
  Appropriate 
  Vehicle 
  B/R,
  Mechanical Engineering, or Cybertechnology-Hardware
  Integration
  Originally suggested by many individuals, this system is
  similar to that one proposed for reduced component
  Sensor/ECM/ECCM packages. The comparison of CF
  reduction to cost is altered somewhat however.
  Reduction
  Cost Modifier
  Availability
  -1 CF
  X2
  6
  -2 CF
  X3
  9
  -3 CF
  X5
  11
  -4 CF
  X10
  22
  -5 CF
  Not Possible
  The base time to locate the parts is equal to the
  availability in Days (24 hour sets).
  CYBERLIMBS
  Wordman <lward@flashpt.com>
  The following rules make cyberlimbs; a bit more useful
  than per vanilla Shadowrun, offering some more useful
  extras. Effort has been made to make sense of the
  essence costs of various extras. (It makes no sense, for
  example, that the cyberarm guns in the Street Samurai
  Catalog cost more essence the bigger the gun gets.) I will
  try to justify essence costs at all times, allowing you to
  decide if it makes sense for the reasons I give. (I’m always
  available for discussion).
  As some of the things I’m proposing will cost no
  essence, the cost is usually elevated — sometimes ir-
  rationally so — for game balance purposes.
  CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE
  Quite a bit of what follows was inspired by the
  Cyberpunk RPG and it’s Chrome supplement. This is
  mostly a rules conversion to Shadowrun.
  As per normal Shadowrun rules, limbs come in two
  types: natural-looking and obvious cyberlimbs. Normal-
  looking limbs offer no special extras and the following rules
  do not apply to normal-looking limbs unless otherwise
  indicated. Every pair of limbs (Cyberhands not included,
  see below) acts as a level of dermal armor.
  I’m using the concept of spaces. Each limb gets a
  number of Spaces for added extras. These spaces should
  be considered a measure of volume. As this is the first
  (untested) draft of these rules, the sizes of some of the
  extras (i.e. the number of spaces occupied by them) will
  probably need some adjusting.
  Also, some spaces are different than others. A finger
  space is different from a other spaces. This should become
  clear later. Note that not all spaces need be filled.
  Cyberarms
  Cost a full essence point for either type (a table of
  essence and monetary costs can be found at the end of
  this missive). The arm portion (that is, the shoulder to the
  wrist) of the limb holds 4 Spaces. The hand part of the
  limb holds either 1 Hand Space or 4 Finger Spaces.
  Cyberlegs
  Cost a full essence point for either type. The limb as a
  whole holds 4 Spaces.
  Cyberhands
  For those who just want to replace the hand and not the
  whole arm. These cost 0.35 Essence for either type. [Note
  that all costs and benefits of the cyberarm described above
  already include the hand]. A hand can hold 1 hand space
  or 4 finger spaces. Increased strength cannot be installed
  in a hand, but an obvious cyberhand can easily crush
  bone. It also has the damage code of a club (Str+1)M2 for
  punching damage. These last two abilities are shared by a
  cyberarm as well.
  SPACES (NORMAL NON-HAND/NON-FINGER SPACES)
  Built-In device: Space cost up to gamemaster. Devices
  might include a pocket secretary, TV, radio, bug detector,
  medkit, stim player, fire-extinguisher, etc.
  Built-In Smartgun Link: Takes 0.5 spaces and costs
  0.25. This essence cost (half the cost of a normal smartgun
  link) reflects the hardware that must be installed in the
  head/eyes.
  Cavity: A space to put stuff into. Accessible without
  tools (optional). Space cost is variable, depending on how
  big the space is. Again, what fits into the cavity is up to
  the gamemaster.
  
  94 — The Black Market
  Cyberdeck: Fills number of spaces equal to MPCP/3
  (round all fractions up). This space cost does not include
  storage (but does include memory). Storage must be
  installed separately or externally. The deck can be
  internally hardwired to a datajack for 0.1 essence. (Note
  that a datajack is still needed.) Includes output and input
  ports through the arm, so internal wiring is optional. These
  decks are at 5 times the Nuyen cost.
  Cyberguns: Arms only. As per the Street Samurai
  Catalog except for essence cost. All guns cost 0.15
  essence for firing controls in the skull (optional). Smart
  cyberguns exist but are five time normal cost. Guns take
  up the spaces based on gun. See the table.
  Data Store: Takes up Mp/1000 spaces (keep fractions).
  Not compatible with headware memory; accessible only
  by external cable. Can be hardwired internally to an
  internal cyberdeck.
  Increased Strength: The same as the normal Shadowrun
  rules. Each level takes up 0.25 spaces.
  Spur: Arms only. Takes 1 space. No essence cost.
  Whip: Monofilament or otherwise. A retractable whip.
  1.5 spaces. 0.15 essence for controls in the head
  (optional).
  Wired Reflexes: If the organic body had (or has) a
  Vehicle Control Rig or wired or boosted reflexes implanted,
  they reflexes must be installed on the cyberlimb to get
  normal use. This hardware takes 0.5 spaces regardless of
  the type or level of reflex enhancement, but the Nuyen
  cost is included in the cost of the reflexes.
  HAND SPACES (all cost 1 Hand Space)
  Finger razors: Standard razors, retractable or otherwise.
  Flash Pack: Flashes out of palm or from back of hand.
  Standard flash pack, but directional.
  Maglock Passkey;: Highly illegal. Magcard flips from
  back of hand. Can be detected externally, with some
  difficulty (Concealability: 16).
  Microtronics Kit: A full microtronics tool kit contained
  within all the fingers of the hand.
  Taser: Works as a shock glove.
  FINGER SPACES (all cost 1 Finger Space u/o/n)
  Credstick: Full credstick, any type. Obviously not a
  finger. Non-jointed.
  Cutters: Takes two Finger spaces (one blade on each of
  two fingers). Work as heavy-duty scissors/wirecutters.
  Stabbing damage in melee is (Str/3)L2.
  Dartgun:Fires single compressed air dart. Range as Hold-
  out. Can fire as Narcojet or taser darts. Reloading is
  complex and takes 1 min.
  Finger Compartment: As in the Shadowrun rules.
  Injector: Chemical injector which pierces the skin and
  deliver a toxin. 2 doses. A touch is required for effect,
  resisted by impact armor. Any fluid can be injected:
  Narcojet, Fugu-5, curare, acid, etc.
  Light: Flashlight. Narrow beam to 30m.
  Lockpick: Effective against mechanical locks only.
  Sprayer: Chemical sprayer. 2 doses. 2 meter effective
  range. Any gaseous chemical is usable.
  CYBERLIMB COST TABLE
  Item
  Essence Cost
  Spaces Takent
  Nuyen Cost
  Limb Replacement
  1.0
  50,000¥
  Cyber Limb
  1.0
  100,000¥
  Hand Replacement
  0.35
  40,000¥
  Cyber Hand
  0.35
  75,000¥
  Increased Strength
  -
  L*.25
  +(L*150,000¥)
  Built-in Smartgun Link
  0.25
  0.5
  2,500¥
  Built-in Device
  -
  variable
  4*cost
  Cavity
  -
  variable
  100¥
  Cyberdeck
  (0.1)
  MPCP/3
  5*cost
  Cyberguns (damage/ammo)
  (0.15)
  Hold-Out (3L1/12)
  0.5
  250¥
  Light Pistol (3M2/10)
  1.0
  650¥
  Machine Pistol (3M2/10)
  1.5
  900¥
  Heavy Pistol (4M2/6)
  2.0
  800¥
  Submachine gun (4M3/8)
  2.5
  1,800¥
  Shotgun (3M3/4)
  3.0
  1,200¥
  Data Store
  -
  Mp/1000
  Mp*100¥
  Spur
  -
  1.0
  11,500¥
  Whip
  (0.15)
  1.5
  by weapon
  Normal whip
  5,000¥
  Monofilament whip
  15,000¥
  Wired Reflexes
  -
  0.5
  0¥
  Finger razors
  -
  1H
  9,000¥
  Flash Pack
  -
  1H
  1,500¥
  Maglock Passkey
  -
  1H
  100,000¥+
  Microtronics Kit
  -
  1H
  9,000¥
  Taser
  -
  1H
  4,500¥
  Credstick
  -
  1F
  5,000¥
  Cutters
  -
  2F
  2,000¥
  Dartgun
  -
  1F
  10,000¥
  Narcojet dart
  1,000¥
  Normal dart (2L2)
  100¥
  Taser dart
  500¥
  Finger Compartment
  -
  1F
  3,000¥
  Injector
  -
  1F
  30,000¥
  Light
  -
  1F
  1,000¥
  Lockpick
  -
  1F
  (rating*1,000¥)
  Sprayer
  -
  1F
  25,000¥
  
  The Black Market — 95
  ULTRASOUND EYES
  Ed “Overload” Davis <med4386@dijkstra.UnivNorthCo.edu>
  Type 1 Eyes
  Essence Loss:
  .1
  Cost:
  2,000¥
  Type 2 Eyes
  Essence Loss:
  .2
  Cost:
  5,000¥
  Ultrasound Headlights
  Essence Loss:
  —
  Cost:
  2,250¥
  Type 1 eyes are simply a receiver for the data from an
  existing ultrasound sight. They replace the need for
  ultrasound goggles. Type 2 eyes are an active emitter of
  ultrasound, replacing both the goggles and the sight.
  Headlights are a more powerful version of the ultrasound
  sight, and still require either goggles or type 1 eyes.
  Range is better — 200 meters, and the arc is 20 meters at
  this point.
  The effect of type 1 eyes is the same as using a
  flashlight in a dark room. The user’s field of vision will be
  larger than the ‘flashlight’s’ spot, allowing the user to see
  only where the ultrasound sight is pointed, and a small
  area round this. It doesn’t allow users to see around
  corners.
  Type 2 eyes cover the user’s line of sight, but cannot
  be used with any type of imaging scope. Imaging scopes
  do not work, because of the warping and lack of translation
  of the returning ultrasound signals coming through the
  scopes. An electronic scope can be modified to receive
  ultrasound signals, but then ultrasound eyes aren’t
  needed.
  Either eye can be used in conjunction with any other
  cybereye modifications, including optical and electronic
  magnification. Since any mods are built together, they are
  made to compensate for the warping. Both eyes halve the
  visibility modifiers resulting from dim light, darkness, or
  invisibility.
  Full Darkness
  +4
  Minimal Light
  +3
  Partial Light
  +1
  Glare
  +1
  Mist
  +2
  Light Smoke/Fog/Rain
  +4
  Heavy Smoke/Fog/Rain
  +6
  Thermal Smoke
  as smoke
  DRONES
  Brian <Goldcross@aol.com>
  SCARAB/KAWASAKI “WATER SPIDER”
  Handling
  Speed 
  B/A 
  SIG 
  APilot 
  Price
  3
  25/75
  2/0
  5
  1
  4,000¥
  Environment:
  Amphibious(water 25/75, land 5/15)
  Store:
  4 CF
  Sensors:
  Standard (1)
  Economy:
  10 km/liter
  Fuel:
  20 liter
  Type:
  IC multifuel (also runs on moonshine)
  Designed in response to a major unexploited market
  niche, Scarab/Kawasaki brings you waterborne drones for
  use in those places where roads are hard to find, and the
  trees are tight, such as the swamps of Louisiana. The
  ingenious eight-legged design configuration allows it to
  “walk” just like its namesake, while also allowing limited
  land movement, for crawling over trees and sand bars.
  With a body the size of a dinner plate, it is easily
  overlooked in the gloom, providing optimal surveillance
  opportunities.
  »One serious design flaw with these little gems. It seems the
  designers were so confident of its water tension capabilities
  that they forgot to EnviroSeal the drone. One big wave and kiss
  your investment good-bye! «
  — Swamprunner (10:14:44/04-15-56)
  »Dat’s why de rigger should nev’a be wit’out his fr’ndly gat’r
  shaman to get dose protect’n services from de nice water
  spirits.«
  — J.J. (01:01:01/06-14-56)
  » “Limited Land Movement” is an understatement. It moves like
  a three-legged crab, and can’t clear anything above one
  decimeter.«
  — Zinc (09:14:59/06-26-56)
  ARES/MERCRUISER “WATER MOCCASIN”
  Handling
  Speed 
  B/A 
  SIG 
  APilot 
  Price
  4
  30/90
  4/2
  4
  2
  12,000¥
  Environment:
  waterborne only (boat)
  Store:
  5 CF
  Sensors:
  Standard (1)
  Storage:
  1 CF
  Economy:
  8 km/liter
  Fuel:
  20 liter
  Type:
  IC multifuel (also runs on moonshine)
  Just like its poisonous namesake, the Ares/Mercruiser
  Water Moccasin brings you combat capabilities in the
  swamps and marshes, as well as the shallow coastal
  regions of the Gulf of Mexico. Its lightning quick
  deployable turret strikes fast, and sure, with a universal
  option (an extra 2000¥) capable of engaging aircraft as
  well.Take control of the seas today!
  »Sssssplendid!«
  — Bayou Boy (22:03:43/07-11-56)
  CETACEAN INDUSTRIES “PORPOISE”
  Handling
  Speed 
  B/A 
  SIG 
  APilot 
  Price
  5
  10/30
  1/0
  8/12
  2
  5,000¥
  surface/sub
  Environment:
  surface and submarine
  Store:
  6 CF
  Sensors:
  Standard (1)
  Economy:
  6 km/liter
  Fuel:
  10 liter
  Type:
  IC multifuel
  The first in Cetacean’s new submersible drones. We
  open a whole new world of remote options never before
  available. Our special Bottlenose™ sensor package includes
  active sonar, as well as a unique fiber-optic
  periscope/antenna combination. Get up-close stealthfully,
  without all the hassle of airborne drones. Truly one of a
  kind!
  »Has to surface every twenty minutes or so or run at
  periscope depth to suck air or the engine shuts down, just like a
  real dolphin. «
  — Icthyologist (14:55:32/04-12-56)
  »So will a bunch of beach balls distract them? It worked on
  Flipper. «
  — Couch Potato (18:21:25/05-30-56)
  »In a way, yes. If you drop enough active sonar buoys, the
  rigger has no choice but to run on visuals or tell everyone
  where he is. He pings his active sonar once in that kind of
  forest, and the corps will filet him. I call this the net defense.«
  — Tuna Friend (02:34:56/06-04-56)
  
  96 — The Black Market
  CETACEAN INDUSTRIES “NARWHALE”
  Handling
  Speed 
  B/A 
  SIG 
  APilot 
  Price
  4
  15/45
  4/1
  6/10
  3
  16,000¥
  surface/sub
  Environment:
  surface and submarine
  Store:
  8 CF
  Sensors:
  Advanced (3)
  Storage:
  1 CF
  Points:
  1 hardpoint forward (uses AVT)
  Economy:
  4 km/liter
  Fuel:
  10 liter
  Type:
  IC multifuel
  The Narwhale, like the graceful legend it was named for,
  moves quickly and packs a mean bite. Our attack sub
  drone carries the special Bottlenose™ sensor suite, with
  active sonar, the fiber optic periscope/antenna tower, and
  some of the best electronics available to the casual user.
  Armed with the specially-made Ares Sealance™ anti-
  vehicular torpedo, engage the most dangerous foes from
  the surprise of the submarine world. Plus, act today and
  we’ll include a free trid copy of Morifuma’s classic remake
  of Run Silent, Run Deep (2039, Sony/Paramount
  productions), and the 2D classic Hunt for Red October
  (1989, starring Sean Connery, grandfather of Ian) with your
  purchase, to get you into the right mindset to hunt the
  ocean’s most dangerous predator: man.
  » His grandfather was an actor? «
  — Zinc (00:03:34/06-12-56)
  CETACEAN INDUSTRIES “ORCA”
  Handle
  Speed 
  B/A 
  SIG 
  APilot 
  Price
  5
  10/30
  5/2
  4/8
  2
  24,000¥
  surface/sub
  Environment:
  surface and submarine
  Store:
  10 CF
  Sensors:
  Enhanced (2)
  Points:
  1 hardpoint forward (uses AVT)
  1 hardpoint vertical (uses SSAM)
  Economy:
  4 km/liter
  Fuel:
  10 liter
  Type:
  IC multifuel
  Modeled after one of the twentieth century’s most
  notorious weapons, the ballistic missile submarine, or
  “boomers” as they were called. It includes Cetacean’s
  unique Bottlenose™ sensor suite, with active sonar and the
  fiber optic periscope/antenna, and introduces a whole new
  level of lethality to free trading. The front hardpoint
  mounts the Ares Sealance™ anti-vehicular torpedo, while a
  vertically mounted hardpoint rear of the conning tower
  fires special Ares Thunderstrike™ submarine-launched
  surface-to-air missiles. A must for free traders expecting to
  encounter the corp’s insect air force of Wasps and
  Yellowjackets. Get yours today before the arms race
  passes you by.
  »Want a neat trick? Load the Thunderstrikes with anti-
  personnel and air-burst it. Wasps and Yellowjackets don’t have
  the armor to resist, and any other vehicle with open door guns
  loses gunners real quick. «
  — Harbringer (03:23:22/07-04-56)
  »So that was you.Our deckers are tracing you now, and I
  know #$F%&29@#…(System interrupt, connection terminated)
  »Those the right coordinates?«
  — Trent (ride the Wind!)
  »Yep.Thanx for the fireworks!«
  — Harbringer (03:23:59/07-04-56)
  VEHICLE WEAPONS
  Brian <Goldcross@aol.com>
  ANTI-VEHICULAR TORPEDO (AVT)
  Underwater AVR. All stats as AVR but add +10% to cost.
  SUB-LAUNCHED SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE (SSAM)
  All stats as SAM, but add +20% to cost.
  CYBERWARE
  Jonathon K. Henry <warmongr@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>
  »The following are a few other suggestions to add to the idea
  of new cyberware/gear.I just thought you guys might like to
  look ’em over.«
  — the Reflex (11:32:43/6-29-52)
  VEHICLE CONTROL C-SQUARE CYBERDECK (VCCD)
  Cost:
  Level x 1,500¥
  Essence:
  Level x .1
  Placement:
  Headware
  Requirements:
  Communications Suite
  This piece of cyberware allows for users of remote
  control vehicles and similar devices to do so with the
  option of including their vehicle control rig and thus the
  related control pool.
  The device requires a radio, with a required comlink
  setup and any encryption and/or security devices for the
  channels. The setup works in a similar fashion to a
  control/cyber control deck, in that the level is the
  maximum number of vehicles that can be so controlled at
  one time.
  Dapper Dan (with beta grade cyberware, BTW) has a
  vehicle control rig level 2, radio, comlink VIII, and a VCCD
  Level 
  4. 
  He 
  can 
  control 
  up 
  to 
  four 
  (4)
  vehicles/drones/remotes at one time. For every such
  device operated thus, one (1) channel of his comlink is
  being utilized. If Dapper had crypto circuitry and/or
  scramble breaker, and were using it, he would have to
  make sure the device being so controlled had the ability to
  read and/or interpret his signals.
  SENSE LINK INTEGRATION (SLI)
  Cost:
  45,000¥
  Essence:
  .1
  Placement:
  Special
  Requirements:
  Tactical computer
  With the inclusion of a full sense link system and its
  integration into a tactical computer relay network, a bonus
  of +2 dice is thus overall attained to the determination of
  the test pool for the TacCom. However, if the user of this
  setup is wounded in some way, the action modifier for
  those wounds is also inclusive to the TacCom.
  EXTERNAL SENSORY CONTROL (ESC)
  Cost:
  Level x 1,500 Nuyen
  Essence:
  Level x .05
  Placement:
  Headware
  Requirements:
  Tactical Computer
  Restrictions:
  TacCom Level2
  With the inclusion of this adaptive port, it is possible to
  include within the test pool for the TacCom, additional
  devices. Examples of such are portable sensor equipment,
  smartgun links, ultrasound devices, etc. For each such
  unit, and additional dice is allowed for the test pool. In the
  case of sensor equipment, the level of the sensors is the
  amount of additional dice incorporated thus.
  
  The Black Market — 97
  In the case of smartgun links that will include such things
  as ultrasound and thermal sighting, the number of
  additional dice is equal to one (1) + (Number of Devices ÷
  2, rounding down).
  »With the recent publishing of the ShadowTech manual, I
  would at this time like to put forth some extra stuff so inspired
  by the work.«
  — the Reflex
  INTERFACE MODULE
  Cost:
  [MPCP(1) + MPCP(2)] x 55,000¥
  Essence:
  .3
  Placement:
  behind primary Datajack Link
  This device allows the user to interconnect between a C-
  Square CDeck and a standard CDeck. This allows the two
  CDecks to work in complete tandem. If combined with a
  multitasking system (such as a tactical computer), then the
  user can effectively be using two (2) decks at once.
  However, the overall reaction of the user is reduced by
  five points and there is still only one hacking/reaction pool
  from which he/she can draw upon regardless (based upon
  the slower reaction speed, as compared between CDecks).
  The above mentioned cost is related to highest MPCPs
  of each deck the user will be able to interconnect with.
  This setup allows for the second, that is the C-Square’s
  memory and operational procedures to not incur against
  the load rating of a node.
  REALITY FILTER
  Cost: 
  (MPCP x 3,500¥) +
  (Increase response level x 25,000¥) +
  (Persona x 11,500¥)
  Essence:
  .3
  Placement:
  parallel to Persona Module
  This device allows the user of a C-Square deck to
  operate in his/her “own little way.” It does not directly
  interfere with MPCP/Persona operations as the more
  standard CDeck models, but it does increase the effective
  SLD/SSLD by +2 at all times (even if CDecking is not being
  used). It also gives a +2 to the users reaction/hacking
  pools as well +1 die to initiative rolls while in matrix
  actions.
  SATELLITE UPLINK
  Cost:
  MPCP x 150,000¥
  Essence:
  MPCP / 5
  Placement:
  Parallel to the up.-cent. spinal column
  This device is essentially the same as the “standard”
  satellite uplinking devices for C-Sqaure decks. Use of the
  uplink does incur a -2 modifier to the users' reaction and/or
  hacking pools.It will work in the same fashion as the
  “standard” satellite uplinks (see Virtual Realities).
  » I don’t know about this one, folks.Sounds a little like putting
  a lightning rod and microwave antenna right next to your major
  nerve trunk. Watch out for stormy weather. «
  — Boomer, aka Aroooo (15:45:32/11-26-54)
  Wordman <lward@flashpt.com>
  COLT FRONTLINE SMARTLINK
  Essence
  Cost
  Avail.
  Index
  Legality
  0.2
  1,000¥
  3/36 hrs
  1.1
  5P-CA
  This requires a datajack. A cord connects the gun and
  the users datajack. This either requires a special port for
  the gun (for smartgun variants of weapons) or a standard
  smartgun adapter. No other connection with the gun
  works. This is a cheap system that requires a Complex
  Action to hook up and start up. Colt markets this to
  military units, and is therefore popular among mercenaries.
  COLT COMMANDO SMARTLINK
  Essence
  Cost
  Avail.
  Index
  Legality
  .35
  2,000¥
  3/36 hrs
  1.1
  5P-CA
  Like the Frontline but does not require datajack. Instead
  the gun is connected to small special plugs installed in the
  wrist. Again this is aimed at military units.
  ARES STEALTH™ SMARTLINK
  Essence
  Cost
  Avail.
  Index
  Legality
  .5
  10,000¥
  5/14 days
  1.25
  4-CA
  A standard smartlink, but the induction pad is subdermal
  and nearly undetectable both visually and by scanners
  (double target number). This system can be used with
  average thickness gloves. This piece comes in the all the
  standard Ares lines.
  ARES STEALTH™ INDUCTION DATAJACKS
  Essence
  Cost
  Avail.
  Index Legality
  Level 1
  0.15
  2,000¥
  Always
  1.0
  Legal
  Level 2
  0.2
  4,000¥
  Always
  1.0
  Legal
  Level 3
  0.3
  16,000¥
  Always
  1.0
  Legal
  These function just like their standard counterpart. The
  difference is that the port is inductive in nature allowing
  the jack to be all but invisible to sight and scanners
  (double Target Numbers). For these jacks to be used a
  special cable (20¥) must be used. A special gel (10 uses,
  1¥) must be used to reduce slipping while enhancing the
  induction.
  FUCHI BODYJACKS
  Essence
  Cost
  Avail.
  Index
  Legality
  +0.05
  +300¥
  Always
  0.9
  Legal
  Standard datajacks, available in all levels, that can be
  mounted in optional places. The common locations are top
  of the shoulders, the wrists, and under the armpits. Fuchi
  carries these in all their lines of datajacks.
  »The armpits are perfect for connecting enough storage to
  capture what your vid link is picking up without dangling cords
  giving you away.«
  — Dr. Love (09:48:46/02-13-53)
  MCT PERMANENT SOFTLINK
  Essence
  Cost
  Avail.
  Index
  Legality
  -0.05
  x3
  3/72 hrs
  1.0
  Legal
  Standard softlink chip holders, available in all levels, that
  are mounted entirely within the head. This makes them
  unreachable except through surgery and undetectable by
  visible searches. Scanners are all but defeated (double
  Target Numbers).
  John Modica
  RAINEER CROSSMAN HEIGHTENED REFLEX SYSTEM
  Init.
  Essence
  Cost
  Avail.
  Index
  Legality
  +1d6
  1.4
  27,000¥
  4/3 days
  1.0
  8P-CB
  +2d6
  2.1
  75,000¥
  4/6 days
  1.25
  5P-CB
  +3d6
  3.5
  185,000¥
  6/10 days 
  1.5
  3-CC
  This system uses a secret design to provide the user
  with that needed speed boost. These systems are
  incompatible with other reflex enhancement systems,
  including synaptic accelerators.
  »This chrome is rapidly getting into vogue with gangers of all
  stripes and colors. Cheaper than Wired Reflex™ and not as
  permanent as as Boosted™. This will assure that the streest will
  stay mean.«
  — Black Chain (07:14:55/10-02-52)
  
  98 — The Black Market
  CYBERWARE PACKAGE DEALS
  Wordman <lward@flashpt.com>
  Suites of cyberware cut down on redundant systems,
  production cost, and sometimes volume (ie. reduce
  essence cost). The disadvantage of package deals is that
  the packages are one unit and cannot be modified or
  upgraded without removal of the entire package. This
  means that if you get a cybereye package deal, you cannot
  add more options to those eyes.
  The original unmodified totals for essence and price are
  given in parenthesis.
  OPTICAL, AUDIO AND TRIDEO
  ZEISS FULL SPECTRUM
  Essence: 0.2 (0.2)
  Cost: 10,000¥ (13,000¥)
  Availability: 5/48 hrs.
  Street Index: 1.1
  Cybereyes with thermographic, low-light, and flare
  compensation.
  COLT SCOUT
  Essence: 0.25 (0.3)
  Cost: 12,800¥ (16,000¥)
  Availability: 8/48 hrs
  Street Index: 1.0
  Cybereyes with low-light, flare compensation, optical
  magnification 2, and rangefinder
  COLT SNIPER
  Essence: 0.4 (0.5)
  Cost: 17,500¥ (21,000¥)
  Availability: 8/48hrs
  Street Index: 1.0
  Cybereyes with thermographic, low-light, flare
  compensation, optical magnification 3, and rangefinder.
  NIKKON TOURISTER
  Essence: 0.6 (0.6)
  Cost: 22,000¥ (27,500¥)
  Availability: 6/24hrs
  Street Index: 1.2
  Cybereyes with camera, electronic magnification 1.
  90Mp memory (FIFF). Recorder.
  NIKKON PROSYSTEM
  Essence: 1.7 (1.85)
  Cost: 55,000¥ (70,000¥)
  Availability: 6/24hrs
  Street Index: 1.2
  Cybereyes with camera, optical magnification 3, low-
  light, flare compensation. Datajack level 4, 300Mp memory
  (FIFF).
  RCA VIDPACK
  Essence: 0.9 (0.9)
  Cost: 38,000¥ (48,000¥)
  Availability: 6/24hrs
  Street Index: 1.0
  Cybereyes with video link. Datajack level 1, 90Mp
  memory (FIFF). Recorder.
  SONY XB5000
  Essence: 1.25 (1.25)
  Cost: 80,000¥ (104,500¥)
  Availability: 6/24hrs
  Street Index: 1.0
  Cybereyes with video link, optical magnification 3.
  Datajack level 4, 90Mp memory (FIFF). Cyberears with
  select sound filter level 5
  FUCHI VI300
  Essence: 1.9 (2.05)
  Cost: 96,000¥ (119,500¥)
  Availability: 8/48hrs
  Street Index: 1.1
  Cybereyes with video link, optical magnification 3, low-
  light, flare compensation, thermographic. Datajack level 4,
  90Mp memory (FIFF). Cyberears with select sound filter
  level 5, hearing amplification, damper.
  RCA TRIDPACK
  Essence: 0.9 (0.9)
  Cost: 36,000¥ (46,000¥)
  Availability: 6/24hrs
  Street Index: 1.0
  Eyecrafters opticam, datajack level 1. 90Mp memory
  (FIFF). Recorder.
  FUCHI FULLTRID
  Essence: 2.1 (2.25)
  Cost: 103,000¥ (127,500¥)
  Availability: 10/7 days
  Street Index: 1.2
  Eyecrafters opticam with optical magnification 3, Dr.
  Spott smartcam implant, low-light, flare compensation,
  thermographic. Datajack level 4, 90Mp memory (FIFF).
  Cyberears with select sound filter level 5, hearing
  amplification, damper.
  INTERNAL
  BOSE VOXX SYSTEM
  Essenec: 0.4 (0.4)
  Cost: 165,000¥ (220,000¥)
  Availability: 6/24hrs
  Street Index: 1.0
  Voice modulator rating 6, increased volume, playback,
  tonal shift.
  SHIAWASE FILTER SUITE
  Essence: 2.3 (2.5)
  Cost: 140,000¥ (175,000¥)
  Availability: 6/4 days
  Street Index: 1.1
  Air filter 5, blood filter 5, toxin filter 5.
  ARES SKILLMAN
  Essence: 0.55 (0.55)
  Cost: 40,000¥ (49,000¥)
  Availability: 4/10 days
  Street Index: 1.0
  Skillwires plus rating 3, softlink rating 3.
  ARES SKILLMASTER
  Essence: 3.5 (3.5)
  Cost: 720,000¥ (895,500¥)
  Availability: 5/10 days
  Street Index: 1.0
  Skillwires plus rating 6, softlink rating 4, encephalon
  rating 4, SPI: I/O rating 4.
  COMMUNICATIONS
  ARES STEALTH™ RADIO SUITE
  Essence: 0.8 (0.9)
  Cost: 110,000¥ (142,000¥)
  Availability: 6/36hrs
  Street Index: 1.2
  Radio, commlink-IV, crypto circuit HD level 6.
  ARES SECURETECH HEADPHONE
  Essence: 0.6 (0.65)
  Cost: 122,000¥ (163,700¥)
  Availability: 6/36hrs
  Street Index: 1.2
  Telephone, commlink-VIII, crypto circuit HD level 6.
  ARES BATTLELINK
  Essence: 1.0 (1.0)
  Cost: 340,000¥ (442,000¥)
  Availability: 6/36hrs
  Street Index: 1.2
  Radio, commlink-X, crypto circuit HD level 6, scramble
  breaker HD level 6.
  MILITARY
  ARES TOUGHBOY
  Essence: 2.25 (2.25)
  Cost: 240,000¥ (295,000¥)
  Availability: 12/2 weeks
  Street Index: 2.0
  Cybertorso, 4 points soft armor front, 3 points back.
  Cyberskull, 3 points soft armor. (Gives +2 Body, +2/+2
  armor.)
  ARES HARDBOY
  Essence: 2.4 (2.5)
  Cost: 480,000¥ (555,000¥)
  Availability: 14/3 weeks
  Street Index: 2.0
  Cybertorso, 4 points hard armor front, 3 points back.
  Cyberskull, 3 points hard armor. (Gives +2 Body, +2/+2
  hardened armor.) Articulate arm weapon mount.
  ARES NIKE
  Essence: 4.0 (4.75)
  Cost: 405,000¥ (405,000¥)
  Availability: 12/10 weeks
  Street Index: 4.0
  Tactical computer 1, orientation system, encephelon 2.
  Often used with some optical package.
  
  The Pharmacy — 99
  THE PHARMACY
  DRUGS IN SHADOWRUN
  Drugs have an effect, which is presumably why they’re
  used. They also have the following characteristics: Onset
  Time, Duration, Aftershock Code, Addiction Code, and
  Addiction L effect, which is presumably why they’re used.
  They also have the following characteristics: Onset Time,
  Duration, Aftershock Code, Addiction Code, and Addiction
  Lethality. will by multiplied by a Body test vs. an Onset
  Target. This target will usually increase with the drug’s
  rating.
  DURATION
  The Duration is the amount of time the drug’s effects
  last, once the drug has taken effect. This will usually be
  divided by a Body test vs. the Duration Target which will
  increase with the drug’s rating.
  AFTERSHOCK CODE
  This is the damage code for Mental damage taken once
  the drug wears off. If the drug’s rating is high enough with
  respect to the user’s Body, this will be Physical damage.
  Staging is often affected by the dosage.
  ADDICTION CODE
  If the drug is addictive, the user must make a Willpower
  test once the drug wears off. The ‘Wound Level,’ or
  Addiction Level is almost always the dosage. The Target
  number is proportional to the drug’s rating. The
  addictiveness of the drug is measured in the staging.
  The final Addiction Level (after the Willpower test
  reduces it) is multiplied by the drug’s rating, for the
  number of boxes permanently filled in on the character’s
  Mental damage monitor. This is the Addiction Level, and it
  isn’t additive. The only time the Addiction Level increases
  is when an Addiction test results in a higher Addiction
  Level than the character previously had.
  While using the drug, a number of Mental boxes equal
  to the dosage taken times the drug’s rating are freed.
  If a character is addicted to more than one drug, keep
  track of each Addiction Level, but only apply the highest.
  Penalties due to Aftershock damage do not apply to the
  Addiction test.
  ADDICTIVE LETHALITY
  Each day, the character must make a Craving test. This is
  a Willpower test with a target number equal to the
  character’s Addiction Level. If successful, the character has
  no craving that day. If unsuccessful, subtract the highest
  die roll from the character’s Addiction Level, for the
  additional Mental monitor boxes filled in.
  If the character goes the full day without getting a fix of
  at least Addiction Level (Rating times Dose), a Body Test is
  required, vs. the drug’s Addictive Lethality, with a target
  number equal to the Addiction Level minus the fix taken
  (0 if none), and a staging equal to the Addiction Code
  staging. If the target number is greater than twice the
  character’s Body, the damage is physical. Otherwise, it’s
  mental.
  This is also how the character can reduce his, her, or its
  Addiction Level. If the addictive lethality is reduced to no
  damage, reduce addiction level by the number of extra
  successes, divided by the staging (and rounded towards
  0).
  These tests are not affected by stun caused by the
  character’s addiction level, but they are affected by other
  stun and physical damage that is there for most of the
  night or day.
  USING DRUGS
  Combat drugs (such as booster shots, nopane, and hul
  kaline) are most commonly administered via slap patches.
  This takes one action to self-administer, as long as the
  patches are readily accessible.
  The next most common means of injection is through
  built-in cyber-controlled injectors. These take no action to
  use — a simple thought is all that’s required. Of course, if
  a character with a loaded cyber-injector gets a craving, the
  mind will automatically trigger an injection.
  BOOSTER SHOTS
  Effect: Booster shots affect the user as boosted reflexes
  (see the Street Samurai’s Catalog) of rating equal to the
  drug’s rating. Booster shots are not cumulative with
  boosted reflexes. Booster shots interfere with wired
  reflexes. Subtract the booster shot rating from the wired
  reflexes rating, for the effective wired  rating. If this is
  negative, Reaction is reduced, and negative dice are
  applied.
  Cost: Booster shots originated in Korea, and Japan is
  trying very hard to keep them from reaching the western
  world. The Japanese government does not want boosted
  reflexes within reach of drug addicts in their colonies.
  Within Korea, Booster shots are less expensive than in the
  Americas.
  Booster Shot Cost
  Rating
  Korean
  American
  1
  200¥
  500¥
  2
  250¥
  750¥
  3
  400¥
  1,500¥
  Unless Japan can stop the flow, American prices will drop
  to Japanese levels within 2 years.
  Onset Time: One Action. The onset target is the drug’s
  rating+3.
  Duration: (Dosage+2)d6 turns. The duration target is the
  drug’s rating +1.
  Aftershock Code: (2x Rating)D (dosage). If the rating is
  higher than body, the damage is physical.
  Addiction Code: (Rating+1)(dosage)2.
  Addiction Lethality: Deadly.
  NOPANE
  Effect: Nopane reduces the penalty for physical damage
  by the drug’s rating. It reduces Reaction and Quickness by
  rating. Quickness can’t be reduced below one. If rating is
  higher than or equal to Quickness, Quickness is reduced to
  one, and the character has a penalty of 1, plus rating
  minus quickness, on all quickness tests.
  Cost: Nopane was developed by the UCAS army, and its
  use has spread across the Americas. It is not common in
  Europe or Asia yet.
  Nopane Cost
  Rating
  America
  Eurasia
  1
  50¥
  200¥
  2
  100¥
  300¥
  3
  200¥
  400¥
  Nopane is very illegal, and possession of Nopane marks
  the user as a seedy mercenary or killer. There are better
  and cheaper drugs on the market (illegal or otherwise) for
  normal drug-users.
  Onset Time: Two Actions. The onset target is the drug’s
  rating+2.
  Duration: (Dosage+1)d6 minutes. The duration target is
  the drug’s rating +3.
  
  100 — The Pharmacy
  Aftershock Code: (Rating+1)M(dosage). The damage is
  never physical.
  Addiction Code: (Rating+1)(dosage)2.
  Addiction Lethality: Moderate.
  HUL KALINE
  Effect: Hul kaline (also known as Conananol or Scharzezine)
  increases the user’s strength by causing the body to go
  into overtime. Hul kaline is very debilitating, though not
  very addictive. Hul kaline increases the user’s Strength by
  rating,. It decreases the user’s Quickness by half rating
  (round down) and Intelligence by half rating (round up).
  Cost: Hul kaline was developed by the Aratech Arcology in
  the late 30s. When Aratech went under, they sold the
  formula to a consortium of military contractors, and Hul
  kaline is a staple of South American subcontractors.
  Rating
  Hul kaline Cost
  1
  500¥
  2
  1,000¥
  3
  2,000¥
  4
  4,000¥
  Possession of hul kaline is very illegal in most areas.
  Onset Time: Four Actions. The onset target is the drug’s
  rating+2.
  Duration: (Dosage+2)d6 turns. The duration target is the
  drug’s rating +2.
  Aftershock Code: (Special)D(dosage). The target number
  is the drug’s rating plus half the user’s original strength
  (round up). The damage is always physical.
  Addiction Code: 2(dosage)2. The addiction code is not
  dependent on the drug’s rating. Hul kaline is surprisingly
  non-addictive.
  Addiction Lethality: Deadly.
  Rather have the
  Scorpion
  for or against you?
  Scorpion Elite Mercenaries
   LTG: 4652 (5-SCORP)
  SIMSENSE
  Simsense is almost exactly like drugs, except that Body
  is replaced by Charisma. Onset time and duration are chip
  in and chip out, and dosage is measured in time.
  “Simsense gives you the movie, but with all five senses instead of
  just two. BTL [Better than Life] gives you the same, but pushes the
  sensory signal to the red line. 2XS… hits you at the physiological
  level as well: adrenalin, endorphins, everything.”
  — Nigel Findley, Shadowrun 4: 2XS
  Some less reputable simsense producers program their
  chips to degrade with use. Of course, even normal
  simsense will go bad under the typical handling it
  receives. Simsense users are not known for their
  organizational skills and hygiene.
  COMMON SIMSENSE: (RATING 1 TO 3)
  Aftershock Code: (Rating+1)M2
  Addiction Code: (1+Rating)(dosage)1
  Dosage: 30 minutes
  Lethality: Moderate
  Simsense is very much like movies: a sequence of pre-
  recorded actions and scenes. The simsense industry
  (centered in Hollywood) has directors, producers, and
  actors, just like TriVid.
  BETTER THAN LIFE: (RATING 1 TO 4)
  Aftershock Code: (Rating+2)S3
  If rating is greater than willpower, aftershock is physical.
  Addiction Code: (2x Rating)(dosage)2
  Dosage: 10 minutes
  Lethality: Serious
  BTL chips are the scummy side of simsense. The signals
  are amplified to provide a ’better than life’ experience.
  Oddly enough, most BTL chips deal with violence rather
  than sex, although there’s usually a sexual tint to the
  violence.
  2XS: (RATING 1)
  Aftershock Code: (Rating+3)D4
  Addiction Code: (2x Rating)(dosage)4
  Dosage: 1 minute
  Lethality: Deadly
  2XS is new to the market. It requires a datajack. It must
  be fed directly into the brain. 2XS is so illegal very few
  people outside of illegal simsense users know about it.
  INTERACTIVE SIMSENSE: (RATING 1 TO 3)
  Aftershock Code: (Rating-1)L1
  Level 1 and 2 InSense will not cause aftershock, unless
  the user has penalties sufficient to bring the target number
  above 1.
  Addiction Code: (Rating)(dosage)1
  Rating 1 InSense is not addictive unless the user has
  penalties to the roll.
  Dosage: 30 minutes
  Lethality: Light
  Interactive Simsense (InSense) allows the user to
  change the flow of action, and make choices. Some
  insense gives the user a character-eye view. Others are
  like movies. In each case, however, the viewer has the
  choice of what directions to follow.
  Insense requires a special computer buffer to interface.
  Some insense won’t work without the interface. Others
  will work as standard simsense, providing a pre-recorded
  sequence of scenes.
  It is rumored that FASA Corp, in conjunction with the
  Collegium for Research in Interactive Technologies, is
  developing a networking technology for insense.
  
  Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry — 101
  BETTER LIVING (AND DYING) THROUGH CHEMISTRY
  “I’m so high, call me ‘Your Highness’.”
  — Mike D.
  Here is a list of drugs our running group came up with.
  This is the effort of Seth Narins (basic drugs, drugs from
  fictional  sources, and designer drugs), myself (the plants
  and animals) and Brijesh Gill (real  drugs). Thanks to Adam
  Shostack for reality checks. These drugs are meant to
  follow the rules in Shadowtech. This file is written as a
  Neoanarchist Guide rather than a stodgy medicinal journal,
  so many street rumors are in the actual text rather than
  the decker comments. Note, take even the main text with
  a grain of salt, especially where the plants are concerned.
  When we first posted this, we were chastened for not
  putting in a disclaimer. We feel that if you are the type of
  person who takes drugs because you saw this list, no
  disclaimer could hope to eradicate your immense
  stupidity, so we did not add a disclaimer. We hope you
  will forgive us for giving you this opportunity to use your
  free will.
  Wordman <lward@husc.harvard.edu>
  COMPOUNDS
  “Death before dishonor,
  Drugs before lunch.”
  — Motto of the Aspen Drug and Gun Club
  The substances on this list can generally be found on
  ’Plex streets from drug dealers. Occasionally, you need to
  find a doctor or a fixer to get some of these. Here’s what
  the entries mean:
  AKA: Also Known As. These are common street names
  for these drugs in various parts of the world.
  Inspiration: From where we stole this idea, or who
  created it.
  Speed: The speed with which the drug takes effect.
  Vector: How the drug must be administered.
  Duration: How long the drug lasts.
  Effects: These are the primary effects of the drug which
  all take place throughout the duration of the drug’s effect.
  Crash Effects: After the drug stops working, these
  effects hit the body. The duration of these effects should
  be twice the duration of the drug, unless otherwise noted.
  Permanent Effects: These effects work on the body after
  the drug wears off, like crash effects, but will be
  permanent. Most of these entries have a saving roll to
  avoid these effects. Unless otherwise stated, these
  permanent effects must be resisted each time the drug is
  taken.
  Addiction Effects: These effects apply, in addition to all
  the other effects, when the user becomes addicted. All
  effects are permanent unless otherwise noted. Most
  effects have a saving roll to avoid them.
  One note on effects: any drug that has Stim Patch-like
  effects may be detrimental to a magician’s Magic Rating
  just as Stim Patches are (see SRII pg.115 and 250). Also,
  the block-allreferred to is from an issue of Kage and has the
  following effects: If you are under the effects of a block all,
  each time you are injured, you roll a number of dice equal
  to your Willpower plus the rating of the block-allagainst a
  target number equal to the number of physical damage
  boxes taken. Each success on this test allows you to
  ignore the effects of 1 box of physical damage. The
  damage is still there, however.
  DEPRESSANTS
  “Alcohol is very important for young people because it
  provides a sort of ‘liquid adulthood’.  If you are young and
  you drink a great deal it will spoil your health, slow your
  mind, make you fat—in other words, turn you into an
  adult.”
  — P.J. O’Rourke, Modern Manners
  ALCOHOL
  AKA: eth, courage, fire water, booze, etc.
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 2m
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 50
  Speed: 1d6 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 1d6/2 hours
  Cost/Dose: 1-10¥
  Street Index: 0.8
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: Always
  Effects: Charisma -1, Quickness -2, Intelligence -2,
  Willpower -1 [Resist all with Body(10-(proof/20))],
  clumsiness, unrestrained behavior, block-all(proof/25),
  tranq(proof/20)
  Crash Effects: Quickness -1, Body -2, Intelligence -1,
  nausea, headaches, irritability
  BARBITURATES
  AKA: Amytal, phenobarbital, damn it all
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 4m,3p
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 5
  Speed: 10 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 1-16 hours
  Cost/Dose: 1¥
  Street Index: 0.8
  Legality: 6P-M1
  Availability: 4/3 hours
  Effects: Charisma -1, Quickness -2, Intelligence -2,
  Willpower -1, clumsiness, sleepiness, calm, block-all(1),
  tranq(5)
  Crash Effects: Quickness -1, Body -2, Intelligence -1,
  nausea, headaches, irritability
  BENZODIAZEPINES
  AKA: Valium, redundant, etc.
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 2m,2p
  Tolerance: 5
  Strength: 5
  Speed: 10 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 4-8 hours
  Cost/Dose: 1¥
  Street Index: 0.9
  Legality: 6P-M1
  
  102 — Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry
  Availability: 4/3 hours
  Effects: Charisma -1, Quickness -3, Intelligence -2,
  Willpower -1, clumsiness, sleepiness, calm, block-all(3),
  tranq(6)
  Crash Effects: Quickness -1, Body -2, Intelligence -1,
  headaches, irritability
  BUTAQUALIDE
  AKA: beauties
  Inspiration: Effinger novels
  Addiction: 5m
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 10
  Speed: 1d6 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 1d6+1 minutes
  Cost/Dose: 20¥
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: 5P-M1
  Availability: 5/1 hour
  Effects: Quickness -3, Willpower +1, Charisma +2,
  euphoria, sleepiness, tranq(4), block-all(4)
  Crash Effects: irritability
  CHLORAL HYDRATE
  AKA: drop, noctec
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 4m,3p
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 5
  Speed: 30 seconds
  Vector: Injection
  Duration: 5-8 hours
  Cost/Dose: 2¥
  Street Index: 1.0
  Legality: 4P-M1
  Availability: 5/4 hours
  Effects: Quickness -3, Intelligence -2, Willpower -2,
  clumsiness, sleepiness, calm, block-all(3), tranq(6)
  Crash Effects: Quickness -2, Body -2, Intelligence -1,
  nausea, headaches
  GLUTETHIMIDE
  AKA: glue, Chevy Chase, lemonade, doriden
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 3m,4p
  Tolerance: 4
  Strength: 3
  Speed: 10 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 4-8 hours
  Cost/Dose: 3¥
  Street Index: 1.0
  Legality: 4P-M1
  Availability: 5/4 hours
  Effects: Charisma -1, Quickness -4, Intelligence -2,
  Willpower -1, extreme clumsiness, hallucinations, calm,
  block-all(1), tranq(3)
  Crash Effects: Quickness -1, Body -2, Intelligence -1,
  nausea, headaches, irritability, anxiety, insomnia
  Addiction Effects: Withdrawal from glutethimide is painful,
  causing convulsions, and possibly death.
  MARIJUANA
  AKA: grass, weed, hashish, dubich, ganja
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 3m
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 10
  Speed: 2d6/1d6 minutes
  Vector: Inhalation/Ingestion
  Duration: 4d6 minutes/1d3 hours
  Cost/Dose: 4¥/20¥
  Street Index: 0.5
  Legality: 6-M1
  Availability: 3/60 minutes
  Effects: Quickness -2, Intelligence -1, Charisma -1,
  Willpower -1, Reaction -2, lethargy, euphoria, block-all(2)
  Crash Effects: Charisma -1, Reaction -1, Willpower -1,
  hunger, sensory sensitivity, Stimulant(1)
  Permanent Effects: Artistic skills +1 once per month of
  use [Charisma(6), +1 maximum total increase], Charisma
  +1 once per month use [Willpower(6), +1 maximum
  total increase]
  METHAQUALONE
  AKA: alone, solo, quaaludes, ludes
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 4m,4p
  Tolerance: 4
  Strength: 2
  Speed: 10 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 4-8 hours
  Cost/Dose: 3¥
  Street Index: 1.2
  Legality: 4P-M1
  Availability: 4/3 hours
  Effects: Charisma -1, Quickness -2, Intelligence -2,
  Willpower -1, clumsiness, hallucinations, calm, block-
  all(1), tranq(3)
  Crash Effects: Quickness -1, Body -2, Intelligence -1,
  nausea, headaches, irritability, anxiety, insomnia
  Addiction Effects: Withdrawal from Methaqualone is
  painful, causing convulsions, and possibly death.
  »This also causes women to loose their morals, if ya catch m’
  meaning. Paradoxically, it kills the libido in men, which means
  that a couple on ludes is pretty fucked.  Or not fucked, as the
  case may be.«
  — Babble (06:14:38/9-13-54)
  NICOTINE
  AKA: death sticks, smokes, cancer in a nice easy to use
  package, etc.
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 3m
  Tolerance: 1
  Strength: 20
  Speed: Immediate
  Vector: Inhalation, dermal, ingestion
  Duration: 3d6+3 minutes
  Cost/Dose: 2¥/pack
  Street Index: 0.8
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: Always
  Effects: Willpower +1, Charisma -1, relaxant, Tranq (2)
  Crash Effects: Willpower -1, irritability, anxiety
  
  Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry — 103
  PAXIUM
  AKA: joy, U.N., later, micky, slug
  Inspiration: Effinger novels
  Addiction: 2m
  Tolerance: 4
  Strength: 20
  Speed: 2d6 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 4d6 minutes
  Cost/Dose: 5¥
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: 6P-M1
  Availability: 3/60 minutes
  Effects: reduced aggressiveness, calm, sleepiness,
  tranq(6)
  Crash Effects: Willpower, Body, Quickness and Charisma
  -3 for 2d6 minutes [Willpower(5)], nausea, joint stiffness
  SONNIENE
  AKA: sunnies, rook, eclipse, summoner
  Inspiration: Effinger novels
  Addiction: 4m
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 5
  Speed: 2d6 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 1d6+1 hours
  Cost/Dose: 80¥
  Street Index: 3.0
  Legality: 4-M1
  Availability: 4/60 minutes
  Effects: Willpower and Charisma +2, Intelligence -2,
  euphoria, delusions of invulnerability, block-all(4)
  Crash Effects: Mental Attributes -2 for 4d6 minutes,
  tremors, timidity, depression
  Permanent 
  Effects: Willpower and Charisma -1
  [Willpower(5) for each]
  Addiction Effects: Willpower and Charisma -1 per month
  [Willpower(5) for each]
  DESIGNER DRUGS
  “A dealer?  Hell, no, man.  I’m a dream-sculpter.”
  — Madge, 2054
  SCHWARZENEINE
  AKA: Coranol, back, burnout, gung-ho
  Inspiration: Seth
  Addiction: 6p
  Tolerance: 4
  Strength: 5
  Speed: 1d6 minute
  Vector: Injection
  Duration: 1d3 hours
  Cost/Dose: 45¥
  Street Index: 3.5
  Legality: 3-M1
  Availability: 8/3 hours
  Effects: Intelligence and Quickness -3, Strength and
  Willpower +3, Reaction +6, aggressiveness, risk-taking,
  single-mindedness, as active Pain Editor
  Crash Effects: Intelligence, Quickness and Strength -1 for
  1d6 hours, Quickness and Strength -1 for 1d6 days,
  tractability, double nature, lethargy, moderate stun
  wound
  SHADES
  AKA: cool, strut
  Inspiration: Seth
  Addiction: 5m
  Tolerance: 2
  Strength: 5
  Speed: 30 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 1d3 hours
  Cost/Dose: 30¥
  Street Index: 2.0
  Legality: 5-M1
  Availability: 4/60 minutes
  Effects: Strength and Intelligence -1, Charisma and
  Willpower +2, euphoria, subtle “cool”, block-all(1),
  stimulant(1)
  Crash Effects: Willpower, Charisma, Strength and
  Quickness -1 for 1d6 hours, increased appetite (x2),
  possible sexual dysfunction [Body(6)], light stun wound
  NUYOU
  AKA: sailor, nuyen, virgin, charm, binder
  Inspiration: Seth
  Addiction: 6m
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 10
  Speed: 3d6 hours
  Vector: Injection
  Duration: 1d6 days
  Cost/Dose: 350¥
  Street Index: 3.0
  Legality: 4-M1
  Availability: 4/2 hours
  Effects: Charisma +4, Body +2, Quickness and Strength -1
  Crash Effects: Charisma -3 for 1d6 weeks [time divided by
  number of successes from Body(8)], physical
  deterioration, anxiety
  Addiction Effects: Body and Charisma -1 per week
  [Body(5) for each]
  MUSK
  AKA: skunk, slink, strut, charlie, vamp
  Inspiration: Seth
  Addiction: 3m
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 20
  Speed: 2d6 hours
  Vector: Injection
  Duration: 2d6 hours
  Cost/Dose: 250
  Street Index: 2.0
  Legality: 6-M1
  Availability: 3/60 minutes
  Effects: Charisma +2(vs. opposite sex)/-2(vs. same sex),
  sexual aggressiveness, pheromone stimulation
  Crash Effects: Charisma -1
  »Great for meets.}<<<
  — Charmer (04:12:53/9-10-54)
  »Unless you have tailored pherimones, which go completely
  out of control when this drug is in effect.«
  — Tom (23:54:32/9-13-54)
  
  104 — Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry
  FOOLKILLER
  AKA: ripper, charge, egg in a pan, joker, Herc
  Inspiration: Cyberpunk 2020
  Addiction: 5p
  Tolerance: 2
  Strength: 10
  Speed: Immediate
  Vector: Inhalation
  Duration: 1d6 days
  Cost/Dose: 35¥
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: 3-M1
  Availability: 8/3 hours
  Effects: Charisma and Willpower +3, Body +2, Intelligence
  and Quickness -1, feeling of invulnerability, unshakable
  confidence, zealotry, aggressiveness, as activated pain
  editor
  Crash Effects: Body -1, Willpower +1 for 1d6 days
  [Willpower(6)], Quickness -2 for 1d6 days [a Body(6)
  save will cut to -1], Intelligence -1 for 1d6 days
  Permanent Effects: -1 physical box per dose [Body(6)],
  Body -2(vs. pathogens and poisons) [Body(6)]
  Addiction Effects: -1 physical box per week [Body(6)], -1
  physical box per month [Body(6)]
  DIAMOND-FOUR
  AKA: straight flush, cleric, stitch, street doc, healing anger,
  berserker
  Inspiration: Cyberpunk
  Addiction: 2p
  Tolerance: 2
  Strength: 10
  Speed: Immediate
  Vector: Injection
  Duration: 2d6 days
  Cost/Dose: 1,500¥
  Street Index: 3.5
  Legality: 3P-M1
  Availability: 10/2 days
  Effects: Body +4(vs. poisons and pathogens), Willpower
  +2(vs. pain), Quickness -2, Intelligence -2, irrational
  fears/phobias, beserker rage, +2 physical box [10 max],
  Tranq(6)
  Crash Effects: Quickness and Intelligence -2 for 1d6 days
  Permanent Effects: +1 physical box (to 10 max) [and
  passing a Body(8) will give one more]
  »This drug is wonderful. It is mainly for use against nerve
  gas, but it can repair some of the more sinister forms of cell
  damage cause by some of the other drugs on this list.«
  — Baby (07:18:43/9-14-54)
  GENESIOS THREE
  AKA: Black thunder
  Inspiration: Walter Jon Williams
  Addiction: 2m
  Tolerance: 5
  Strength: 20
  Speed: 1d6 turns
  Vector: Injection, Ingestion
  Duration: 1d6 + 17 hours
  Cost/Dose: 1,000¥
  Street Index: 8.5
  Legality: 4P-M1
  Availability: 14/2 weeks
  Effects: Intelligence +4, slight buzzing euphoria
  Crash Effects: none
  Permanent Effects: G3 rebuilds, repairs and stimulates
  growth of nerve cells (which do not normally grow at
  all).
  HALLUCINOGENS
  “The hallucinogenic drugs…are not rude per se.  But it
  can be difficult to observe the niceties of etiquette when
  you’re being chased down the street by a nine-headed
  cactus demon.”
  — P.J. O’Rourke, Modern Manners
  ECSTASY
  AKA: XTC
  Inspiration: Seth
  Addiction: 4m
  Tolerance: 4
  Strength: 20
  Speed: 2/2/30 minutes
  Vector: Inhalation/Injection/Ingestion
  Duration: 6d6 minutes
  Cost/Dose: 150¥
  Street Index: 4.0
  Legality: 4-M1
  Availability: 5/7 hours
  Effects: Charisma +5, Willpower -3, Quickness +4, sexual
  tension and prowess, euphoria, aggressiveness, mild
  hallucinations, extreme sensory stimulation [+3
  perception, +3 T# to resist pain], as stimulant patch (2),
  Quickness-based skills +2
  Crash Effects: Quickness -3, Strength -3, Willpower -3,
  possible sexual dysfunction, sexual hunger, deadly stun
  wound, quickness-based skills -2, reaction-based skills -1
  Permanent Effects: Sterility [Body(4)]
  »There was a popular drug called XTC around the turn of the
  century, which some people still take.  This is not it. So make
  sure you know what you’re buying.«
  — Caveat (21:14:34/9-16/54)
  LSD
  AKA: acid, Lucy, lucid, wow, LDS, Spocko
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 1m
  Tolerance: 2
  Strength: 4
  Speed: 20 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 1d6+2 hours
  Cost/Dose: 5¥/dose but 200¥/100 tabs
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: 5-M1
  Availability: 4/7 hours
  Effects: Quickness -3, Intelligence -4(cognitive), Willpower
  -3, possible uncontrolled astral perception [Essence(16),
  # successes * 10 is what percent of the duration time
  you are astral], Charisma -2, withdrawal from reality,
  intense hallucinations, as stim patch (3), as block-all(3)
  Crash Effects: Withdrawal from reality, lethargy,
  concentration-based activities -1, serious stun wound
  Permanent Effects: -1 physical box [Body(8)], Willpower
  -1 [Willpower(8)]
  Addiction Effects: Intelligence, Charisma, Reaction -1 per
  month [Body(8) for each], artistic skills +1 per month
  [Charisma(8), +2 maximum increase], Magic Theory +1
  per month [Intelligence(8), +1 maximum increase]
  
  Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry — 105
  MDA, MDMA, AND OTHER AMPHETAMINE VARIANTS
  AKA: VR, Yeager, boxy
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 2m
  Tolerance: 2
  Strength: 6
  Speed: 20 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 4-24 hours
  Cost/Dose: 10¥
  Street Index: 1.7
  Legality: 4-M1
  Availability: 4/7 hours
  Effects: Quickness -2, Intelligence -4(cognitive), Willpower
  -2, Charisma -1, withdrawal from reality, intense
  hallucinations, as stimulant patch (4), as block-all(4)
  Crash Effects: Withdrawal from reality, lethargy,
  concentration-based activities -1, serious stun wound
  Addiction Effects: Intelligence, Charisma, Reaction -1 per
  month [Body(8) for each]
  »MDA is sometimes called Zen.  MDMA is usually known as
  Exstasy.  Both of these names appear elsewhere in this list, but
  they are different drugs.  One of the problems with street
  culture is that it isn’t very creative.«
  — Caveat (21:14:59/9-16/54)
  MESCALINE
  AKA: meska, mask, projects, Ghost Dance
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 2m
  Tolerance: 2
  Strength: 4
  Speed: 5 minutes
  Vector: Air
  Duration: 8-12 hours
  Cost/Dose: 80¥
  Street Index: 2.0
  Legality: 4-M1
  Availability: 4/5 hours
  Effects: Quickness -2, Charisma -2, Reaction -2,
  Intelligence -2(cognitive)/+2 perceptive, Willpower -2,
  possible uncontrolled astral perception [Essence(16), #
  successes * 10 is what percent of the time you are
  astral], magical theory +3, dream state trance, intense
  hallucinations
  Crash Effects: Drowsiness, light sensitivity, increased
  appetite
  Permanent Effects: Magical Theory +1 [Intelligence(12),
  once per month of use], Charisma +1 [Willpower(12),
  once per month of use, +1 maximum increase],
  withdrawal from reality with continual use
  Addiction Effects: Intelligence -1 per month [Body(8)],
  Willpower -1 per month [Body(8)]
  PHENCYCLIDINE
  AKA: PCP, dust, angel dust, stage, theatre, JWB
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 5m
  Tolerance: 4
  Strength: 2
  Speed: 2 minutes
  Vector: Injection
  Duration: 1-4 days
  Cost/Dose: 25¥
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: 4-M1
  Availability: 8/14 hours
  Effects: Body, Strength, Willpower +3, Quickness -3,
  Intelligence -4(cognitive), Willpower -3, Charisma -2,
  withdrawal from reality, intense hallucinations, as
  stimulant patch (5), as block-all(5)
  Crash Effects: Withdrawal from reality, lethargy,
  concentration-based activities -2, serious stun wound
  Permanent Effects: -1 physical box [Body(8)], Willpower
  -1 [Willpower(8)]
  Addiction Effects: Intelligence, Charisma, Reaction -1 per
  month [Body(8) for each]
  RIBOPROPYLMETHIONINE
  AKA: RPM, Round-baby
  Inspiration: Effinger novels
  Addiction: 8p
  Tolerance: 2
  Strength: 2
  Speed: 3 minutes
  Vector: Injection
  Duration: 1d6+1 minutes
  Cost/Dose: 100¥
  Street Index: 3.0
  Legality: 3-M1
  Availability: 10/7 hours
  Effects: Quickness -4, Intelligence -2, Willpower -6,
  Charisma -4, Strength +2, terror, fear, extreme
  hallucinations (personal fears), as stimulant patch(8), as
  block-all(6)
  Crash Effects: Tremors, paranoia, abject fear, recurring
  hallucinations, concentration-based activities -2, extreme
  sensitivity to fear, adrenal overload [automatic deadly
  wound to adrenal pump bioware]
  Permanent Effects: Quickness -1 [Body(8)], Willpower and
  Charisma -1 [Willpower(8) for each]
  Addiction Effects: Quickness, Willpower, Intelligence -1
  per month
  ZEN
  AKA: Wu-li, bluemind, blewmind, in
  Inspiration: Seth
  Addiction: 5m
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 10
  Speed: 10 minutes
  Vector: Inhalation
  Duration: 1d6+3 hours
  Cost/Dose: 120¥
  Street Index: 3.0
  Legality: 4-M1
  Availability: 5/10 hours
  Effects: Charisma +4, Willpower -2, Strength -2, Quickness
  +2, Reaction -2, serenity, calmness, withdrawal from
  reality, hallucinations, block-all(3)
  Crash Effects: Charisma -1, Strength -1, Reaction -1,
  Artistic Skills +1, self-doubt, mental turbulence, chaotic
  emotions, concentration-related tasks +2 T#, sensory
  distraction [-2 perception]
  »All right.  One more time.  This is not another drug called
  Zen.  See MDA, above.«
  — Caveat (21:14:34/9-16/54)
  
  106 — Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry
  NARCOTICS
  “Heroin and the other ‘downs’, natural and synthetic,
  are not polite.  These drugs effectively eliminate the
  painful aspect of existence, which, nowadays, is almost all
  of it.”
  — P.J. O’Rourke, Modern Manners
  HEROIN
  AKA: H, horse, smack, K.R.
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 5m,5p
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 3
  Speed: 1 turn
  Vector: Injection
  Duration: 1d3 hours
  Cost/Dose: 20¥
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: 3-M1
  Availability: 5/2 hours
  Effects: Body -2, Willpower +2, Quickness -1, Intelligence
  -1, Charisma -2, withdrawal from reality, block-all(6)
  Crash Effects: Stress
  Permanent Effects: Body -1 [Body(5)], Charisma -1
  [Willpower(6)]
  Addiction Effects: Body -1 per month [Body(5)], Charisma
  -1 [Body(6)], -1 physical box per month, -1 mental box
  per month
  HYDROMORPHONE
  AKA: Pain water, dilaudid
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 4m,4p
  Tolerance: 5
  Strength: 7
  Speed: 1 minute
  Vector: Injection
  Duration: 3-6 hours
  Cost/Dose: 250¥
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: 3P-M1
  Availability: 5/6 hours
  Effects: Charisma -1, Intelligence -4, Willpower +3 (vs.
  pain), tranquilized, block-all(7)
  Crash Effects: pain-sensitivity (+1 to all wound category
  modifiers), irritability, tremors
  Addiction Effects: Willpower -1 per dose [Willpower(6)]
  MEPERIDINE
  AKA: reaper, k’pla, demerol
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 4m,4p
  Tolerance: 5
  Strength: 4
  Speed: 1 minute
  Vector: Ingested, injected
  Duration: 12-24 hours
  Cost/Dose: 500¥
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: 3-M1
  Availability: 6/6 hours
  Effects: Strong euphoria, Charisma -2, Intelligence -3,
  Reaction -2, Willpower +2 (vs. pain), tranquilized, block-
  all(6), nausea
  Crash Effects: irritability, concentration-based tests +3 T#,
  Willpower -2 (vs. pain), cramps, nausea, chills
  Addiction 
  Effects: Willpower -1 to -2 per dose
  [Willpower(5), twice], Willpower, Intelligence and
  Charisma -1 per month [Willpower(4) for each]
  METHADONE
  AKA: Crystal Meth, annihilatrix, dominatrix
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 2m,3p
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 5
  Speed: 1 minutes
  Vector: Inhalation (powder)
  Duration: 3-6 hours
  Cost/Dose: 50¥
  Street Index: 2.0
  Legality: 4-M1
  Availability: 5/6 hours
  Effects: Intelligence -1, Willpower +1 (vs. pain),
  tranquilized, block-all(5), euphoria
  Crash Effects: concentration-based tests +2 T#, Willpower
  -2 (vs. pain), watery eyes, loss of appetite, cramps.
  Addiction Effects: Willpower, Intelligence and Charisma -1
  per month [Willpower(4) for each]
  MORPHINE
  AKA: morph, shifter, no-brain
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 4m,4p
  Tolerance: 4
  Strength: 10
  Speed: 1 minute
  Vector: Injection
  Duration: 3-6 hours
  Cost/Dose: 150¥
  Street Index: 1.25
  Legality: 3P-M1
  Availability: 4/3 hours
  Effects: Charisma -1, Intelligence -2, Willpower +2 (vs.
  pain), tranquilized, block-all(6)
  Crash Effects: pain-sensitivity (+2 to all wound category
  modifiers), irritability, concentration-based tests +2 T#,
  Willpower -2 (vs. pain)
  Addiction Effects: Willpower -1 per dose [Willpower(6)],
  Willpower, Intelligence and Charisma -1 per month
  [Willpower(6) for each]
  OPIUM
  AKA: Pipedream
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 4m,4p
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 15
  Speed: 10 minutes
  Vector: Inhalation
  Duration: 3-6 hours
  Cost/Dose: 50¥
  Street Index: 1.25
  Legality: 5P-M1
  Availability: 6/1 day
  Effects: Charisma -2, Intelligence -1, Willpower +2 (vs.
  pain), tranquilized, block-all(6)
  Crash Effects: irritability, tremors, panic, drowsiness, chills
  
  Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry — 107
  STIMULANTS
  “It is very rude to try crack a few times and not get
  addicted. This could throw any number of hysterical
  politicians and overwrought public health experts out of
  work.”
  — P.J. O’Rourke, Modern Manners
  AMPHETAMINES
  AKA: speed, benzies, dexies
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 5p
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 6
  Speed: 5 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 2-4 hours
  Cost/Dose: 75¥/50 tablets
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: 4P-M1
  Availability: 4/3 hours
  Effects: Charisma -1, Willpower -1, Quickness +1,
  Perception +1, increased alertness, excitability,
  euphoria, increased pulse and blood pressure, insomnia,
  loss of appetite.
  Crash Effects: depression, apathy, disorientation,
  irritability, long period of sleep, headache (L stun
  wound).
  BROWN STUDY
  AKA: Net focus, karma, soma, silver
  Inspiration: Cyberpunk 2020
  Addiction: 1m
  Tolerance: 4
  Strength: 10
  Speed: 30 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 2d6 hours
  Cost/Dose: 35¥
  Street Index: 3.0
  Legality: 3P-M1
  Availability: 6/6 hours
  Effects: Quickness -2, Strength -2, Reaction -4, Willpower
  +2, Intelligence +4, Technical/Knowledge skills +3,
  intense mental concentration, resistance to distractions,
  insomnia, possible psychoactive journey [Body(12-
  Body); 1d6+1 hours in length]
  Crash Effects: Quickness and Strength -2 for 3d6 hours
  upon recovery [resist with a Body(10) roll for each],
  lethargy, increased appetite (x3), moderate stun wound.
  CAFFEINE
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 1m
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 50
  Speed: 30 minutes
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 1d6 hours
  Cost/Dose: 5¥/100 tablets
  Street Index: 1.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: always
  Effects: Charisma -1, Willpower -1, anxiety, tremors,
  hyperactivity, reduced appetite, acts as stim patch (1)
  Crash Effects: Light stun wound
  COCAINE
  AKA: coke, nose-candy, exec, C17H21NO4, snow
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 6p
  Tolerance: 3
  Strength: 5
  Speed: Immediate
  Vector: Inhalation
  Duration: 1d3 hours
  Cost/Dose: 10¥
  Street Index: 2.0
  Legality: 3-M1
  Availability: 4/60 minutes
  Effects: Quickness +1, Intelligence +1, Charisma -2, Body
  -2, aggressiveness, risk-taking, block-all(3)
  Crash Effects: Depression, hyperactivity, moderate stun
  wound
  Permanent Effects: Charisma -1 [Willpower(6)]
  Addiction Effects: Body -1 per month [Willpower(6)],
  Willpower and Intelligence -1 per month [Willpower(4)
  for each]
  ENDORPHINS
  AKA: ’dorph, Fred Dorfman, inga, hoo’a hoo’a
  Inspiration: Cyberpunk 2020
  Addiction: 4p
  Tolerance: 4
  Strength: 5
  Speed: 1d6 minutes
  Vector: Injection
  Duration: 1d3 hours
  Cost/Dose: 30¥
  Street Index: 3.0
  Legality: 3-M1
  Availability: 6/3 hours
  Effects: Intelligence and Quickness -2, Strength and
  Willpower +2, Body +1, reduced sensitivity to pain [-2
  T#], single-mindedness, block-all(6), tranq(3), +2 T# to
  inflict pain
  Crash Effects: Intelligence, Quickness and Strength -1 for
  1d6 hours [Body(4)], irritability, hyperactivity,
  aggressiveness, light stun wound, light physical wound
  Permanent Effects: Charisma -1 [Willpower(4)]
  Addiction Effects: Quickness -1 per dose [Body(4)],
  Charisma -1 per month [Willpower(4)]
  J
  AKA: Johnny Mnemonic, rekall (pronounced as both
  “recall” and “wrek-all”), squealer, this-is-your-life, honto
  Inspiration: Traveller 2300
  Addiction: 1m
  Tolerance: 1
  Strength: 50
  Speed: 1 minute
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 4d6 minutes
  Cost/Dose: 600¥
  Street Index: 4.0
  Legality: 3P-M1
  Availability: 10/3 hours
  Effects: Intelligence -4(cognitive)/+10(mnemonic),
  Willpower -6, extreme talkativeness, complete
  willingness to answer questions about memories,
  
  108 — Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry
  uncontrolled rambling about personal recollections,
  uncontrolled veracity
  Crash Effects: complete memory loss about duration of
  dosage
  METHYLPHENIDATE
  AKA: skippy, jif, ritalin
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 3p
  Tolerance: 5
  Strength: 4
  Speed: 5 minutes or 1 minute
  Vector: Ingestion, Inhalation, Injection
  Duration: 2-4 hours
  Cost/Dose: 25¥
  Street Index: 1.8
  Legality: 4P-M1
  Availability: 4/3 hours
  Effects: Quickness +2, Perception +1, increased alertness,
  excitability, euphoria, increased pulse and blood
  pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite.
  Crash Effects: depression, apathy, disorientation,
  irritability, long period of sleep, headache (M stun
  wound).
  PHENMETRAZINE
  AKA: Devo
  Inspiration: reality
  Addiction: 5p
  Tolerance: 4
  Strength: 5
  Speed: 5 minutes or 1 minute
  Vector: Ingestion or Injection
  Duration: 2-4 hours
  Cost/Dose: 75¥/10 tablets
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: 4P-M1
  Availability: 5/3 hours
  Effects: Willpower -2, Quickness +1, increased alertness,
  excitability, euphoria, increased pulse and blood
  pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite.
  Crash Effects: depression, apathy, disorientation,
  irritability, long period of sleep, headache (L stun
  wound).
  SPAZ
  AKA: bitch, shrew, Mr. Ugly drivin’
  Inspiration: Cyberpunk 2020
  Addiction: 5p
  Tolerance: 1
  Strength: 5
  Speed: Immediate
  Vector: Air, ingestion
  Duration: 2d6 hours
  Cost/Dose: 10¥
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: 4-M1
  Availability: 8/24 hours
  Effects: Charisma -3, Willpower -1, Reaction +2,
  Intelligence -1(cognitive)/+1(perceptive), Reaction-based
  skills +2, hyperactivity, aggressive behavior, muscle
  tremors, reduced appetite, as stimulant patch (2)
  Crash Effects: Neural dysfunction (tremors, memory
  lapses, paralysis), moderate stun wound
  Addiction Effects: Quickness and Charisma -1 per month,
  -1 physical box per month
  TRIPHETAMINES
  AKA: Tri-phets
  Inspiration: Effinger novels
  Addiction: 2m
  Tolerance: 4
  Strength: 5
  Speed: 1 minute
  Vector: Ingestion
  Duration: 1d6 hours
  Cost/Dose: 25¥/50 tablets
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: 5P-M1
  Availability: 5/3 hours
  Effects: Charisma -2, Willpower -2, Quickness +1, Reaction
  +1, hyperactivity, detachment from reality, reduced
  appetite, increased metabolic rate (x2), as stimulant
  patch (1)
  Crash Effects: depression, lethargy, nausea [Willpower
  (4)], light stun wound.
  FLORA
  Plants have long been used for their effects on the
  human body and other forms of life. What follows is a list
  of plants which contain chemicals or properties which may
  be of interest to the researcher or Shadowrunner. Each
  entry is described by the following categories:
  Taxonomy: The scientific name for the plant
  Cost: Cost of plants is kind of a weird area. Sometimes it
  is the cost to get the plant which is listed, sometimes the
  cost of the main chemical in the plant. It’s not perfect, but
  it’s as good as our information could get.
  Street Index: This can vary widely depending on where
  you are. If you live in the NAN, for example, it’d probably
  be cheaper to buy peyote than it would be in Seattle.
  Legality: This is baseline Seattle, as always. Most of
  these plants are legal, but often the chemicals in them are
  not. Go figure.
  Availability: This can vary very widely, even more so
  than the drugs above. Many dealers will always have
  some of a given plant in stock, while another will never
  carry it. Consider the number to be a measure of the
  plants rarity rather than whether a particular fixer will have
  it. The time is how long it takes to find someone that has
  it, not how long it will take that person to get it.
  Appearance: This is a description of the plant, so you
  might recognize it.
  Climate: Rough climate or locality in which the plant
  grows
  Effects: The effects.
  Normally, your friendly neighborhood drug dealer isn’t
  gonna know shit about most of this stuff. You need a
  talismonger, usually. Sometimes, you can score some of
  the medicinal chemicals from a hospital or street doc, but
  usually, your vitalis (that’s “vital talismonger” for non-
  Denverites) is who you need to see. This can be a
  problem, because ’mongers don’t usually have the
  networks of fixers or dealers, so it’s often a pot luck if
  vitalis carries what you need. If not, you’ll probably have
  to find another ’monger. You may even have to leave
  town to get what you want.
  One last thing: some nations have really odd laws on
  importation of plants like this. If a plant seems really
  expensive, you can bet that it’s taxed to hell and back, or
  barred from entry.
  
  Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry — 109
  ALOE (AWAKENED)
  Taxonomy: Aloe vera magnus
  Cost: 400¥
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 8/2 weeks
  Appearance: Succulent cacti with a rosette of narrow,
  prickly-edged, fleshy leaves filled with bitter juice. Single
  leafless stalk growing just under 1 meter, terminating in
  an elongated cluster of down-pointing yellow to orange
  flowers.
  Climate: Aztlan, CFS, The Ute, Pueblo Corporate Council
  Effects: This plant can heal minor wounds [Moderate or
  less] when the juice is rubbed over or into it. This takes
  about 10 minutes for the magical effect to work, during
  which time, the wound tingles very powerfully [+1 to all
  T# for distraction]. It’s powers are doubly effective
  against wounds caused by burns [Serious wounds or
  less].
  AUTUMN CROCUS
  Taxonomy: Colchicum autumnale
  Cost: 20¥
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 6/6 weeks
  Appearance: Herb which grows to 0.3 meters from an
  onion looking bulb. Large, lance-shaped leaves develop
  in spring. In the fall, a leafless flowering stalk yields a
  solitary white to pale purple crocus-like flower.
  Climate: Damp meadows, fields, woodlands and
  mountains, especially in the Canadian parts of the UCAS
  and northern Sioux Nation.
  Effects: Ingesting any part of this plant will cause a burning
  sensation in the throat, vomiting, and possible kidney
  and respiratory failure. [4D 1 hour after ingestion, Effects
  can last all day.]
  BALSAM OF PERU (AWAKENED)
  Taxonomy: Myroxylon balsam magnus
  Cost: 500¥/dose
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 10/3 weeks
  Appearance: Thick, fragrant resin (smells like cinnamon
  when fresh and vanilla when aged) extracted from a
  shade tree of up to 20+ meters tall. The evergreen tree
  leaves are oblong 8cm, sprinkled with transparent dots.
  White flowers terminate the branches.
  Climate: Central America, southern Aztlan, northern South
  America
  Effects: When applied to wounds, the balsam acts as a
  coagulant. It also contains magical properties which can
  heal tissue (heals 1-3 boxes). The resin is slightly astrally
  active, and is sometimes used to shellac doors or
  windows to make them astrally secure (one dose can
  cover a square meter).
  »In order to get this stuff to work for astral security, you need
  to do a bit of enchanting. No magic required, but it needs to
  be mixed with distilled water and tannin just right, and I mean
  just right. Watching the whole process astrally can help a bit.«
  — Karla Nash (01:03:29/3-16-54)
  BARVINE
  Taxonomy: Hedera helix magnus
  Cost: 500¥/meter2
  Street Index: 3.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 2/3 weeks
  Appearance: Climbing plant with woody stem which get
  reach 35 meters or more. Dark, glossy, veined,
  evergreen alternate leaves are triangular and three-
  lobed.
  Climate: Nearly anywhere
  Effects: An Awakened form of common English ivy, this
  plant has a very strong aura, and as such is used to
  cover buildings to make them astrally impenetrable.
  »Too easy. Just go through the windows.«
  — Coma (22:24:58/1-26-54)
  »Most buildings which use this are very secure, and so have
  no windows. Or, often the windows are very small, oddly
  proportioned or barred (with the ivy on the bars). If there isn’t
  a space big enough for a person’s real body, their astral form
  won’t fit through either. And you can’t move the ivy from the
  astral plane in anyway at all. Simple and effective. Your best
  bet is to wait until someone opens a door.«
  — Quarrel (18:25:57/11-30-54)
  »Since this type of security is just as capable of keeping
  astral things in as out, some installations may have a back
  way in. It’ll be very well hidden, but you might get lucky.«
  — Niche (05:44:57/12-17-54)
  BELLADONNA
  Taxonomy: Atropa belladonna
  Cost: 1,200
  Street Index: 1.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 7/1 week
  Appearance: Leafy, smooth branched stem growing to a
  meter with dull green alternate leaves of unequal size
  on the upper parts. Solitary bell-shaped purplish-brown
  flowers (June-July) arising from the leaf axils are followed
  by glossy black berries with inky purple juice
  (September).
  Climate: Woods and wastlands. Eastern UCAS.
  Effects: Belladonna contains atropine, scopolamine and
  hyoscyamine. Once ingested, belladonna is a deadly
  poison [5D] which begins working in minutes.
  BLACK NIGHTSHADE
  Taxonomy: Solanum americanum
  Cost: 70¥
  Street Index: 2.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 6/2 weeks
  Appearance: .3 to 1 meter tall, with oval to lance-shaped
  leaves. White flowers with five backswept petals. Black
  berries
  Climate: Sunny
  Effects: All parts of this plant are poisonous when ingested
  (5D) and can kill within minutes.
  
  110 — Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry
  CALABAR BEAN
  Taxonomy: Physostigma venenosum
  Cost: 250¥
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 6/4 weeks
  Appearance: Vines rooting in riverbanks, climbing up to
  20m into the trees. Large, purple flowers hand in the
  spring. After the flowers fall, 15cm pods develop,
  containing two or three flat maroon seeds
  Climate: Calm rivers in dry climates, in the delta. Mainly
  found in the Niger Delta.
  Effects: A drink made of the powdered beans contain
  physostigmine, which paralyzes the heart, causing
  death; often, however, the drink is rejected by the
  stomach before the drug can effect the body. [On a
  success of a Body(5) roll, the concoction is vomited,
  otherwise, the drink will kill the person in 10-30
  minutes.]
  »A lot of gangs in the Seattle area have taken to using this
  bean drink as an initiation technique. If the newcomer pukes,
  he’s in, if not, he’s buried.«
  — Flash (10:01:32/4-29-54)
  »Physostigmine can counteract the effects of atropine.«
  — Doctorjack (02:32:44/8-18-54)
  CATNIP (AWAKENED)
  Taxonomy: Nepeta cataria magnus
  Cost: 100¥
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 4/5 days
  Appearance: Upright herb, 1 meter tall with branching
  square stems and toothed, heart-shaped opposite leaves
  covered with downy grey hairs. Clusters of pale
  lavender tubular flowers (June-October) with purpulish
  spots grow at the ends of the main stem. Minty smell
  Climate: Throughout North America
  Effects: This plant secretes an oil which cats of all types
  find irresistible. It is as effective as its mundane cousin
  on mundane cats, but especially effective on paranormal
  felines, including Talis Cats, Sabre-Toothed Cats, and
  even Tiger Shapeshifters. It causes a very powerful
  euphoria in such creatures with few ill effects, and can
  reduce aggressiveness.
  »When making friends with an angry Talis Cat, this plant can
  go a long way.«
  — Coma (10:19:45/2-30-54)
  CHAT
  Taxonomy: Catha edulis
  Cost: 5¥/leaf
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 4/3 hours
  Appearance: Small leafy trees, very small white flowers.
  Climate: Ethiopia
  Effects: Chewing the three or four leaves of this tree for
  10 minutes or so causes increased alertness, relief from
  hunger and fatigue, and mild euphoric high. [as stim
  patch(3), +1 Quickness]. Shredded leaves can be used
  to make a tea which has the same effect.
  »This tea, when brewed with honey, is called Arabia tea and
  has some importance to Arab culture.«
  — Fariba al-Hassan (01:59:30/2-17-54)
  DEMONSEED
  Taxonomy: Buxus sempervirens magnus
  Cost: 500¥/fruit
  Street Index: 2.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 6/3 weeks
  Appearance: Shrub from 1 to 2 meters high with small,
  juicy, elliptical leaves, dark green above and pale below.
  Clusters of small inconspicuous red flowers (April-June)
  produce small red, horned capsules containing seeds.
  Climate: Only cultivated.
  Effects: Crushing and drying the ripe fruit and seeds of this
  Awakened form of Boxwood, then inhaling the powder
  will bestow resistance to about all forms of spiritual
  activity [+2 to t# for spirit attacks and -2 to Power of any
  form of attack from a spirit]; however, this powder is
  slightly toxic [3S, immediate]. The effect lasts for 3-8
  hours. It’s main attraction for magicians is that any spirit
  summoned by a magician under the effects of this
  powder will be much less able to harm the magician
  should it go free [treat all attacks from the spirit on the
  summoning mage as if it were of a force equal to one-
  half (round down) its actual force]. As long as the
  magician was under the effects of the drug during the
  actual summoning of the spirit, this effect will last for the
  spirit’s entire existence.
  »When summoning big elementals or allies, this stuff can be a
  good move.«
  — Quarrel (19:48:15/4-28-54)
  »You will never find this in the wild. This is because it is the
  results of a ritual involving it’s mundane counterpart boxwood.
  It will only grow indoors.«
  —Arianna (18:13:15/8-6-54)
  »I don’t suppose you’d clue us into the ritual, would you?«
  — Coma (18:20:15/8-6-54)
  »You suppose correctly.«
  — Arianna (18:21:20/8-6-54)
  FOXGLOVE
  Taxonomy: Digitalis purpurea
  Cost: 200¥
  Street Index: 2.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 10/2 weeks
  Appearance: A rosette of long-staled leaves with 1-2
  meter stem growing out. Leaves are lance-shaped to
  oval. Spires of white to pinkish to red thimble-shaped
  flowers (June-September) are speckled with red dots.
  Climate: Fields, moist clearings. Cascade Mountains
  Effects: Chewing a leaf can cause paralysis and even
  death. [3D, plus, if any damage is taken, reduce natural
  Quickness by the number of boxes taken. If quickness
  reduced below zero by one-half (round-down) its original
  value or more, death results; otherwise, one point
  returns each hour, allowing mobility when Quickness
  reaches above zero.] This also has the odd effect of
  making Fox shapeshifters sneeze uncontrollably
  [Willpower(5) each minute exposed to ignore effects].
  
  Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry — 111
  GODFLESH
  Taxonomy: Stropharia cubensis
  Cost: 100¥ per mushroom
  Street Index: 2.0
  Legality: 5-M1
  Availability: 7/3 weeks
  Appearance: Small, wispy mushrooms with thin stems
  and narrow, white caps.
  Climate: Yucatan
  Effects: One of the strongest hallucinatory mushrooms,
  Godflesh was used ritually by Mayan in northeast
  Oaxaca. Eating this fungi caused severe hallucinations,
  which are very realistic. True reality is ignored.
  [Quickness -4, Charisma -1, Reaction -3, Intelligence
  -2(cognitive)/+4 perceptive, Willpower -1, Artistic Skills
  +2, tests requiring concentration at +2 T#.] Hilarity
  generally overtakes a user just before hallucinations
  begin.
  HEALING SNAKEROOT
  Taxonomy: Sanicula marilandica magnus
  Cost: 1,000¥
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 6/1 week
  Appearance: Thick, dark green, undulating, snake-like root.
  Leafless flower stalks over 1 meter. Leaves at base with
  long stalks, oval to elliptical, unequally toothed, often
  with deeply cut leaflets. Flower clusters in June and July
  with 23 jet black blossoms.
  Climate: Meadows, thickets and shady, moist, woodland
  soils down eastern North America.
  Effects: One of the only plants with naturally black flowers,
  Healing Snakeroot is an Awakened form of Black
  Snakeroot, and is often found with them. The flowers
  can make a permanent dye which is often used in
  Seattle and Pueblo to paint patterns on skin, which act
  as tattoos until the top layer of skin wears off. While
  containing no healing properties by itself, a paste made
  from the root when eaten by a wounded person can
  make magical healing easier [-2 to target numbers of
  Heal and Treat spells]. This effect however takes five
  minutes to manifest after ingestion. The root can make
  enough paste for 4-8 doses.
  HEMLOCK
  Taxonomy: Conium maculatum
  Cost: 150¥
  Street Index: 2.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 6/2 weeks
  Appearance: Lacy leaves and small white flowers arranged
  in umbels. White root. Crushed leaves emit sour,
  mousy odor.
  Climate: Open places throughout North America
  Effects: Hemlock is poisonous when ingested (3D),
  especially the seeds and roots (6D)
  HERB MERCURY (AWAKENED)
  Taxonomy: Mercurialis annua magnus
  Cost: 3,000¥
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 8/4 weeks
  Appearance: A leafy-stemmed herb growing to 50cm,
  with light green lance-shaped to oval leaves with
  rounded teeth, arranged in opposite pairs. Small yellow
  flowers borne on spikes in the leaf axils.
  Climate: Waste places. Eastern North America
  Effects: The juice of this plant, when mixed with oil, forms
  a salve which magically protects what it covers from fire
  and heat [-3 to power] until it is washed or worn off. A
  single plant can yield enough juice to cover, when
  mixed, an average sized human being.
  »Only a magical Enchanter can do the mixing, but it is a
  straightforward process, as long as no human save the
  enchanter touches the juice until the mixture is done.«
  — Alta (08:41:42/2-11-54)
  HOUND’S-TONGUE (AWAKENED)
  Taxonomy: Cynoglossum officinale magnus
  Cost: 200¥
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 6/2 weeks
  Appearance: Hairy stem up to 0.5 meters tall with
  pointed alternate leaves and clusters of small reddish-
  purple flowers (May-August) followed by prickly fruits in
  the form of burs.
  Climate: Sandy and rocky roadsides high in the Rocky
  Mountains.
  Effects: Boiling the leaves of this plant, the removing
  them and boiling off the water, leaves behind a
  yellowish slime. Mixing this slime with grain alcohol
  yields a toxin which inhibits the barking reflex in canine
  forms, including paranormal dogs like bargeists and hell
  hounds. Injecting a dog with this chemical will prevent
  them from making any sound at all for 1-6 hours [Dog
  needs to make a Body(9) test].
  »This can really confuse the hell out of dogs, often giving you
  enough time to get by.«
  — Coma (05:36:41/1-3-54)
  JAMAICA QUASSIA
  Taxonomy: Picrasma excelsa
  Cost: 400¥/kg
  Street Index: 3.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 8/6 days
  Appearance: An ashlike tree, up to 20m tall, with
  pinnately compound leaves and clusters of small rose-
  colored flowers. The wood and leaves
  Climate: Jamaica
  Effects: A bitter resin can be extracted from the wood of
  this tree (about 40ml per kg), which acts as an incredible
  natural insecticide. This resin is extremely effective
  against insect spirits [acting as a 8S poison (this number
  includes the effects of the vulnerability to insecticides)].
  »Yow. Talk about misinformation. We used some of this stuff
  loaded into NarcoJet rounds, and it worked great, with only
  one problem: bee spirits are completely unaffected by it. In
  fact, it seems to heal them and the scent of it attracts them, as
  well as normal bees.«
  — Coma (23:47:36/4-10-54)
  KAVA
  Taxonomy: Piper methysticum
  Cost: 30¥/leaf
  Street Index: 3.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 6/2 weeks
  Appearance: Shrub with broad, heart-shaped leaves
  webbed with network of prominent veins.
  
  112 — Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry
  Climate: South Pacific
  Effects: Chewing on the leaves vigorously, soaking them
  in water or milk, then drinking the liquid produces a
  euphoric state, and when the user sleeps, the sleep is
  deep and dreamless. In large enough quantities (triple
  dose) can increase the force of heart action while
  decreasing pulse rate, induce a hypnotic state and
  paralyze large skeletal muscles, like those in the legs.
  »I don’t know why, but metahumans with allergies to sunlight
  really don’t take this drug well. It can cause nausea and even
  coma. [5(level of allergy) stun damage.«
  — Misha (02:57:49/2-2-54)
  MANDRAKE (AWAKENED)
  Taxonomy: Mandragora officinarum magnus
  Cost: 1,000¥
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 12/5 weeks
  Appearance: Vine-like member of the nightshade family
  with sparse, ovate leaves and whitish flowers. The root
  is turnip-like, contorted into a shape resembling a
  human being.
  Climate: Mediterranean, also under hanged bodies.
  Effects: Mandrake is credited with much more than it can
  actually do. Often in legend a catalyst for love magic,
  ritual sorcery and other sympathetic magic becomes
  much easier to cast on someone with whom the caster
  has shared mandrake [-2 to T#]. Mandrake is an
  aphrodisiac. Eating mandrake also makes connecting
  magically to other minds easier [+1 die to Mind Probe,
  spells which control or alter conscious thought, and
  mana detection spells for 1d6 hours]. Continued use of
  mandrake can pose hazards to magical ability [make a
  Magic test against a target number of 2 plus the number
  of times mandrake has been used in the past 28 days to
  avoid loosing a Magic point].
  MIRROR BASIL
  Taxonomy: Ocimum masilicum magnus
  Cost: 500¥
  Street Index: 3.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 8/2 weeks
  Appearance: Bushy and up to a meter tall, with a square
  stem and many branches. Opposite, shiny green to
  purple, toothed leaves which are elliptical to oval and
  about 3cm long. Small white flowers grow in whorls of
  seven at the ends of the branches from June-
  September.
  Climate: temperate North America, often hidden among
  common basil.
  Effects: This Awakened form of common basil is thought
  to be the source of the legendary association of basil
  with the basilisk. Drinking a tea made of died mirror basil
  leaves will render the imbiber completely immune to
  the gaze of a basilisk for around an hour [(1d6+4) x 10
  minutes].
  »What they don’t tell you is that anyone who uses this stuff will
  be targeted first by a basilisk’s bite. I guess its some sort of
  smell or something (at least to them, I couldn’t smell a thing)
  which really ticks them off. The plant itself doesn’t seem to have
  this effect on them.«
  — Coma (06:39:17/7-3-54)
  »This plant is often used in foci and fetishes for barrier and
  transformative magic.«
  —Ericka (14:17:59/11-10-54)
  MONEYWORT (AWAKENED)
  Taxonomy: Lysimachia nummularia magnus
  Cost: 5,000¥
  Street Index: 1.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 12/5 weeks
  Appearance: A creeping vine with trailing stems up to
  two meters long with glossy round leaves in opposite
  pairs. Golden yellow flowers (June-August) 2 to 3 cm
  across with five petals marked with dark spots.
  Climate: Moist shores, roadsides, meadows and
  grasslands in southern UCAS, northern Atlantic coast and
  the Pacific coast.
  Effects: The juice of this plant, boiled with wine and honey
  and ingested forms the most powerful magical healing
  agent known [will heal six boxes of damage]. It begins
  working within minutes and takes 10 to 60 minutes to
  work, depending on the wound’s severity; however, it
  makes the user very sleepy for hours after application.
  This plant must be harvested specially, and handling by
  mundanes spoils its effects. One plant provides up to
  four applications.
  »On the streets, the syrup this plant makes is called
  beautiform, hiber, and le morte vim. It works wonders, but it
  tastes like shit.«
  — Doctorjack (14:45:27/5-28-54)
  OPIUM POPPY
  Taxonomy: Papaver somniferum
  Cost: 15¥
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: 5-M1
  Availability: 4/3 weeks
  Appearance: White, lavender, red or purple flowers with
  four large petals with dark centers
  Climate: Most of Asia and the Mideast
  Effects: This plant is the source of opium—the main
  ingredient the manufacture of morphine and heroin—as
  well as codine.
  PAREIRA
  Taxonomy: Chondrodendron tomentosum
  Cost: 100¥
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: 8-M1
  Availability: 10/2 weeks
  Appearance: High climbing vine with woody stems and
  broad, veined leaves and bundles of what look much like
  hard, dark green grapes.
  Climate: Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Amazonia
  Effects: From the stems of this plant is extracted a poison
  called curare. This is a very deadly poison, which relaxes
  the muscles of the body, even to the point of stopping
  the lungs from working. Curare can, in fairly small doses,
  paralyze a man in minutes (7D, 1d6 minutes onset
  time), leaving him immobile and asphyxiating until he
  dies.
  »If this gets into your blood, you will be very, very sorry.«
  — Blow (23:40:42/3-22-54)
  »Not necessarily, if you’ve got the right wires. This toxin has
  been around for a long time, and many better blood filter
  cyberware systems were designed specifically to fight it. Seems
  like any system over level 3 works about 50% better against
  curare than against other blood-borne poisons. The same
  doesn’t seem to hold for bioware.«
  — Doctorjack (21:35:27/6-28-54)
  
  Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry — 113
  PEYOTE
  Taxonomy: Lophophora williamsii
  Cost: 125¥
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: 3-M1
  Availability: 9/2 weeks
  Appearance: A tomato-sized round cacti, fleshy, greyish
  to chalky blue, with 5 to 13 ribs with pencil-like tufts of
  woolly white hairs instead of sharp spines. Massive
  carrot-like taproot. Tiny pinkish to creamy white flowers
  on top.
  Climate: Aztlan desert, southern NAN deserts
  Effects: Peyote contains over 56 alkaloid substances which
  act as drugs in humans, including mescaline (q.v.).
  When slices of peyote are chewed, the following effects
  happen within minutes: Quickness -1, Charisma -1,
  Reaction -1, Intelligence -1 (cognitive)/+3 perceptive,
  Willpower -1, and hallucinations. When prepared
  properly and smoked, peyote can have a very profound
  effect: Quickness -3, Charisma -1, Reaction -1,
  Intelligence -2(cognitive)/+4 perceptive, Willpower -1,
  possible uncontrolled astral perception [Essence(12), #
  successes * 10 is what percent of the time you are
  astral], magical theory +4, Artistic Skills +2, tests
  requiring concentration at +2 T#, dream state trance,
  intense hallucinations. Addiction information and crash,
  permanent and addiction effects are as per mescaline.
  Duration of chewing peyote is 1d6 hours, smoking 3d6.
  »The “proper” preparation mentioned is a magical ritual. You
  need an Awakened enchanter.«
  — Poboy (07:49:59/1-5-54)
  »It is very unlikely that this will make you walk astral space.
  Most people are unaware that many of the attributes sought by
  magicians from peyote are actually from an extremely rare
  awakened form of the plant. Here’s a listing of it:
  Taxonomy: Lophophora amsii magnus
  Cost: 12,500¥
  Street Index: 1.0
  Legality: 3-M1
  Availability: 14/5 weeks
  Appearance: As normal peyote, but always with 7 ribs. Not all
  7-ribbed peyote plants are awakened.
  Climate: Aztlan desert, southern NAN deserts, very rare
  however
  Effects: This will almost always send mundanes into the astral
  [Essence(3) # successes * 15 is what percent of the time you
  are astral], and might even get magicians to the metaplanes
  [Magic(9) # successes is the quest rating]. Note that the
  latter can be fairly deadly if you are not ready for it. Other
  effects are: Quickness -3, Charisma -1, Reaction -1,
  Intelligence -3(cognitive)/+4 perceptive/+7 to aura reading,
  astral perception, magical theory +5, Artistic Skills +3, dream
  state trance, intense hallucinations. This peyote is non-
  addictive and has none of the normal crash effects;
  however, you have little control of any astral body gained
  during the trip and may possibly stay in astral space too
  long. Also, magicians may experience a degradation in
  power for a time after coming down, especially if they went
  to the metaplanes.«
  — Quarrel (09:01:27/1-29-54)
  »Well, whatever. I do know that peyote highs are nothing like
  mescaline highs. Peyote goes for all the senses, including smell
  and touch, and is, well…kaleidoscopic. Right before you start
  hallucinating, this flashes of color trance across your vision. «
  — Red Pawn (08:31:36/7-17-54)
  »A peyote cult eventually turned into the Native American
  Church, which is still around. They had 250,000 members during
  the 1970’s, but numbers are a bit sketchy now. They are
  dedicated to brotherly love, high moral principle, abstention
  from alcohol, and other niceties.«
  — Holly (01:18:59/11-2-54)
  RAUWOLFIA
  Taxonomy: Rauvolfia serpentina
  Cost: 100¥
  Street Index: 1.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 4/1 week
  Appearance: 0.5 meter, graceful and woody. Oval leaves,
  dark green above and paler below, in whorls of three or
  four along the stem. Small pink to white flowers borne
  in terminal clusters produce tiny, oval, fleshy fruits
  which turn a shiny purple-black when ripe.
  Climate: Only grows in the wild. Mainly in Indonesia,
  India and Thailand.
  Effects: Chewing the root of this plant brings on a
  detachment while meditating [+1 to philosophic and
  artistic skills]. Over 50 chemicals can be extracted from
  this plant, including some to treat mental illness and
  high blood pressure. The fruits are rumored in folk lore
  to cure lunacy and lycanthropy. They also act as
  powerful tranquilizers [Tranq 6].
  »Holy men in India, including Mahatma Gandhi, commonly
  used the root.«
  — Wolf (21:54:29/6-25-54)
  »I don’t know about lycanthropy, but I’ve seen the fruits
  prevent shapeshifters from changing to their animal forms, at
  least temporarily.«
  — Quarrel (17:20:13/6-11-54)
  SEA ONION
  Taxonomy: Urginea maritima
  Cost: 10¥
  Street Index: 1.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 6/2 weeks
  Appearance: A cabbage-sized onion, weighing up to 6
  kilos. Leafless, purple flower stalk with a long cluster of
  whitish or rose covered flowers. The onion is either
  white or red.
  Climate: The white variety is found in sandy coastal areas
  fringing the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, and
  South Africa. The red is found mostly Algeria and
  Cyprus.
  Effects: Both varieties of onion are loaded with chemicals,
  mostly those which stimulate heart activity. The red
  variety contains a highly poisonous substance called
  scilliroside. When ingested, it would be lethal, but the
  human body vomits it out immediately before it takes
  effect. It is a lethal rat poison, however, as rats and
  other rodents are not able to vomit. The red version is
  much harder to find, as it is not harvested for its other
  drugs [x5 cost].
  »Devil Rats will eat the red Sea Onion like candy, until it kills
  them. One weird thing, though, is that the outer layers of the
  onion and the layers close to the heart have no chemicals in
  them at all. Only the layers in-between are useful.«
  — Misha (14:20:31/6-1-54)
  
  114 — Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry
  SINICUICHI
  Taxonomy: Heimia salicfolia
  Cost: 250¥/dose
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 9/4 weeks
  Appearance: Small, sparsely leafed shrub, with twined
  green leaves up the stems and 6-petaled, white flowers
  at mid-stem.
  Climate: Central America
  Effects: Picking the leaves from the sinicuichi and letting
  them wilt, then crushing them in water and fermenting
  the mixture in the sun will produce a drink with very
  unique properties when ingested. Most distinctive
  among these are vivid remembrances of the past (as far
  at childhood, or even pre-natal memories) and solely
  auditory hallucinations. These effects are accompanied by
  a giddy, drowsy euphoria, a darkening of vision, a
  shrinking of the surrounding world, and altered
  time/space perception. A single plant can prepare from
  three to eight doses.
  SMOOTH STROPHANTHUS
  Taxonomy: Stropanthus gratus
  Cost: 400¥
  Street Index: 5.0
  Legality: 3P-M1
  Availability: 10/4 weeks
  Appearance: Woody, climbing vine, up to 10 meters or
  more. Uses branches like arms to climb trees rather than
  tendrils. Glossy evergreen leaves, thick and leathery.
  Terminal clusters of beautiful, bell-shaped, purple and
  white flowers resembling begonias, but which smell like
  roses at night.
  Climate: Deciduous forests in tropical West Africa
  Effects: The flowers are used for ornamentation. The plant
  is the source of the compound ouabain, a powerful,
  immediate heart stimulator. When this chemical is
  injected in small quantities, it can save humans from
  recent heart damage. In larger doses, it is very lethal
  [7D, immediately].
  »This was used as arrow poison by tribes in Africa long
  before Dr. David Livingstone brought it to European attention.«
  — Doctorjack (01:07:57/4-13-54)
  FLY AGARIS (AWAKENED)
  Taxonomy: Amanita muscaria magnus
  Cost: 1200¥/mushroom
  Street Index: 4.5
  Legality: 5-M1
  Availability: 10/3 weeks
  Appearance: Think musroom with white, thick base and
  crimson head, with white splotches. Starts as an egg-
  sized, fluffy ball which appears as if wrapped in white
  wool. As it grows, it bursts, revealing the red skin.
  Climate: Siberia, northern India
  Effects: This mushroom, when properly filtered, provides
  a user with an intoxication, much like alcohol with an
  added side effect: an empathy for those around him,
  especially if those around him are also using the drug.
  [+2 Charisma, -2 bonus to Charisma, Etiquette and
  Negotiation target numbers, for 1d3 hours; double this
  effect towards those also on the drug. Also Quickness
  -2, Intelligence -2, Willpower -1.] This has earned this
  mushroom the name “brotherhood” on the streets. The
  proper method of filtration is to pound out the juice, and
  filter the juice through a wool cloth, then mix it with
  water, milk, honey or barley water and drink.
  »This mushroom is the plant which was known as Soma to a
  group in northwest India circa 1600 B.C. called the Aryans. It is
  the only plant in the world to have been deified; almost 160
  books of hymns were written about Soma. Soma seemed to
  have vanished from the earth for nearly three millennia, and it
  was not until 1970 that R. Gordon Wasson connected Soma to
  the fly agaris. He had to wait until the Awakening for Soma to
  reach its full effect, though, as it works magically.«
  — Arya ben-Yosef (19:23:25/4-5-54)
  »So that’s where Huxley got the name….«
  — Ivy Tower (10:18:38/5-6-54)
  »A more arcane filtration (in both senses of he word) is to let
  rain water soak into the mushroom, then perform an
  enchantment, and eating the mushroom. If done correctly under
  moonlight, the resulting effect allows a better communal with
  spirits [1 extra service from a summoning].«
  — Quarrel (01:37:29/5-26-54)
  »There’s yet another filtration, chummers, and it’s hanious.
  First, get some people to consume the stuff made by the first
  kind of filtration. Then, drink their urine. It’s gross, but it works
  wonders. It works for about five “generations” unless one of
  those is a magician. I did it, chummers, and I’m here ta tell ya,
  I thought I was talking to God. [Any astral quest undertaken
  while under this filtration is performed as if it were 2 Rating
  points lower for the purposes of target numbers and numbers
  of dice used. Also, any conjuring test is at a -1 T# bonus.]«
  — Inga (21:27:57/11-10-54)
  ST. MICHAEL
  Taxonomy: Angelica archangelica magnus
  Cost: 500¥
  Street Index: 2.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 6/4 weeks
  Appearance: Herb with thick, hollow stems up to 2
  meters. Pinnately compound leaves, with toothed
  leaflets and enlarged sheaths at the base of the leaf stalk.
  Climate: Temperate steppe in high latitude UCAS
  Effects: Chewing the root of this Awakened form of
  angelica can boost the immune system [+1 to resist
  diseases for 1d6 hours] and has very odd effects on the
  astral aura for a few hours. Most of these effects are not
  noticeable, but it does make the user slightly immune
  to many of the powers which nature spirits can use. [+3
  dice to throw off effects, such as alienation, et. al.] This
  root also increases appetite for its duration [x2].
  »This aura fluctuation is not significant, but can confuse low
  force watchers sent to find you.«
  — Quarrel (09:21:19/8-25-54)
  STRYCHNINE TREE
  Taxonomy: Strychnos nux-vomica
  Cost: 50¥/berry
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: 6-M1
  Availability: 10/2 weeks
  Appearance: Medium-sized deciduous evergreen, with a
  thick, crooked trunk. 9cm oval leaves are borne in pairs
  and deeply veined. Small, loose clusters of greenish
  flowers at the branch ends, followed by fleshy, orange-
  red berries 4cm wide.
  Climate: Tropics and subtropics in southeastern Asia and
  Australia.
  
  Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry — 115
  Effects: The berries are bitter and very lethal when
  consumed. Victims of strychnine poisoning suffer violent
  seizures, sometimes nearly bent in half, without losing
  consciousness. The face is often distorted into a hideous
  mask. Death by strychnine can take up to an hour [6D.
  Make test every ten minutes, subtracting 1 from the
  power until the power reaches zero or the victim is
  dead.]
  TESS’ BLOOM
  Taxonomy: Orchidaceae supplus magnus
  Cost: 10¥
  Street Index: 1.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 3/3 days
  Appearance: A medium sized member of the orchid
  family, with white petals with black and green flecks
  toward the center of the flower.
  Climate: Tropics, Hawaii
  Effects: Discovered two years ago by a free spirit called
  Dion Kimber, this Awakened orchid has rapidly infused
  the magical community, especially magical security
  companies, and is grown greenhouses everywhere.
  Although rather commonplace for an orchid, it possesses
  a pleasing, brilliant (but non-active) astral aura. It is
  mainly harvested for its ability to raise the background
  count in areas in which it prospers. The extraneous astral
  patterns created by a room full of these plants has been
  called extremely beautiful, and compared in intensity to
  that within major cathedrals [Background Count = 4].
  TORUS BUCKTHORNE
  Taxonomy: Rhamnus frangula magnus
  Cost: 1,000¥/berry
  Street Index: 5.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 10/4 weeks
  Appearance: Deciduous shrub, up to 4 meters tall. Glossy
  oval green leaves, 2-7cm long. Green to grey bark.
  Small greenish white flowers grow in small clusters at
  the leaf joints from May to June. Most distinctive are the
  pea-sized berries which are torus (doughnut) shaped,
  the only berries ever found that exhibit such a shape.
  The berries turn from green to red to black.
  Climate: Eurasia, North Africa, northeast UCAS, Quebec
  Effects: This plant is the Awakened form of Alder
  Buckthorn. Eating the berries will, within minutes, make
  the user more resistant to magical forces. [One berry
  will give an extra die of magical defense to mundanes
  and magicians alike, but only for themselves, it cannot
  be extended to another. Eating berries is cumulative,
  but only to a number of extra dice equal to one-half
  Essence (round up). The magic resistance will last for
  1d6 hours.]
  »Only the red berries will help. You can tell if the berries will
  work by looking astrally into the empty center. If the berry is
  effective, the hole will be filled with astral energy.«
  — Quarrel (02:35:18/5-12-54)
  VAMBANE
  Taxonomy: Allium sativum magnus
  Cost: 300¥/bulb
  Street Index: 1.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 5/2 weeks
  Appearance: With its white bulb, composed of small
  cloves, and pungent odor, this plant is completely
  indistinguishable from garlic.
  Climate: Pastures, open woods. Eastern North America
  Effects: This Awakened form of garlic provide the basis for
  the legend that garlic would repel vampires. Vambane
  reacts strongly with humans and metahumans infected
  with HMHVV, irritating mucous membranes and irritating
  skin. Even the odor can cause such effects, although to a
  much more minor extent.
  »I don’t think this always works. I’ve only seen it twice, once it
  worked, once it didn’t.«
  — Torment (14:45:27/5-28-54)
  »Could be that it isn’t always effective, but I think it more likely
  that you got slotted by your Talismonger. There is absolutely no
  way you can tell vambane from normal garlic. None. Not even
  astrally.«
  — Misha (07:05:20/7-16-54)
  »Hmm. My experience was that the reason this stuff works is
  that it is a powerful psychological deterrent. Nothing happens
  immediately after exposure, but after about a day, an HMHVV
  carrier’s lungs start burning, itching skin, watering eyes, etc.
  None of this is damaging, but can very very distracting
  because nothing helps the irritation and it lasts for months. So,
  the next time the vamp smells the stuff, he runs like hell, if he’s
  smart.«
  — Vanth (06:03:45/8-1-54)
  UNDERDOG
  Taxonomy: Apocynum cannabinum magnus
  Cost: 500¥
  Street Index: 3.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 3/5 weeks
  Appearance: Branching stems, 1-2 meters tall, with oval
  to lance-shaped leaves in opposite pair. Inconspicuous
  green-white flowers and 18cm slender pods, containing
  silky, tufted seeds. All parts of the plant produce a
  bitter, milky sap.
  Climate: Thickets and fields in Temperate UCAS, often
  around hemp dogbane plants.
  Effects: An Awakened form of hemp dogbane, the sap of
  this plant, when mixed with alcohol, forms a poison
  lethal to paranormal dog-forms, like the bargeist and
  hellhound [8D, Instant]. A single plant can yield up to 10
  doses of this drug.
  
  116 — Better Living (and dying) Through Chemistry
  FAUNA
  A few animals are worth mentioning. You’re on your
  own in terms of how you get these damn things.
  Numbers here are nearly meaningless, but can give a
  rough idea. Conditions and location will alter the price,
  legality, street cost, and availability of these animals.
  CYRANO
  Taxonomy: Nasus trilleanus
  Cost: 1,500¥
  Street Index: 3.0
  Legality: 6-M1
  Availability: 14/3 weeks
  Appearance: A very small (3mm thick, 1 cm long)
  invertebrate earthworm-looking parasite. Skin color
  changes monthly, but is always consistent, usually
  bright pastel colors.
  Climate: Jungle
  Effects: These small parasites are becoming very popular
  in big cities. When placed in one nostril, these worms
  slither up the sinuses and hook into the hosts
  bloodstream. After brief but severe pain, the cyrano
  drinks the blood of the host, replacing it with a fluid from
  its own body. This fluid provides a constant, dulling
  euphoria in its host [-2 Intelligence, -1 Willpower, -4
  Reaction, act as Level 1 damage compensator]. This
  effect lasts until the parasite is removed. Even after very
  short exposure, the parasite’s fluid is very addictive
  [Addiction: 8p after removal (+1 for every two months
  of life with the parasite)]. An addict is fine as long as a
  parasite lives within him. Without it, he will die within
  weeks [-1 Willpower per week, resist with Body(8)].
  »Jesus. Is that a worm in your nose, or are you just glad to
  see me?«
  — Punnisher (08:13:27/2-9-54)
  »This worm alters the users aura, pretty significantly. It is easy
  to spot that someone is using one of these things, but even if
  you are familiar with the person’s aura from before, it
  becomes unrecognizable, though it is obvious that the person is
  under the influence of the worm.«
  — Quarrel (15:01:30/5-19-54)
  »Each time the worm changes color, it causes about an hour
  of extreme pain. Once done, the user’s aura (as well as the
  worm’s) has mutated. This can be useful if people have a habit
  of tracking you by aura, but it is rarely worth it.«
  — El Majid (14:11:46/10-17-54)
  GIN TOAD
  Taxonomy: Bufo mexicalus
  Cost: 500¥
  Street Index: 1.5
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 8/1 week
  Appearance: A small brownish green toad, with very slick
  skin short jumping legs.
  Climate: Central America
  Effects: The oil on the skin of this toad is a hallucinogen,
  especially when mixed with alcohol. Seattle clubs are
  beginning to serve this in back rooms. You get a martini
  and a toad in a cage, you let the toad swim for a while,
  take it out and drink. This often kills the toad, but not
  always. The hallucinations are solely visual, and are not
  very powerful. [-1 Quickness, -2 perception, for 1d2
  hours.]
  MARINE TOAD
  Taxonomy: Bufo marinus
  Cost: 1,500¥
  Street Index: 2.5
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 8/1 week
  Appearance: These are large brownish toads with slightly
  oily, slick skin, and a pale bump (a poison gland) behind
  each eye.
  Climate: Central America
  Effects: The oil of the skin of these animals is a poisonous
  hallucinogen. Pinching the poison glands can cause a
  powerful neurotoxin to shoot out. When this toxin
  makes contact with mucous membranes, death usually
  results [at the end of the combat turn, 6D]. Licking the
  toad’s skin, in moderation, is mostly safe, and yields a
  hallucinatory experience on par with LSD.
  The sky was definately not the
  color of television tuned to a dead
  channel. Jesus, who writes this
  crap?
  — Yowzaa
  SWIFTURTLE
  Taxonomy: Dermochelys velocis
  Cost: 55,500¥
  Street Index: 4.0
  Legality: Legal
  Availability: 20/4 weeks
  Appearance: Extremely small (approximately 10cm),
  these turtles have a very streamlined appearance, with
  disproportionately long rear flippers. While not adapted
  to land as much as other turtles, these creatures swim
  at speeds of over 70kph. They are also highly resistant
  to magic, very rare and difficult to catch.
  Climate: Gulf of California
  Effects: The magical resistance of these creatures can be
  temporarily transfered to (meta)humans if the proper
  procedures are followed. Grinding the entire shell away
  from a living swifturtle will produce a flaky bluish-green
  powder. Inhaling this power will reduce the effects of
  magic cast upon the inhaler for about four hours. [Gives
  user the critter power Magic Reststance for four hours.]
  »The trick here is that you have to use all of the shell and
  snort it before the turtle dies. I’m not sure why. Sometimes the
  shock of the grinding kills the poor little guy before you’re
  done. Done right, though, it might be worth the cost.«
  — Quarrel (15:07:30/5-19-54)
  »If the cost seems extreme, realize that the only waters you
  can find these beasties in are surrounded on three sides by
  Aztlan. Add to that they are a total bitch to find, much less
  catch, and that they are illegal to import into most countries in
  the world, and you end with a significant slice of cred.«
  — Pyramid Watcher (10:15:33/5-20-54)
  
  Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out — 117
  TUNE IN, TURN ON, DROP OUT
  “If some unemployed punk in New Jersey can get a cassette to make love to Elle McPherson for
  $19.95, this virtual reality stuff is going to make crack look like Sanka.”
  — Dennis Miller, comedian and prophet
  “Chip me in, Johnny; Chip me in, Jane!
  Jack me to the max, pump that comstim in my veins!
  Hear the fire all around me with my com-enhanced brain!
  Rockin! with my FNFL!”
  — Kansas City Charlie and the Flying Buffalo Chips
  Jerry Stratton
  THE ARCHITECT OF DREAMS
  The walls of Seattle City Hall were of the finest marble,
  finely engraved with the works of masters and local
  unknowns alike. Despite the crowd, the noise, and the
  numerous doors and halls, once I got my bearing the
  hallway seemed designed specifically to bring me where I
  wanted to go, as if it were made specifically for me,
  specifically for this occasion. The ceilings were vaulted, but
  not too high, and if I didn’t know better I would’ve sworn
  that the light coming through the slanted windows was
  sunlight and not from hidden fluorescent tubes. Rather
  than take the elevator, I took the stairway, the more to
  explore this amazing feat of architecture. The stairs were
  actually designed for walking. They were thin, and gave
  the impression of a European castle, but whenever I
  passed someone, it was never crowded.
  I stopped once to look out the window, over the city.
  There were so many new buildings, and so many buildings
  in progress. All the work of one man, the man I was there
  to see.
  It was the saddest thing I had ever seen. I was here to
  convince him to leave this world, but I could’ve stayed,
  myself. Before this, I used to be surprised that perfectly
  normal people could give up reality for a chip-induced
  fantasy. Now, I’m surprised that such a small number of
  people actually do. No, there was no way I could succeed.
  This was everything he’d ever wanted. How could I
  convince him to return to the regular bump-and-grind?
  John Doe graduated summa cum laude from Stanford
  University in 2046. His degree was in Architecture. His
  dream was to design and oversee the building of a new
  city, a true artistic creation of the future. But no city was
  willing to outlay that kind of money for a makeover of
  dubious necessity, and John had to content himself with
  standard work for standard buildings in standard cities. He
  was talented, no question, and his work was admired by
  his colleagues. But there wasn’t any room in this world for
  what he wanted.
  Until he met her. He’d always been jacked so he could
  plug into the computers and design from within. But he’d
  never thought of using simsense. Until a friend bought
  him a custom chip for his birthday, and life was never the
  same. In this chip, he was the most sought after architect
  in the world, and everyone clamored for his attentions.
  In these last three years he has gone further in his
  dream world than he could ever have gone in the real
  world. He has designed whole cities, and buildings that fill
  the senses.
  »I did meet him that day, and we discussed his leaving. But
  only after he took me on a tour of his favorite projects,
  including a restaurant that he not only designed, but owned. The
  only thing he regretted was that his father wouldn’t come inside
  to talk to him. But that wasn’t enough of a hook to bring him
  out..«
  — Dr. Jerold Stratton, Ph.D., Psychology
  HOTEL CALIFORNIA(ARK OF THE DAMNED;)
  The Dream Park was conceived as the ultimate test of
  the future today. Brainchild of future activist Trurl
  Klapaucius, the Dream Park has degenerated into the best
  example of what the future has to offer.
  »This is the hope of the future, chummer. Our population has
  already recovered from Vitas, and is growing faster and
  faster. We need more room for people, and the more room we
  take for people, the less we have for food, even synth. Trurl
  may have given up, but he’s given us our only chance at a
  future of hope, rather than a future of pollution, sweat, and
  homeliness«
  — Mel Walsinats (05:32:19/05:11:52)
  Trurl emigrated from Poland to Seattle in 2030, and
  acquired backing for his project (Dream Park) in three
  years. Construction began on June 22, 2034 and was
  completed on September 18. The original Dream Park
  contained 400 rooms. Trurl sold lifetime living rights for
  100,000¥ each. Tenants were required to have their own
  plug. Trurl provided waste disposal and food. The food was
  nothing more than gruel pumped into the body, and the
  living accommodations were spartan, if clean.
  But the magic was in the built in matrix. The
  Dreamtime, he called it, and tenants spend every moment
  of their lives in the Dreamtime. In the Dreamtime, the
  building is a luxurious mansion, the food is the finest
  cuisine the world can offer, and everyone is beautiful. He
  sold all 400 spaces in 43 days.
  The Seattle government freaked. They decided that they
  did not like this type of development. They have since
  passed very restrictive laws protecting the residents of the
  Dream Park and making it next to impossible for new Parks
  to be built. The Dream Park owner, for example, is
  forbidden to touch a tenant’s base payment — it must be
  returned if the tenant ever decides to leave or the Park is
  ever closed down. But it doesn’t matter, because no one
  wants to leave, and the interest on 40 million Nuyen is a
  very nice profit, even after taxes, food, and custodial
  expenses. After all, only the minimum of upkeep is
  necessary. No one ever unplugs from the Dreamtime.
  »Well, not quite true. But the turnover is incredibly slow. Last
  year, only 10 vacancies opened up, and the year before, only
  12. So far this year, 3 vacancies have been filled. Out of 1,600,
  that’s pretty fraggin’ low. Unfortunately, we don’t know how
  many of those are people leaving and how many are
  deaths.«
  — Frank Bishop (06:27:33/05-12-52)
  
  118 — Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out
  The
  Mithral
  Trumpet
  Seattle’s best Jazz.
  Open nightly.
  LTG: 1206 (52-1940)
  »How little you know. Nobody dies in the dreamtime — we’re
  forever young, there’s no sickness, no disease. What’s there to
  die from?«
  — Mel Walsinats (07:31:01/05-12-52)
  »Poor English, maybe?.«
  — Yowzaa (07:34:34/05-12-52)
  »I think you’ve mistaken your virtuality for reality, Mel, old
  chap. Your icon may be in paradise, but your body is
  atrophying in its own shit.«
  — Wily Coyote (09:05:51/05-12-52)
  »Drek, Coyote-san. They take care of us here. The vessels are
  kept clean, and if they atrophy, well, so what? There’s only one
  important muscle on the whole thing.«
  — Mel Walsinats (18:54:32/05-12-52)
  Trurl grew disillusioned with his child, and sold it to Sam
  Belding (accountant for Concrete Illusion) for a reputed sum
  of 2.8 million Nuyen in 2042. Belding doubled the number
  of spaces — after all, the tenants didn’t need any of the
  space other than their bed and their jack. He offered to let
  anyone who wanted to leave (there was a waiting list,
  supposedly, of 5,000 people who wanted in), leave. Only
  78 people did so. Then, he turned around and sold the
  478 new spaces for 150,000¥. The seed grew to 103.9
  million Nuyen. It was during Belding’s tenure that Dream
  Park became known as the Ark of the Damned. When he
  sold it, most of the letters in the neon logo had stopped
  working (in the real world; in the Dreamtime, of course,
  they’re fine), leaving the letters “D  am  ark” which may
  or may not have been purposeful. Belding sold in 2048.
  The third (and final) owner is Dr. William Hansen. He has
  doubled the number of spaces again — there are now
  1,600 tenants in the Dream Park. All of the neon letters
  are dim now, and the place has come to be known as
  “Hotel California.” 299 of the original tenants remain, and
  385 of the second group remain. Those who bought the
  approximately 800 new spaces paid 180,000¥ apiece, and
  the price has currently risen to 200,000¥.
  Only government inspectors are allowed to see the
  inside of the Dream Park. Visitors must jack in in the
  visitors’ lounge, and prospective tenants are allowed to
  jack in from the landlord’s office. The waiting list is
  rumored to hold over 1,000 people, so the Dr. Hansen
  doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want to, as long
  as it’s not required by law. There are four people to a
  room (what used to be a single person room in Trurl’s
  day), and it’ll probably jump to 6 people per room soon (3
  beds, 2 high). That’ll bring the population of Dream Park to
  2,400. If Seattle ever relents, you can be sure that Dream
  Park will build up as well. It’s still only 4 stories tall!
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Shadowrun [multi]/EXTRAS/Shadowrun - Neo-Anarchists Guide To Everything Else/4Tech.pdf