Ella Laremore was a prodigal hacker. She had an ability with computers and the matrix that her parents, and not even her teachers could quite comprehend. With a large portion of her talent going unguided, she quickly got herself into trouble, and was caught hacking her school's servers at the age of twelve (though the administration suspected that she had been hacking her school's networks uninhibited for several years). She was quickly expelled, but she gained the recognition of a corporate headhunter. This Novatech representative offered to take her to a school for gifted children; to teach her how to use her skills "for the good of mankind". Her parents were quick to take Novatech up on its offer, seeing it as an opportunity for their daughter.

This, unfortunately, did not last very long. That year, she was caught inside the matrix when it crashed. She was rushed to a hospital, but to little avail. They were able to keep her alive, but comatose for the duration of the crash. During this time, all records of her identity were lost, and she became a Jane Doe. When she woke, she was sent out on the streets, with only the clothes on her back. She made some money in ways she is not very proud of, and bought herself a commlink, only to find she was unable to accomplish the tasks she remembers. All memory of anything relating to hacking was gone. The advent of the wireless matrix didn't help, but she couldn't remember the procedures necessary to gain entry into a system.

Feeling frustrated and alone, and still in the middle of puberty, she lashed out, without even realizing it, with magic. She was instantly amazed, and intrigued. She had somehow managed to "hack" reality. Fascinated, she searched the matrix for any more information she could find - and found an abundance of formulas and communities. She learned as much as she could, as quickly as she could, using the matrix as a stepping stone. The AR overlays of formulas, tips, and tricks helped her along the way, as she learned more vulnerabilities in the operating system that is the world.

Over the years since the Crash, she has honed her skills, treating more as technology than as something supernatural. She writes about magic in a form similar to technical documentation, though not with what she sees as the limited mindest of a hermetic mage. She opens herself to any possibility, from any tradition, blending into her own. She has found others on the matrix that treat magic in a similar fashion, calling themselves Chaos mages.

Description
Short, straight hair, dyed various colors and changed on a whim. Always wearing AR glasses or sunglasses (she prefers the glasses). She's thin and lanky, giving the impression of being tall, until you're standing next to her. She usually wears a half-length leather jacket over a tank top and not-too-tight capris or pants, when armor is not necessary. If armor is necessary, wears an armor vest under a t-shirt or something similar.

Personality
Rata is outgoing, but easily embarrassed. She doesn't like to show off, but she'll do what is necessary.

Relationships
Ella hasn't talked to her parents since the crash, though she still assumes they live in Seattle. She has a couple contacts on the matrix - another chaos mage, and a hacker. She's never met either in person, but she feels like she's fairly familiar with both.

Magic
As previously mentioned, Rata treats magic as technology. Something that simply has to be understood, and then it can be used effectively. As she learns of the practices of different traditions, she objectively assesses it, and if it fits into what she's accepted as truth thus far, she will incorporate it into her view of magic. Sort of like learning new programming techniques. When Rata summons spirits, it's more like she's creating sentient code that will run on the operating system of the universe. Sort of like agents or AIs in the digital realm.

All of this, of course, is facilitated by access to the digital forms of her spells. When she doesn't have this access, she is significantly hindered. Most all of the time, she wears image-linked glasses or sunglasses. Spell formulas scroll across her vision, aiding in her spellcasting. She can bring up skeletons of code representing her way of summoning spirits, etc.

Metatype: Human

Attributes (240):

Body: 3
Agility: 3
Reaction: 3
Strength: 2
Charisma: 4
Intuition: 4
Logic: 5
Will: 4

Magic: 5
Edge: 2

Active Skills: (124)

• Summoning 4
• Binding 4
• Spellcasting 4
• Counterspelling 4
• Assensing 3
• Astral Combat 2
• Dodge 3
• Etiquette 2
• Perception 1
• Computer 1
• Pilot Ground Vehicle (Bike) 1(3)
• Automatics (Machine Pistols)1(3)

Knowledge Skills: (27 free points)

• Magic Theory (L) 5
• Matrix Hangouts (I) 3
• Magical Traditions (L) 4
• Astral Plane 3
• Casual Fashion (I) 3
• Techno Artists/DJs (I) 4
• Motorcycles (L) 1
• Guns (L) 1
• Seattle Gangs (I) 2
• Combat Bike Riders (L) 1

Qualities: (-10)

• Magician 15
• Geas (AR/VR) -10 (Condition - must be using an AR or VR interface to meet the condition)
• Incompetent (Hacking) -5
• Scorched -5
• Addiction (Mild, Dreamchips) -5

Spells: (30)

• Manabolt
• Catalog
• Combat Sense
• Detect Enemies
• Increase Reflexes
• Levitate
• Physical Barrier
• Invisibility
• Translate
• Heal

Contacts: (10) - Descriptions pending

• Hacker - C2/L1
• Chaos Mage - C1/L2
• Fixer - C3/L1

Resources: (6BP - 30,000 Y)

• Ceska Black Scorpion 550
  
  • 70 Regular Ammo 140
    
  • 1 spare clip 5
• Leather Jacket 200
• Armor Vest 600
• Fairlight Caliban 8000
  
  • Novatech Navi 1500
    
  • Nanopaste Trodes 100
    
  • Sim Module (Hot Sim) 350
    
  • Skinlink 50
• Fake SIN R4 4000
• Fake Magic License R4 400
• Glasses 25
  
  • Image Link 25
    
  • Vision Enhancement R3 300
    
  • Vision Magnification 100
• Sunglasses 25
  
  • Image Link 25
    
  • Vision Enhancement R3 300
    
  • Vision Magnificaiton 100
• Suzuki Mirage 6500
• 2 Months Low Lifestyle 4000
• Magical Lodge Materials R5 2500
  
• Total: 29795

Ella Laremore was a prodigal hacker. She had an ability with computers and the matrix that her parents, and not even her teachers could quite comprehend. With a large portion of her talent going unguided, she quickly got herself into trouble, and was caught hacking her school's servers at the age of twelve (though the administration suspected that she had been hacking her school's networks uninhibited for several years). She was quickly expelled, but she gained the recognition of a corporate headhunter. This Novatech representative offered to take her to a school for gifted children; to teach her how to use her skills "for the good of mankind". Her parents were quick to take Novatech up on its offer, seeing it as an opportunity for their daughter.

This, unfortunately, did not last very long. That year, she was caught inside the matrix when it crashed. She was rushed to a hospital, but to little avail. They were able to keep her alive, but comatose for the duration of the crash. During this time, all records of her identity were lost, and she became a Jane Doe. When she woke, she was sent out on the streets, with only the clothes on her back. She made some money in ways she is not very proud of, and bought herself a commlink, only to find she was unable to accomplish the tasks she remembers. All memory of anything relating to hacking was gone. The advent of the wireless matrix didn't help, but she couldn't remember the procedures necessary to gain entry into a system.

Feeling frustrated and alone, and still in the middle of puberty, she lashed out, without even realizing it, with magic. She was instantly amazed, and intrigued. She had somehow managed to "hack" reality. Fascinated, she searched the matrix for any more information she could find - and found an abundance of formulas and communities. She learned as much as she could, as quickly as she could, using the matrix as a stepping stone. The AR overlays of formulas, tips, and tricks helped her along the way, as she learned more vulnerabilities in the operating system that is the world.

Over the years since the Crash, she has honed her skills, treating more as technology than as something supernatural. She writes about magic in a form similar to technical documentation, though not with what she sees as the limited mindest of a hermetic mage. She opens herself to any possibility, from any tradition, blending into her own. She has found others on the matrix that treat magic in a similar fashion, calling themselves Chaos mages.

Description
Short, straight hair, dyed various colors and changed on a whim. Always wearing AR glasses or sunglasses (she prefers the glasses). She's thin and lanky, giving the impression of being tall, until you're standing next to her. She usually wears a half-length leather jacket over a tank top and not-too-tight capris or pants, when armor is not necessary. If armor is necessary, wears an armor vest under a t-shirt or something similar.

Personality
Rata is outgoing, but easily embarrassed. She doesn't like to show off, but she'll do what is necessary.

Relationships
Ella hasn't talked to her parents since the crash, though she still assumes they live in Seattle. She has a couple contacts on the matrix - another chaos mage, and a hacker. She's never met either in person, but she feels like she's fairly familiar with both.

Magic
As previously mentioned, Rata treats magic as technology. Something that simply has to be understood, and then it can be used effectively. As she learns of the practices of different traditions, she objectively assesses it, and if it fits into what she's accepted as truth thus far, she will incorporate it into her view of magic. Sort of like learning new programming techniques. When Rata summons spirits, it's more like she's creating sentient code that will run on the operating system of the universe. Sort of like agents or AIs in the digital realm.

All of this, of course, is facilitated by access to the digital forms of her spells. When she doesn't have this access, she is significantly hindered. Most all of the time, she wears image-linked glasses or sunglasses. Spell formulas scroll across her vision, aiding in her spellcasting. She can bring up skeletons of code representing her way of summoning spirits, etc.

The runner who has come to be known as "Geek" (which isn't a nickname he took for himself, but it stuck) popped up on the Seattle scene a little more than a year ago. He's got a past (who doesn't?), but prefers to keep it to himself.The Crash his his family hard - but not in the usual way. Nobody was locked online, nobody went into a coma, nobody even lost their SIN. Both his parents (corporate wageslaves) were killed, though - casualties of a rushed escape, during a Shadowrun that went south when the Matrix went down. They both had decent life-insurance and death-benifits, but you can be damned sure the Corp didn't want to pay up. It didn't help that the world was in chaos, and the financial institutions were shut down for some time. Geek, in his teens, was moved to foster-care and bounced from home to home for the next few years while the money was locked up in the system, and eventually dwindled away or got lost in the shuffle. His lifestyle had been downgraded, significantly, and he could no longer afford to go to college. Geek fell in with some bad-crowds, and ended up turning his intelligence towards illegal ends. The gift he had with computers, as a child, was turning into a decent way to get by without getting his hands dirty. The rapid transition to a wireless world meant someone who kept current with the new technologies, and knew even a little bit about them could take advantage of the masses who had no idea how vulnerable they had become. At 18, he was out on his own, now a professional hacker - doing smalltime jobs for smalltime pay. The occational big job would come along, but the money always went right into new programs, new parts for his commlink, and eventually an impressive amount of headware. The fixer he went through to get ahold of these often illegal goods, eventually offered to put him in touch with a Shadowrunner team - if Geek was ready for the big-time. He took the offer, but the run went south, Geek was spotted by matrix security, and nearly killed by lethal levels of black IC. Everyone made it out okay, but nobody got paid, and there wasn't a whole lot of question thatit was Geek's fault - dispite his stealth program being the best he could afford.

Geek no longer runs with that team. He hasn't heard from them, since, but he assumes they got a new ("better") hacker. The fixer took pity on him, and has recently given him a second-chance in the form of an introduction to his current team. Geek has done a few jobs with them, with no complete screw-ups, but is constantly worried that he'll let them down, and get left behind again.

Geek knows his way around computers - in fact, he's probably a good deal better than most people who call themselves "hackers" - but he knows he isn't the best in the shadows, and always compares himself to famous hackers that are simply way out of his league. He lacks confidence, and sees his job as at least 80% having the right gear and programs, and only 20% knowing what to do with them. That's good for him, because his skills lag behind his gear by a fair margin, but even his implants are only standard-grade. His programs are better than what you'll find on the street, or in easily accessible bulletin boards, but are a little out-dated, and wouldn't stand up to secure corporate systems. He knows his way around firearms, and weapons, but without magic or implants, he knows he would be torn apart in seconds by any off-the-rack street-sam, vat-job, or adept. In fact, the only real skill that Geek is truly first-rate at is keeping his head down, and finding cover at the first sign of trouble. That isn't a skill that is particularly appreciated by other runners in the Shadows.

Geek lacks confidence, as mentioned above. He's kind of a negative person, particularly when it comes to himself. The problem is, he always compares himself to the best-of-the-best. He got fried in cybercombat, a while back - outclassed (of course) by a security spider who was a little trigger-happy with a blackhammer program - and Geek has been focusing a lot of his blame on that. While he recovered, that team found a new ("better") hacker, and it was because of this that his fixer contact found him a new team. He survived, and isn't suffering any truely horrific brain-damage, but Geek is fairly certain he wouldn't be such a second-rate hacker if his head wasn't "all messed up all the time".

- Human (0)

- STR 3
- AGI 3
- BOD 3
- REA 4

- CHA 3
- INT 4
- LOG 5
- WIL 3

- Edge 3 (10)
- Essence 6
- Magic 0
- Initiative 8 (Matrix 13)

- Scorched (-10)
- Bad-rep (-5)

- Cracking Group 4 (40)
- Electronics Group 4 (40)
- Close Combat Group 1 (10)
- Firearms Group 1 (10)
- Pilot, Ground Vehicle 1 (4)
- Perception 1 (4)
- Artisian 1 (4)
- Dodge 6 (Ranged (26)
- Infiltration 1 (4)
- Cybertechnology 1 (4)

- Street Knowledge
- - Piracy Groups 4
- - Black Matrix Service Providers 4
- - Virtual Private Networks 4 (Cracker Underground 6)
- - Famous Hackers 3
- - Software Companies 3
- Professional Knowledge
- - Security Design 4 (Matrix 6)
- Academic Knowledge
- - Mathematics 3
- Interest Knowledge
- - Cryptography 4

- "Benny" (Fixer) (2/3) - Typical Shadowrunner Pimp. Not very well connected, and generally deals with small-time talent. Has a reputation for filling gaps at the last minute. Has taken pity on Geek ever since he introduced him to "the big time" and is trying to get him back on his feet after his botched run.
- "The Butcher" (Street Doc) (3/1) - Black Clinic street doc who installed Geek's cyber. Ties to orgenleggers and chop-shops, but on the up-and-up if he's paid up front. Introduced through Benny. Also helped rehabilitate Geek after the Black IC attack.

249,541 / 250,000

- Drones:
- - Micro-tapper Bug (1000)
- - Repeater Drone (3,000)
- - MCT Fly-Spy (2000)

- Low Lifestyle (2000)
- Fake SIN 4 (4,000)
- "Disposable" Commlink (300)
- Tag Eraser (150)

- Lined Coat [6/4] (700)
- Colt Manhunter (300)
- - 16 stick & shock rounds (128)
- Spare Clip (5)
- - 16 stick & shock rounds (128)

- Cyberware [2.55] [151,500]
- - Headware
- - - Encephalon, Rating 2 [1.5] (75,000)
- - - Math SPU [0.15] (4,500)
- - - Simsense Booster [0.5] (65,000)
- - - Sim Module, Hot Sim [0.2] (5,000)
- - - Commlink [0.2] (2,000+)

- Commlink (100) [18,350]
- - Response 5 (4,000)
- - Signal 5 (1,000)
- - System 6 (5) (3,000)
- - Firewall 6 (5) (3,000)
- - Modifications
- - - Customized Interface (250) {+1 matrix initiative}
- - Modules
- - - Cryptosense Module (1,000) {can interpret senses the character does not possess}
- - - Response Enhancer 3 (6,000) {+3 matrix initiative}

- - Software (65,980 total)
- - - Agent, Unrestricted 3 (3,600)
- - - Autosofts
- - - - Homeground 4 (2,000)
- - - Data Software
- - - - MapSoft 6 (30)
- - - Common Use
- - - - Command, Encrypt, Reality Filter, Scan, Purge 6 (5@600=3000)
- - - - - Optimization 3 (5@300 = 1500)
- - - - Analyze, Browse, Edit (3@600 = 1800)
- - - - - Ergonomic, Optimization 3 (3@600 = 1800)
- - - Hacking
- - - - Biofeedback Filter, Decrypt, Defuse, ECCM, Exploit, Medic, Sniffer, Spoof, Track 5 (9@5,000=45,000)
- - - - Stealth 5 (5000)
- - - - - Ergonomic (2250)