Some of you from the old forums may remember a thread I started ages ago about a fan project dealing with the supernatural in the shadows, and the people who interact with it on a regular basis (particularly people who make a career - or an obsession - out of hunting the "Grey Walkers").

Well I want to resurect the thread on this board. As it stands I wanted to link to a couple of threads from the old forums, but I can't get to 'em at the moment ( ). So instead I'll just put a quick outline of what the thing is all about.

Why am I doing it? Well, firstly, I want imput. A lot of people on Dumpshock are creative people who could contribute a lot to this project. And quite frankly I appreciate anything people have to add.
So basically write up anything, suggestions, IC posts or comments that might be relevant. I'll write up all the stuff I already have when I find the time. Until then I'll just give an overview of what the "book" deals with:

Don't Go Gently Into That Dark Night: Basically an intro to the "darker shadows" - the paranormal in all it's nasty ugly forms. HMHVV infected species (Leeches). Spectres and hostile ghosts. Corrupted and otherwise dangerous magick users. Shedim. Things that are harder to define. A whole shadow business has grown up around these - preventing them from hurting people - making money out of them being inconvenient, learning about them. From the Mr Harkers you get your biz from and the way "hunters" work compared to vanilla shadowrunners, it's all in here. Basically a primer to Hunting.

The Mindset of a Madman: Hunters often make Shadowrunners look like well-adjusted and productive members of society. Shadowrunners deal with primarily human problems. Hunters... well, there's a reason their business is nicknamed the "Deep Shadows". From the "Touched" - people who Hunt monsters because they can't do anything else, to moonlighters who do it on the side, to government and corp organisations and freelance organisations and lone wolves who do it for more idealistic reasons than simple money - this section looks at what makes Hunters tick.

Alone in the Dark: This looks at some of the more famous Hunters - from living legends like Winter and The Stranger, Helios, Helsing, The Graveringer Poet, Aftermath, the vampire vampire-hunter Blake and more (feel free to add your own!).
This section will also look at Hunter organisations - from freelancers like Sabbath and the Ashwind Riders to corp groups like Code Violet to government agencies such as the UCAS Omega Squad and the British Spookhouse. Once again, any ideas and additions in this area would be great.

Then we have sections on the things Hunters hunt. Each of these sections also look at things like *why* they are hunted and also if it is humane or even human to do it. After all, vampires are sentient. Can it be reasonable for a Hunter like Helsing to kill them indiscriminately?
These sections are very open. If you have an idea, add it! IC posts or simply ideas. It's all good and much appreciated.

The sections of this bit are:
Leeches and the Damned: Vampires and other HMHVV species. This is by far the largest section as it deals with a lot of them (including homegrown ones). Also, how you hunt them and the differences in vampires across the world.

Who You Gonna Call?: Ghosts, spectres. They're a pain. Hard to see, hard to kill. Totally different strategies are required compared to vampires. If anything this section raises more moral questions. Ghosts are often the target of Harker-Runs (ie. missions you get hired by corps to do).

Bump in the Night: Shedim. Not just how to deal with them but also conjecture into what they are; where they come from, similiarities to other more familiar "Grey Walkers" and other such stuff.

Mageslayer (tentative title): Hunting magic users. How to overcome their abilities. THis deals with toxics, blood mages, and other corrupt or otherwise "evil" magic users but not the bugs, they get their own section.

Did someone call for an Exterminator?: Bugs. Don't you just hate them? An extensive section just as likely to attract normal shadowrunners as full-time Hunters. A big section.

Whatever it is Shoot It: Other things. Not just a catalogue of things but also what to expect in different parts of the world. Not exhaustive either.

Open Forum: Conspiracies: As the name suggests this is all about Hunter conspiracies (which Ill add to soon). Things like just who Winter and the Stranger are (they ain't normal, that's for sure), if some particularly fanatic Hunters can really channel weird powers (called "the Passion and the Temper" by Helsing) and other more "normal" conspiracies (such as Monster Hunting within the Matrix)

This is designed not just for people wanting to run Hunter only campaigns (if someone is I'd love it!) but also how to introduce the paranormal into regular shadowrun campaigns.

It's not a great description but it'll hopefully do for now. I'll add to it as soon as I can but for now, if anyone wants to comment or add an idea or anything, please do! It'd be great!

Thanks all for your time!

Well the real risk is if you get caught up tracking a bone gnawer and don't notice the Galss Walkers closing in on you before you're ghouled to the local Ventrue prince and...no?
Seriously I'll think on it.

Not a bad idea. With the increase in mana levels, corps. messing with things they shouldn't and I can see the possibilities. Add the state of almost bedlam the america are in and supernatural critters are going to become more of a problem. I like the idea and after all shadow runners are more likely to run into this kinda stuff before any one else. Can't wait to see what people come up with.

Given the Awakening and the manifestation of magic, how much could really be classified as "supernatural?"

Certainly, all of it is spooky and creepy to those of us who live in the here-and-now, but to the citizens of 2060?

The closest thing you had was the rumors of bugs, but that got blown to hell with Chicago. Werewolves (as such) are not especially commonplace, but if local Joe has to deal with the fact that magic exists, supernatural critters abound (although not all of them want to eat you...initially) and things like Wendigo and vamps that have bounties on their heads.

The next "bump in the dark" spookiness would be the Horrors which may (or may not) become part of the canon World.

Sorry, the relative debates over Horror checks got me thinking in odd ways.

-Siege

I actually have the intro I typed up from the view of "Helios," my HMHVV-hunting runner, saved on my comp.

And I also have his profile that I typed up.

Both of these are Shadowland style, Helios's profile being filled with comments from the Shadowland regulars, and the intro to hunting post being typed up with in-character comments from people on the Dumpshock forums.

So post them!

I was working on a sourcebook for Houston (the forth largest city in the entire country and what Shadowrun coverage does it get? Some chess dork in Prime Runners is from there and one adventure in Missions...)

Anyway, Houston is a major spot for "paranormal" activity in 2063. Let's see, we've had a hurricane in 1901 that killed thousans, a plague of yellow fever in the late 19th century, lots of street violence over the past 300 years (from the days of being gutted by a bowie knife to the days of being gutted by a switchblade to the days of being gutted by an Ares Combat Knife), the Battle of San Jacinto, graveyards all over the place, plenty of pirate activity from being the 2nd largest port in the US (making it the largest in the CAS since NYC is #1), near the swamps for that Voodoo action, several Native American tribes settling in around here before the white man came to colonize...there are a LOT of angry spirits roaming around. Plus a bit of a (non-canon) epidemic of HMHVV...

Hell, some modern day "ghost hunters" (aka people who take pictures in graveyards wearing black eyeliner regardless of their sex and see a lens flare as a "picture of a ghost") say that the Houston/Galveston is the most haunted area in the United States save for a few Civil War battlefields.

The Abstruse One

Those files are way too long to post as posts on here, especiallyt he Hunting 101 file.

I would, except I have no clue as to how to make one.

Okay, a link here to some work I did on expanding the various vampire types based on vampire legends from around the world, as well as some suggested rules for ancient vampires with special powers.

snowRaven's Vampires

Use it at your leisure, but if you publish it somewhere I'd appreciate the credit [grinbig]

As usual, paranormals in Asia is mine!

Ok, not all of it. Just China and South East Asia, maybe India.

Paranormal activity should be really hot in SE Asia. What with the Ring of Fire and all...

Got to revise some of my material to fit into the canon material though, pesky Lung and Ryumyo. Interfering buggers, dragons are.

You want me to e-mail the stuff to you, Ronin?

I wouldn't mind a copy either. Please send to bktolputt at pacific dot net dot au.

I like the idea of corporations messing with things man was not meant to know. A "RESIDENT EVIL" splatter fest. cool. Neat idea. Mix in a little Sedim and ...vawala instant combat session.

Cheers

QM

I'd like to see what you have as well - my e-mail is eldritch_mage at Yahoo.

I'll see if I can dig up some of my old notes for this type of stuff.

I had a little company called Vampire Hunters, Inc.. A small company based in seattle that specialized in the extermination of the undead. They'd hired my PC's a few times for some business or another.

I also had an initatory <sp> group called The Reavers. A group of spell casters that specialized in bounty hunting/assassination of mages. Any Mage.

I should have a couple of 'dark' artifacts that kept my pc's busy over the years. I'll see what I can dig up and post.

See Ya

if this were to touch on the passions, ala 4th world, i might be in on it for writing some stuff. otherwise, it sounds very cool, and something i very much wanted in my last campaign, where i wanted a character based of underworld with a lot of occult type stuff.

i've been told i can write well, so if you have need of such, i am certainly paying attention.

I would also be interested in seeing your new rules/material. If you would be so kind as to email it to me at jbornicke at Comcast dot net. Thank you.

Xyth

I've been thinking about making a custom metamagic for corrupted mages called Necromancy that allows them to summon ghosts, toxic ancestor spirits, and most interestingly, shedim. The shedim summoning is the most detailed part, as the mage must enter into a pact with a Master Shedim and then begins to carry out activities similar to (but subtly different from) those of a bug shaman. If I wrote that up, would it have a place in this book?

i have rules for werewolves for a campaign ive written, if youd be interested contact me on AIM, id like some input even if you won't use them

a little better opposition you can use to scare the bejeesus out of a team, and incase of infection, rules that are pretty balanced as well.

Just as an initial reply, you really should have some mention of Agent Milton Dammers (of the movie The Frighteners) -- even if only as a quote at the beginning of a chapter. He's a fantastic example of what happens when someone goes just a leeeettle bit over the edge after failing a few too many Sanity checks.

... and I'll contribute something a bit more useful later.

And everyones favorite SR Vampire hunter, Martin DeVries!

If you're serious about this project - and getting contributions from the forums, mebbe you should move it to the community projects boards?

Maybe we should do this like a Target: Paranormal Threats thing and submit it to TSS (as opposed to Fanpro/Wizkids) since it will be a free thing.

That'd be cool too.

But as far as I know ronin_soul ahsn't sent any thing out, and hasn't posted here in this thread in a while.

Hopefully he'll be back....

I'm here, it's just that about a year ago I lost all of my work (primarily on undead, HMHVV and anti-toxic and anti-undead groups) when my computer died (and silly old me didn't back it up!) - I've started rebuilding but it's slow going because I'm doing so much else at the moment!

Okay well I'll deal with the vampires first. The key thing I was looking at with the vampire "chapter" was what a vampire is, how to hunt them, and the types of vampires. That was an idea of mine that depending on the area you have different expressions of HMHVV - so in asia for example, humans become hopping vampires instead of vampires, elves become Hungry Spirits and trolls become Akuma. There were other types too. The ones i had up were:
Hollow Ones (vampires that decompose like corpses and are nearly mindless but show positive signs of HMHVV. They're nearly impossible to drop because they have no physical weaknesses and regenerate - they can take a couple of assault cannon rounds and keep going. They're found in really dark, depressed and often toxic parts of the world - so they're quite common in Europe and the Tsimshian)
Two-Faces (indian vampires that have incredible senses but an extreme allergy to salt)
Crows (HMHVV people who for, whatever reason, couldn't be killed permanently. You could burn them to ash and they'd still come back)
The Slain (Really weird things that are classed as vampires because they consume essence and infect people, but who mightn't have HMHVV at all. They're essentially metahumans who look a few days dead with weird control over fire and shadow. They dissolve into shadow when killed and can use "Shadow form" (Mist form basically) as well as throw fire and such. They have their own society under ground and seem to have plans for metahuman society. Definitely a big threat)
The Asian HMHVVs - I believe were Hopping Vampire - Human, Hungry Spirit - Elf, Pennagellan - Dwarf, Gaki - Ork, Akuma - Troll (I think toturi had better names for Hopping Vampire and Hungry Spirit - he beat me over the head quite soundly with them!)
So any other sub-types of vampires would be good - though not too many as we don't want this to be just a bestiary. Different types of vampires for Amerindian and African society might be good too (they have different abilities, not just a different name)
Another interesting thing that someone could do if they wanted would be what it's like to be a vampire, just as a tie-in.
Um, the chapter deals with how to identify vampires, how the live in society, tools of the hunt and probably famous vampires or notorious vampire haunts (I'm thinking a large city might be good - maybe Baltimore?). Any other suggestions, additions would be good!

Um, and there was a section on magical threats. Toxic spirits and shamans, blood mages and spirits, and followers of the twisted way. I only really got up to toxics though.

A chapter on bugs (of course!) - how to hunt them, where, who pays you to hunt them, and so on. Looks at bug society and the nature of bug shamans. probably looks at the Hidden Hive (or whatever they're called - the group that owned General Yeats) and Mantid Spirits as well.

I'm thinking a chapter on undead would be good - primarily Shedim but also other types of undead that aren't HMHVV positive. Necromancers would definitely be a cool thing to explore here!

A grab-bag chapter - hunting things that are definite threats but aren't part of a larger group. Things like Baga-Yaga, Juggernauts, Loup-Garou. This is the place to make mention of new and scary critters - and then of course get roundly debunked by Skeptic! ^_^

The first chapter would be dealing with hunter culture and is focussed around the Miranda Datahaven - AKA Shadowland Vancouver (don't ask why it's called Miranda - you probably don't have the cred to afford the intel!). Why people hunt things, as well as how shadowrunners get involved. How to make a living (or at least afford the latest gear) and the whole culture that has sprung up around hunting vampires and other critters (a good example - if a corp hires you for a run involving vampires or other paranormal beasts, they will often use a Johnson called Mr Harker). Finally it deals with famous groups and individuals as well as hotspots around the world for paranormal activity (such as Vancouver, Hong Kong, Arkangelsk, Gosford (Australia). This section would be great for people to add places and groups to showcase various hunting styles and areas. So far in terms of groups I have a bug-hunter, an anti-toxic techno-savvy group, anti-magic... magic users and a corp employed monster hunting team (Code Violet - Yamatestsu and by extension the PPGs premier paranormal hunters)

The final chapter would be to do with conspiracies - sort of like an open forum like in Target: Matrix - it would look at things like infamous "monsters", probably a number of arguments about the humanity of vampires and shapeshifters (one of the sysops on Miranda is a shapeshifter, but she's the only one I have up so far). The two big things that i have (though if anyone else has any cool ideas that don't fit anywhere else - this is the place for it!) is the idea that some "Hunters" can call upon weird powers whilst hunting down their enemies (that they call their Passions) and the other thing is the "immortals" - hunters who are so good it isn't funny and who have been doing it seemingly forever. Examples include Damo in Asia and Winter in Europe (there is one in each continent). Speculation runs from immortal elves to dragons in disguise to even weirder things. It all ends with a rather cryptic exchange between Winter and the Laughing Man and then Miranda going down (typical of me to figure the ending before Ive got the start!)

I'm not one for "one chapter each" type arrangements, so anyone who wants to add anything in any of them feel free and I guess we'll all just put it together or something (assuming people really are interested!). Um, any other ideas would be great - I gues we could raise them here and discuss them or I could start a new topic in community projects if you'd like (Probably Target: Paranormal or something like that)

Send anything to kartzoffs@bigpond.com.
Um, does anyone (HMHVV or toturi maybe) have a copy of all the old stuff in the original topic on the old forum? I can't get to it and it had a lot of useful seed in it I would like to tear apart and make use of if you have it. Thanks!

And thanks to everyone for the interest you've showed!

Don't forget the biggest, baddest and scaliest paranormal Threat hunter.... Arleesh!

Btw, I think we should try to modify and even change some of the descriptions of various threats to fit into the Canon world. I think we need not try to come up with more exotic powers since players will always try to munchkin those.

More idea seeds like combining vampires with free Blood spirit pacts or certain spirits misidentified as vampires etc. More stories and weirdness with respects to the new vampiric strains.

Are you sure you can't get there?

I was thinking of including Arleesh as a featured Hunter given the nature of her Great Work.

A list of features I would like to add to the mix:

A mutant toxic Korean Adult (almost Great) Dragon with his mutant True Drakes subtly corrupting astral space around the Korean peninsula. Remember North Korea did launch their nukes, so they must have had their processing plants somewhere.

Master shedim possessed Juggernaut/Nimue's Salamander(do those critter powers work or not?)

Vampire-Blood Free spirit pacts (feeding and sacrificing at the same time makes for a terrifying combo)

A Free Mantid Mother that is the head of a anti-Toxic/Insect spirit organisation

HMHVV + Dragon = Vampire Dragon anyone?

I thought I saw stata for that one online years ago...I'll see if I can dig it up.

Vampiric Dragon
Draco Sanguisuga (Orientalis/Occidantalis)

Identification: At first glance this dracoform looks like that of a normal dragon (assuming lighting conditions are poor). Closer examination reveals that its once sparkling scales have taken on a dull sheen, and that a thin white film covers them. A slight odor of decay will often eminate.

Parabiologists have concluded that this dracoform is not a separate species but is instead infected by DVV (Dracoform Vampiric Virus) which has strange similarities to HMHVV. Only the eastern and western dragon subspecies have been infected. It is yet uncertain whether the feathered serpents are immune.

Magic Capability: All vampiric dragons have magic resistance. None are known to cast spells. It is hypothesized that the virus strips these creatures of their magical ability.

Habits: These creatures are nocturnal and only hunt at night. They have a strong hatred of normal dragons and will often plot to infect other dragons with the virus.

Vampiric dragons lair in dark underground caves often guarded by creatures they have enslaved.

Economic Value: Vampiric dragons hate and are hated by other dragons. Lofwyr the great western dragon has place a large bounty for the death of any of these creatures.

Commentary: These creatures take extreme delight out of suffering of their prey. Often, they will play cat and mouse games. Some scientists believe that the virus causes mental instability in the creatures, but this in not yet proven.
Statistics
Bod Quick Strength Char Int Will Essence Reaction
* * * *-1 * 12 12+2D6 7+3D6
*=as normal for dragon of previous type (Western or Eastern)

Powers: Enhanced Senses (as normal dragon), Compulsion (LOS), Venom (on claws), Essence drain (perminant or temporary), Fear (LOS), Regeneration, Immunity to normal weapons, Immunity to age, Immunity to pathogens, Partial immunity to Poisons, Magic Resistance

Weaknesses: Allergy (Sunlight, Extreme), Allergy (Silver, Severe), Essence loss (at a rate of 1 point per 1D6+1 months).

From Morrigu's site Here