What is a Shadowrunner?, At his very base |
What is a Shadowrunner?, At his very base |
Apr 10 2011, 09:58 AM
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#1
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 582 Joined: 13-April 08 Member No.: 15,881 |
What is a Shadowrunner?
This is a question that's come up amongst our group lately; what, ultimately, drives a Shadowrunner? Is there a specific type of person that tends to be Shadowrunners? My two cents is that Shadowrunners are like any other slice of (meta)humanity; you've got people in it for the money, in it for the ideals, in it for the experience, in it for the action, in it for the fun. Shadowrunners have widely varied personalities, approaches, and methods of handling their work. There is room for psychotic head-cases as well as play-it-cool Batman types and everything in between. The only real commonalities between most runners is a certain amount of moral flexibility (if you aren't actively doing something horrible, you are usually supporting or buying from people who are) and a sense of practicality. Beyond that, it's all (meta)human nature. What do you think? |
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Apr 10 2011, 02:15 PM
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#2
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 115 Joined: 17-June 10 Member No.: 18,723 |
Well, mate you just summed it all up.
Whats more to say? |
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Apr 10 2011, 02:22 PM
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#3
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 372 Joined: 2-March 10 Member No.: 18,227 |
What is a Shadowrunner? A miserable little pile of secrets.This is a question that's come up amongst our group lately; what, ultimately, drives a Shadowrunner? Is there a specific type of person that tends to be Shadowrunners? Yes: people who lack better options.My two cents is that Shadowrunners are like any other slice of (meta)humanity; you've got people in it for the money, in it for the ideals, in it for the experience, in it for the action, in it for the fun. Shadowrunners have widely varied personalities, approaches, and methods of handling their work. There is room for psychotic head-cases as well as play-it-cool Batman types and everything in between. The only real commonalities between most runners is a certain amount of moral flexibility (if you aren't actively doing something horrible, you are usually supporting or buying from people who are) and a sense of practicality. Mmm. I don't think you can have people "in it for the ideals" if those same people are required to have "a certain amount of moral flexibility".There's certainly room for a wide range between mirror-shade ice-cool operators and FUCK YEAH PINK MOHAWK, but nobody is a heroic Batman. They're either a disturbed, driven-by-crazy Batman or a desperate, law-of-last-resort Batman. |
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Apr 10 2011, 02:53 PM
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#4
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Canon Companion Group: Members Posts: 8,021 Joined: 2-March 03 From: The Morgue, Singapore LTG Member No.: 4,187 |
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Apr 10 2011, 03:09 PM
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#5
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Shooting Target Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 1,989 Joined: 28-July 09 From: Somewhere along the brazilian coast Member No.: 17,437 |
there is a whole chapter in Attitude talking about this.
Basically, people who were born in a criminal enviroment and keep the way of life and people who has useful skills but somehow got rejected by the "Light" world and now must rely to the shadows to the survive. |
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Apr 10 2011, 03:27 PM
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#6
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 676 Joined: 11-June 10 From: Thunder Bay, ON, Canada Member No.: 18,696 |
Shadowrunners are like the Borg, but with less empathy.
http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/File:MPost11...ator8738167.jpg |
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Apr 10 2011, 04:55 PM
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#7
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Immortal Elf Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 14,358 Joined: 2-December 07 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Member No.: 14,465 |
Or adrenalin junkies who are in it for the rush. They can't get out of the life even if they do make "The Big Score" and are able to retire.
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Apr 10 2011, 06:01 PM
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#8
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 582 Joined: 13-April 08 Member No.: 15,881 |
Mmm. I don't think you can have people "in it for the ideals" if those same people are required to have "a certain amount of moral flexibility". You've got a bunch of anti-fa and anti-corporate groups, runners could easily be running to fight against groups they see as evil or in need of destroying. |
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Apr 10 2011, 06:24 PM
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#9
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Advocatus Diaboli Group: Members Posts: 13,994 Joined: 20-November 07 From: USA Member No.: 14,282 |
Sort of. Those people might resemble or interact with runners, but runners 'at their very base' are deniable assets in it for the money. They may be in it for other things *and* money, or they may be mercenaries available only to certain causes or for certain jobs (no wetwork, only wetwork, etc.), but they're freelance criminal mercenaries. They're not organized crime, corp-sec, revolutionaries, PMC, or anything like that.
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Apr 10 2011, 06:59 PM
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#10
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,109 Joined: 13-March 11 From: Portland, Oregon Member No.: 24,230 |
Here's my take:
The police often question him, just because they find him interesting. His beard alone, has experienced more than a lesser man's entire body. His blood, smells like cologne. He is, the most interesting Shadowrunner in the world. "I don't always take jobs, but when I do, I prefer Mrs. Johnson." "If you know what I mean." |
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Apr 10 2011, 06:59 PM
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#11
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Street Doc Group: Admin Posts: 3,508 Joined: 2-March 04 From: Neverwhere Member No.: 6,114 |
Mmm. I don't think you can have people "in it for the ideals" if those same people are required to have "a certain amount of moral flexibility". There's certainly room for a wide range between mirror-shade ice-cool operators and FUCK YEAH PINK MOHAWK, but nobody is a heroic Batman. They're either a disturbed, driven-by-crazy Batman or a desperate, law-of-last-resort Batman. There are those would rather live life as a SINless criminal, etching out a living anyway they can in the violent underworld of the shadows than give up their free will for the safe, easy, mindless, oppressive life of a corporate wageslave. That is an ideal and kind of the basic premise behind Shadowrun (the Shadows referring to those places outside the corporate sphere of influence where your PC is supposed to reside). Plus there is a long tradition of "Hooding", which is cannon. Saying that all Shadowrunners are emotionless, morally-void killers is boring. Ideals allow for shades of grey- like what lengths will your character really go to [find his long lost love] or [save his mom from that cancer] or [keep the kitten orphanage running]. Ideals are very much a shadowrunner trait, depending on the shadowrunner. |
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Apr 10 2011, 07:04 PM
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#12
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 6,640 Joined: 6-June 04 Member No.: 6,383 |
There are those would rather live life as a SINless criminal, etching out a living anyway they can in the violent underworld of the shadows than give up their free will for the safe, easy, mindless, oppressive life of a corporate wageslave. That is an ideal and kind of the basic premise behind Shadowrun (the Shadows referring to those places outside the corporate sphere of influence where your PC is supposed to reside). Plus there is a long tradition of "Hooding", which is cannon. Saying that all Shadowrunners are emotionless, morally-void killers is boring. Ideals allow for shades of grey- like what lengths will your character really go to [find his long lost love] or [save his mom from that cancer] or [keep the kitten orphanage running]. Ideals are very much a shadowrunner trait, depending on the shadowrunner. I feel like this is correct. To understand the underlying concept of the shadowrunner it is important to understand the themes from 80s cyberpunk fiction and the anti-corporate cultural zeitgeist present in popular science fiction of the time. |
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Apr 11 2011, 12:39 AM
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#13
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,768 Joined: 31-October 08 From: Redmond (Yes, really) Member No.: 16,558 |
<snip> Yes: people who lack better options. Mmm. I don't think you can have people "in it for the ideals" if those same people are required to have "a certain amount of moral flexibility". <snip> You don't have to lack better options; some Shadowrunners do quite well for themselves and really enjoy their work. Furthermore, you can be morally flexible and still have ideals. For example, you could be morally flexible in some ways but an idealist in others, or you could be a hypocrite (I can just imagine a human supremacist who goblinizes or SURGEs and continues to rail against metahumans). |
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Apr 11 2011, 01:21 AM
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#14
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 7,116 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 1,449 |
I think at the core a shadowrunner may be a freelance criminal, generally hired for corporate espionage and sabotage as a deniable asset - some will be desperate, some will be idealistic, some will be professionals, and some will be deranged.
But the term shadowrunner also implies an elite status. This is why small-time criminals will hunger to be called shadowrunners, and why there will be endless debates about what a "real" shadowrunner is, among the criminal community. |
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Apr 11 2011, 01:26 AM
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#15
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Immortal Elf Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 14,358 Joined: 2-December 07 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Member No.: 14,465 |
A Shadowrunner is someone that shoots people in the face for money. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)
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Apr 11 2011, 01:32 AM
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#16
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Midnight Toker Group: Members Posts: 7,686 Joined: 4-July 04 From: Zombie Drop Bear Santa's Workshop Member No.: 6,456 |
What is a Shadowrunner? They're whores, essentially. Their primary source of income is giving back-ally handjobs to megacorporations, metaphorically speaking. It's good money, surprisingly. More importantly, it gives them a degree of freedom that people who live within the system never experience. |
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Apr 11 2011, 01:39 AM
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#17
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Immortal Elf Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 14,358 Joined: 2-December 07 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Member No.: 14,465 |
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Apr 11 2011, 02:05 AM
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#18
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Old Man Jones Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 4,415 Joined: 26-February 02 From: New York Member No.: 1,699 |
A Shadowrunner is a modern day Ninja.
They are criminals for hire. Most often employed when you don't want people to know it was you that set them on their task, often stealthy jobs of theft or murder. -k |
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Apr 11 2011, 02:24 AM
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#19
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,768 Joined: 31-October 08 From: Redmond (Yes, really) Member No.: 16,558 |
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Apr 11 2011, 02:51 AM
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#20
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Freelance Elf Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 7,324 Joined: 30-September 04 From: Texas Member No.: 6,714 |
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Apr 11 2011, 02:52 AM
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#21
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,768 Joined: 31-October 08 From: Redmond (Yes, really) Member No.: 16,558 |
I've often described them as "somewhere between a prostitute and a military contractor," myself. In other words, a mercenary (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) |
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Apr 11 2011, 03:09 AM
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#22
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Immortal Elf Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 14,358 Joined: 2-December 07 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Member No.: 14,465 |
In other words, a mercenary (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) Please, "Private Military Contractor". ... Oh Ghost, I want to wash my mouth out with bleach now for that PC Garbage! |
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Apr 11 2011, 03:22 AM
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#23
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,768 Joined: 31-October 08 From: Redmond (Yes, really) Member No.: 16,558 |
Please, "Private Military Contractor". ... Oh Ghost, I want to wash my mouth out with bleach now for that PC Garbage! Speaking as an American, Blackwater is a disgrace (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sarcastic.gif) And yes, I know you're an American too, CanRay. UnitedStatsian doesn't sound right, and Estadounidense makes most people scratch their heads. |
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Apr 11 2011, 03:52 AM
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#24
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Advocatus Diaboli Group: Members Posts: 13,994 Joined: 20-November 07 From: USA Member No.: 14,282 |
It's not Blackwater, it's 'Xe', right?
Anyway, I specifically pointed out that shadowrunners are mercenaries, but not PMCs. The latter is too organized and military for the core meaning of 'shadowrunner'. |
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Apr 11 2011, 04:10 AM
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#25
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 7,116 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 1,449 |
They're whores, essentially. Their primary source of income is giving back-ally handjobs to megacorporations, metaphorically speaking. It's good money, surprisingly. More importantly, it gives them a degree of freedom that people who live within the system never experience. Meraphorically? Wow, have you been lucky dealing with the Mr. Johnsons. Remember, the run isn't over until the Johnson has screwed you twice. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) |
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