Sprawls

by Robert A. Hayden

Atomix Voodoo Fastfood Cafe

David J. Altman

Atomix Voodoo Fastfood Cafe is located in a small street in the sprawl, easily noticed because of the loud Caribbean music and the foul smell of the fastfood. It is owned and operated by two street Dwarfs, Jerome Lutz and Harry Green. Jerome is a giant dwarf from Jamaica who dabbles in Voodoo and wears flamboyant colors, while Harry is a slight, thin, morose dwarf from Seattle, who wears a very expensive suit and carries himself like a corporate. The “Cafe” is actually a front operation for selling black market arms and armament. The two dwarfs have a large network of contacts and have access to much heavy firepower. They also have a connection for getting arcane items and artifacts, although the latter they charge double for because of their own superstitions about magic. They live above the cafe, and have arranged for a private space in the basement where they can store product safely. The third floor is a warehouse for the bulky goods. They only deal in merchandise, not in information. They will move products for a price. They sell to anyone, including law enforcement. Both are well armed, and have hired some muscle to work at the fastfood place. Although the fastfood trade is lucrative, they still mainly use it as a front and their real money comes from the weapons trade. The food is so-so, the music is too loud, and the smell is foul - but if you need hardware they are the ones.

Beth’s Cafe

James Mann

Beth’s Cafe has been around since the mid 1950’s and is still going strong. Located not far from the northern boundaries of Seattle (old Interstate 5), Beth’s is a popular place for all-night eating. The decor is strictly 1950’s, with chrome-plated everything. The food is American diner style, with extra-large orders being popular (ever had a 12-egg omelet?). There is a jukebox with lots of oldies. A popular hangout for college students, truck drivers and gangers.

Blitz!

Marcel Emami

Blitz! is the latest in a long line of SF discos, and looks like it will last quite a while before the next one comes along to replace it. Blitz! is nothing short of sensory overload: the dance floor is composed of multicolored panels flashing in seemingly random patterns, but all in sync with the beat of the music and the bass line. Various other holographic images flash around the club with similar synchronization. Finally, if you think you can handle it, you can jack into the club’s Trid network: throughout the disco are various simstim transmitters that let you experience what everyone else is going through at the same time. Suffice it to say, the place gets pretty wild. Ironically, despite the fact that the building isn’t, Blitz! is earthquake proofed, which is why it will outlast many other discos. Just don’t come if you have a headache.

CPR 121

Dylan Northrup

This is a computer lab at any University and is open 24 hours a day. CPR stands for Computer Processing and Repair. This is where the technogeeks and junior deckers practice their jacking skills. Most of the people in CPR are students trying to pass their junior hacking class or maybe some seniors doing late night projects. Every once in a while you have a decker trying to get into the system, but most of the time they want to simply log on and use the lab as a spring board for their actions. This way there is no chance of a trace leading back to them. CPR 121 is usually crowded until around midnight and then only hard core people remain. The lab usually has 20-40 computer terminals and about 5-10 full cyberdeck hookups for students. There are some printers scattered around for getting hardcopy. The lighting tends to be somewhat dim to cut down on glare and the temperature is kept a little below normal to keep the machines happy. There is a dedicated line to the matrix that is pretty good, but nothing like the dedicated lines that the Telecom majors get.

Dockside Tavern

David J. Altman

The Dockside Tavern is located on the piers. Specifically, its on one of the old freighter ships that been permanently docked and is slowly rusting away. Like most freighters it has several levels. The main deck is a tavern atmosphere common along the British Isles in the twentieth and twenty-first century. The Dockside caters to people involved with trade (legal and illegal), so smugglers, privateers, pirates, and dockers are common. Food and drink tends to be hearty, and the mood jovial, but can quickly go dark if crossed. Information changes hands as freely as money. The Dockside is also a hiring place for crews of ships, or people to do other “odd jobs.” The Dockside is run by Captain Black, an aging smuggler who only likes two things, money and the ocean. The Captain is getting old, but he still has enough friends and connections to make sure nobody messes with him or his tavern. Belowdecks are a couple of rooms that can be rented for private meetings, as well as the captains own quarters. If the need should arise, these rooms can be soundproofed. The forecastle is a storage area that can be rented to store contraband. The hold and cargo levels are sealed and nobody knows what’s in them. Rumor is that the Captain has them rigged to blow and take the ship and nearby dock with it if he gets into serious trouble. The Dockside has no distinctive markings or call signs.

The Epicenter

Chris Pedersen

The Epicenter is an unusual sprawl meet location. The entire area around The Epicenter is a partially destroyed city block, devastated by a fierce 7.8 earthquake that hit the city nearly 30 years ago. The rubble has remained, slowly growing over with vegetation and the local gang population. The Epicenter itself is located in the center of this area, at the earthquake epicenter.

The Epicenter used to be an old theater called The Moore. The structure itself is mostly intact, although the seating has been removed, and the floors and walls are badly cracked. Those willing to make the trek into this area can find the theater an ideal meeting ground.

Five Hands

Marcel Emami

So you think you can handle the Habitat? Not even close. Five Hands is nothing short of huge. Originally a series of old office buildings, they have been renovated to include a series of restaurants, bars, sims arcades, and just about everything else you can imagine. Unlike Blitz!, Five Hands is the place where people go to plan the night before they go out and experience it.

One good thing about Five Hands: it’s neutral. Meetings between corp execs and gangsters have been known to take place here, and an informal security force patrols the area. Nothing is off limits, but take it outside if you’re going to do something nasty.

The Forge

Mazda Hewitt

It’s night, the neon is flashing, the air is electric, a high night life feel. People move unhurried, many stagger as they move to their final destination for the night. The man in front carries a heavy guitar case, he take a left down an alley, the dark silent feel of closed shops. He is following a whisper, a whisper that has been flowing through the city for a few days now. “The Forge is open”, “Thursday for the Jam”. The Bass gets louder, he ignores it, its not the kinda thing he’s looking for. He takes another left, over the two drunks that lie there. The faint sound of guitar echoes down the 2m wide ally. Pinned to the heavy black wooden door on the left is a tattered bit of A4.

      The Forge
  Tonight   The Jam
     All Welcome
Free if yer gonna play

He pushes the door, The sound of raw blues hits him almost as hard as the heavy blue smoke. What looks like a young metaler stands up. The man lifts his guitar case and nods, the metaler stands aside.

He surveys the room. A scattered set of tables, perhaps 20 people. A small but friendly stage, more of a step than a stage, fit maybe two. The forge fire flickers that and the candle the only lighting. She sings “Mohma, I ain’t gonna let that man mess me around”. Bob sits in the corner with his tea and ever present joint. Bob’s the manager and compare, an old Dwarf, his hair long ago migrated down the back of his neck and onto his chin. He hands the stranger the joint, “you wanna go on next?”.

The Forge is a meeting place for buskers, they arange pitches here, swap information. If you know who to ask you can find out pretty much any thing that happen on the street. Buskers are every where and they are very good at watching. But there also many old boring stories to be told. Bob will know everyone who come in and makes it his business to know anyone new.

Inner Circle

Angus Chan

This is a sprawl like no other. Magicians, Street Sams, or other meat based runners have no hope of entering, since it doesn’t really exist. Deep within the far reaches of the matrix, there is a place that is virtually identical to real life and this is where the hottest of the hottest deckers hang out to exchange the latest in information, programs or anything else that may be converted to an electronic medium.

Like in real life, there are ‘shops’, ‘taverns’, and motels where a technomancer may arrange for a meet - the Inner Circle is so realistic, one may even purchase ‘real-estate’ and own a dwelling within it. Just don’t forget that you’re in the matrix while you’re here, or things could get nasty (i.e.. Starve to death without even knowing about it).

The cowboys who have created this little area within the net frequent a ‘bar’ labeled as the Inner Light because the building literally glows from the inside out, making it an impressive sight to see. To meet with them, you better have something more to offer than just a friendly hello.

Oh, and watch out for the IC, its a real killer.

The Habitat

David J. Altman

The Habitat is a very private club just east of the zoo, located in the interior of a heavily forested park. Its exterior is hardwoods carved in relief sculptures of woodland and jungle scenes (usually of predators stalking prey). The only lighting outside is provided by torches. Everything about the outside says luxury, but in a eerie archaic way. People walking past claim that the music is heavily percussion based, usually with primitive motif. The parking lot is filled with expensive cars. Membership of the club includes scholars, ‘runners, cooperators, and underworld figures. None knows the membership requirements. The owner, Castillano Falsone (a known high level fixer), says the club is dedicated to fun and nature appreciation.

GM Note: The Habitat’s members are all Weres

Heaven’s Door

J.D. Falk

	"Mama, take this badge from me,
	I can't use it anymore.
	Its gettin' dark, too dark to see,
	Feels like I'm knockin' on Heaven's door."

These words from a classic old folk song adorn an ornate brass plaque hung in the foyer of the bar known as Heaven’s Door, open only to members and their specific guests. The clientele, for the most part, consists of disgruntled law enforcement officers who have tired of the beaurocrats in the government complaining about crime in the streets and then turning around and cutting the police budget. Some members, of course, are retired from the police force, but still keep in touch with their old friends and contacts.

Upon entry, one is required to check their gun and badge along with their coat. Only the bouncers, mostly people who were kicked off the force for being too violent, are allowed to carry weapons, though they’re rarely needed.

It is not specifically a fancy place, but nor is it totally casual. There is usually a broad mix of styles, from the mock-Elven to the classic Mafia-style suits. Any type of drink is available, and it is not unknown for a member to have the bartender (a large, hulking bald man, almost Troll-sized) drug their guests’ drink, usually with some type of truth serum. Most kinds of food are available, mainly depending on who the cook is that day. Steak is common.

The furnishings are as varied as the rest of the place – not a motley miss-matched collection, but if you look carefully you’ll notice that most of the decor is made up of things that aren’t usually seen together. The walls are paneled with real wood, and most of the furniture is wooden as well (mostly appropriated during raids on rich criminals, and “lost” if not needed as evidence).

Besides being a gathering place, this is also a meeting place, where officers can meet with reporters, fixers, or other contacts “off the record” and either leak things or find out what the word is on the street. Innumerable cases have been solved within these walls before any evidence was even collected.

Every so often the management will hire a band to play, varying in style like everything else. But always, without fail, the last song of the night will be that classic folk song “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.”

NOTE: The song was written by Bob Dylan, and has been covered by a hell of a lot of groups including Eric Clapton, Bob Marley, and Guns ‘N Roses. My theory is that it will continue to be covered by group after group, and enter folk status around the same time as The Awakening.

Megamother Bloze Bar & Grill

J.D. Falk

Known to its usual crowd of customers simply as The Megamother, this hangout is common to students at the University of California in Los Angeles (CFS). For the most part, there are two main groups: Wizzers and Deckers (meaning, simply, students from the school of Magic and students from the school of Cybernetic Navigation.)

For the Deckers, there are a lot of high-quality “pay phones” which consist simply of a jack for your Cyberdeck and a slot for your Credstik. (Prices are lower than other pay phones due to the sheer volume of use.) It is not uncommon for beginning Deckers to stay there for days – the bartenders understand, and have even been known to enter Cyberspace themselves to remind the Decker to jack out and eat something, or to pay their bar bill.

On the Magic side, major magic is not allowed in the bar, due to general agreement. Pity the poor schmuck who tries to get out of paying their bill through the use of magic – any other mage notices, and the consequences are dire.

In general, The Megamother looks like any other popular place – its clearly a bar, plus flashing lights, a bit of a dance floor (usually used to project 3D images of some Decker’s project), and some tables scattered around. The food is mediocre, and the drink is usually watered down, but nobody seems to mind.

Mike’s Place

Brad Caldwell

Mike’s Place is a two-story nightclub on the edge of a university. It caters to the university crowd and has a live band every weekend. The bouncer is chromed and is able to manhandle the most rowdy of customers. The bartender, an older man named John Doe, mixes the drinks strong. Every Thursday night is Happy Night and the drinks are half-priced. On the weekend, beer busts are not uncommon if the band is expected to be good.

Montgomery Community Television

J.D. Falk

Built in 1986 as a public access cable television facility, this nonprofit organization fell upon hard times as the Montgomery County, Maryland government reduced funding over the years. As cable and broadcast television, telephone companies, and other organizations built the information network which was to become The Matrix, this and other cable and low-power broadcast TV stations were shunted aside and largely forgotten.

As time went on, the MontCom studios became a mecca of artistic videography. When a small contingency in the Betapunk video artistry organization split off for form the U-Punks (so named in honor of the Sony 3/4” U-Matic videotapes they used) in 1998, they found a home on the Rockville MontCom studios.

By 2040, MontCom had linked to the Matrix, and deckers such as Joe Young V (grandson of the engineer who kept MonCom’s 3/4” equipment going until 2018) will provide hookups for any community which would like flatscreen viewing of the eclectic, obscure shows the facility is so well known for.

Presently, anybody who has passed their examinations can send video recordings for broadcast. They gave up on magnetic tape in 2030, after their last second-hand D-5 digital videotape player broke down (it is now in a museum), and currently accept most standard chip or disc formats, as well as direct data transfers.

Though still licensed by the U.C.A.S. Federal Communications Commission, no government or corporation has control over them any longer. The actual “broadcast” facility, still near the county seat (where its been since 1986) is heavily fortified, and surrounded by the “Derwood Free Zone,” an area of seeming anarchy which is actually closely controlled by MontCom.

Any strangers allowed inside would be watched carefully, but would soon discover that good behavior and acceptance of the staffs’ eccentricities would be met by friendliness on the part of most, and extreme indifference on the part of Joe Young V.

GM Note: Most employees and “access users” (to employ the archaic term) at MontCom are equipped with recording, low-light-capable eyes, and absolutely anything could be recorded. It is quite common for exciting happenings to show up on the flatscreen feed, even if that is likely to get some or all of the participants “in trouble.”

Authors’ Note: The actual nickname for Montgomery Community Television is M.C.T., but in the world of Shadowrun that acronym is already taken.

The Neon Parrot

J.D. Falk

Centered around the oddly off-color grand piano located directly in the center of the establishment, The Flaming Parrot seems to cater to the upper middle class businessman. Except for the pianist, the customers are all men in suits.

All men in suits.

This deceptively straight bar caters to gay businessmen who, usually to keep their jobs, haven’t come out of the closet. It is here that they meet, talk business, and surreptitiously slip off in pairs.

The only person usually seen at The Flaming Parrot who is not a man in a suit is the lounge singer/pianist, a transvestite who calls him/herself Penny Lane. “Penny” has a penchant for ad-libbing new lyrics to classic Broadway songs, usually to follow along with whatever conversation he/she may be having. Even when not making new lyrics, the tune he/she plays usually has something to do with the topic of conversation around the piano.

Often, straight customers who’ve wandered in for one reason or another will be given subtle pressure to sing a duet with Penny Lane.

People’s Drug

Marcel Emami

Based on a drug store chain that existed throughout most of the twentieth century before being subjected to a name change brought about by a takeover, People’s is the drug store that believes in customer service over anything else.

The usually helpful employees will go to great lengths to satisfy and need, but don’t be fooled: theft or trouble making will not be tolerated. All employees carry stun devices similar in appearance to credsticks, and are thoroughly trained in various martial arts.

And if you’re lucky enough to visit store 1468 around Federal Dee Cee, ask for Mike the Manager: he can order some rather unusual equipment you really wouldn’t expect to see in a drug store…

Pern Cafe

George Campbell

The Pern Cafe is owned and operated by one Billy Rae. She is a 20th century sci-fi/fantasy junkie and named the cafe after the world of her favorite series - that of Anne McCaffery’s Pern novels. Over the bar is proudly displayed her tattered yellowing paperback collection of these 20 or so novels. The cafe serves as a meeting area for those geeks who are into sci-fi/fantasy novels, RPG’s, and computers but do not possess the knowledge or facilities to jack into the Matrix (yes the ones mentioned in the Fearless Leader’s portfolio). The highlight of these geeks is when a decker (usually a rookie who’s just gotten a datajack) comes into the pub. It is very rare indeed when a notable decker enters the cafe. The one exception to this is during Pern Con, a holdover from the 20th century sponsored by Billy once a year. It takes place at a nearby hotel but many people frequent the cafe during it. Billy hires a few of the more notable deckers (that she can wrangle into it) to come and give talks about various aspects of decking and to give tips to youngsters just starting out. The popular legend is that Dodger once stopped in the cafe out of the blue, but no one can prove it one way or the other.

Rix NeoCafe Americaine

David J. Altman

Rix NeoCafe Americaine is a blast from the past mixed up with some new tek. Rix DiAngelo worked in the sim biz for twenty years, and was a huge success. But Rix never really liked the sims, he much preferred the classic golden age movies of Hollywood like “Casablanca”. So when Rix retired he brought his dream to life. After creating and exact duplicate of Rick’s Cafe Americaine of the movie Casablanca he added a few trideo screens, some really cool holoprojection gear, and a few characters not seen in the original movie (although according to Rix they should have been) like a bruiser bouncer and some gorgeous women. Now when one enters Rix NeoCafe Americaine one sees a fashionable restaurant bar (and for the select and creditworthy) the casino, done in the neoclassic 20 deco style. And old movies playing on the trideo screen, as well as holoprojected into the restaurant proper. Suits and tie are mandatory. Music is jazz, swing, and big band. Its a ritzy place.

The Rosebud

J.D. Falk

Welcome to The Rosebud, chummer. The movies start in about fifteen minutes, so you might want to head over to the bar and get a beer or something.

Movies tonight? Well, we’ve cranked up the old 75mm film projector – that damn thing’s almost hundred years old, now – and we’ll be showing this old flick called Blade Runner, from back in the 1980’s. Believe it or not, there’s this bunch of old geezers comin’ in, not one of ‘em less than eighty years old, who want to watch with us! They say its a “cult hit,” or something like that. Me, I don’t know.

After that, we’ve got some stupid comedy from 1994 about this annoying detective going after a dolphin – really just to clear the palate, I don’t expect anybody to really like it. Then a television series from 2010 talking about what things will be like in the 2050’s – damn were they wrong! No thought of the awakening! – and while that’s going on everybody can vote on what to show next.

Where do we get ‘em? Well, we’ve got this deal, see, with the night watchman at the Museum of Mass Media, he lets us borrow old film reels and videodiscs for the night sometimes. We’ve also got the largest collection of old movies anywhere on the ‘net – yup, that’s right, all digitized, and any decker can come in and watch ‘till their flesh rots away from the ‘trodes for all we care.

We just keep running this stuff all night, here. The place is pretty quiet during the day, really, but business ain’t too bad. Lots of kooks and drekheads lookin’ for a quiet place to get a drink or a bag of popcorn. Yeah, that old machine is kept running night and day. We’ve replaced most of the moving parts with new simmetal, but it still works the same way it did seventy-five years ago, popping bag after bag and pouring soy margarine all over it.

Here, chummer, have a bag on me. Come on, sit down – the previews are starting! What are previews? Sorta like commercials… c’mon, I’ll explain……

The Rosebase

J.D. Falk

![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Hey, chums, I heard about this place where they gots old movies and stuff on the 'net -- anybody know anything about it?  
![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Jebediah
{: .comment }



 

![*](/gfx/comment.gif) What kind of drek is that?  
![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Gattling Guru
{: .comment }



 

![*](/gfx/comment.gif) No drek, Gattling Guru.  There's a few out there, usually connected to museums and costing mucho credito, but the best (and cheapest, since its free) is The Rosebase.  I did some research there for college, but haven't been there in a few years.  
![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Sam
{: .comment }



 

![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Yes, boys.  The Rosebase is what you seek.  It is the virtual side of The Rosebud.  Have you ever been there?  They played one of my favorite movies yesterday.  The Blues Brothers, from almost 75 years ago.  Here's the matrix directions: *INCLUDE FILE: ~ROSEBASE.DIRECT~* See you there!  I plan to now go practice my lines from the movie, you'll see what I mean when you get there...  
![*](/gfx/comment.gif) The Penguin
{: .comment }



 

![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Thanks, Penguin!  I'll go check it out!  
![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Jebediah
{: .comment }



 

![*](/gfx/comment.gif) I still don't see what good it is.  Who needs old drek when you've got sims?  
![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Gattling Guru
{: .comment }



 

![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Damn, but that was great! I think I learned more there than I ever did in school!  Sam, I can't see how you could've stayed away -- that place is totally wiz!  Damn, but I gotta get some sleep. Wow.  Amazing.  
![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Jebediah
{: .comment }



 

![*](/gfx/comment.gif) What's the place like, Jeb?  
![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Symetrix
{: .comment }



 

![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Wiz.  There's a bunch of nodes -- I don't know how many -- each set up differently.  Some are masked to look like old theaters, with what looks like a big flatscreen showing the movie.  Another was sort of like your classic living room from the 2030's, with a primitive trid projector in the corner and couches for us deckers.  The weirdest one I found was this node that looked like a spaceship, and had these three guys -- Mike, Tom, and Crow -- making fun of the move on the screen inside!  I watched them for a while (they're really good!) but the movie was such drek that even with their hilarious comments I had to leave.  That's when I noticed that I'd been up all night.  I was drinking soykaf pretty much nonstop this morning at work.  
![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Jebediah
{: .comment }





![*](/gfx/comment.gif) Glad to hear you like it, Jebediah.  Come to the bar sometime.  The movies are fun to watch virtually, but the ambiance is better live.  
![*](/gfx/comment.gif) The Penguin
{: .comment }

SimRooms®

Paolo Marcucci

SimRooms® is a virtual office building. The SimRooms® Inc. company owns a series of matrix nodes connected to form a set of locations that can be rented by organizations or individuals.

There are four main areas, characterized by unique colors:

• RED: ultra-high security
• GREEN: entertainment and relaxation
• BLUE: social activities
• YELLOW: cultural events

The rent of a SimRoom® rates from 100¥ to 2000¥ a day. Yellow SimRooms® are the cheapest, and more used by runners. Blue SimRooms® are the equivalent of parks or something like the old newsgroups, green SimRooms® are used by trideo and simsense companies.

Red SimRooms® are quite protected, ICs are known to be used around there.

SSECCa Tech Academy

Dwayne Baker

The Seattle SouthEastern Community College and Technical Academy from hereon known as SSECCa, is a small 2 year college near the Enumclaw district of Auburn. Despite its less than desirable location many students with influential backgrounds come to this well rounded school before deciding upon a major. SSECCa is known for their psychology, thaumaturgy, athletic, computer, engineering and vehicular technologies depatments. Security for the campus is reasonably good being provided by their northern neighbor Federated Boeng’s Auburn Facility. SSECCa has almost everything a student could desire (OTHER THAN EASY COURSES) including: a firing range used for student leisure and self protection classes, offsight racing track (in Puyallup) for testing of the vehicular technologies projects (as well as Friday night races), direct matrix connections through a mini matrix hacking ground, several magic groups for those magically active regardless of tradition, and an extensive arena for sporting events (SSECCa competes against much larger 4-year universities). The faculty is always very interested in their students.

Their interest is not truly academically based but more financially. The head of Academic Purchasing, Mr. Finaish, is actually a local fixer who with the assistance of Dr. Elenbright (Head of psychology), Dr. Reaves (Head of vehicular technologies), Dr. Eizenreich (Head of Thaumaturgical studies, and a 5th level initiate), Coach Cackrin (Head of Athletic Dept., and a physical adept), and Dr. Lientze (Head of Computer Sciences) manipulate the best and brightest into the shadows. Using manipulative magic, complete psychiatric profiles, and good old lies the team convinces the students that society is against them and that they truly desire to run the shadows. After this the Fixer, Mr. Finaish, has exclusive contracting rights on the students for 2 years. At time of “graduation” the students are outfitted with a fake credstick if they desire to have their old SIN removed from the Matrix. (The students get half the money for any run they do under contract and Mr. Finaish supplies the Equipment.) The Health facilities on campus also include a backroom shadowclinic to any student (generally the clinic has access to alpha grade cyberparts).

Steel Rat

Brandon Bradley

The Steel Rat is a two level nightclub in the Renton district of Seattle. where it gets its name is immediately obvious as the entire front of the club is a HUGE rat’s head made of steel. Two Trolls bouncers guard the front door and let in only those with reservations. (See GM’S NOTE)

The front doors open to a wide stairway leading down to the first level where there is a long angled bar along two of the walls. Also on the first floor is a triangular shaped stage with two wings jutting out forward ending in triangular shaped platforms. The club often hosts various bands and favors no particular style of music. “If it’s new and different it is at ‘The Rat.’” At night large crowds fill the floor to dance to ‘the latest rage.’

However the real business takes place upstairs. The second floor has two wide balconies running the length of the club. This floor is reached by either of two spiral staircases, one on either end of the club. Connecting these balconies are two wide walkways which pass over the dance floor below, and suspended in the center of the entire club is a circular platform which holds only a single table. There are two catwalks which connect this platform to the other walkways. It costs a bit more to obtain this table, but for your =¥= you get two guards posted at the ends of each catwalk, and a white noise generator under the table.

The ‘Rat’ allows weapons until five o’ clock at which point everyone is asked to check them with one of the employees. If anyone objects they are very politely asked again, and even a third time. After that they will be politely ‘removed’ from the club. When asked about this policy employees will state that it is for ‘insurance purposes’ since too many fights break out at night otherwise.

GM’S NOTE: Politeness at ‘The Rat’ is kept at all times. Even if a patron starts trouble employees will still be polite, even if this means ‘politely’ shooting the individual. In cases where a patron is hurt in any way flowers and a get well card are sent.

The Bouncers out front though show a definite prejudice for their Troll ‘brothers’ and will take special care of them and their gear. This includes not requiring them to have reservations, and inadvertently ‘overlooking’ the occasional small weapon.

Temple of War

David J. Altman

The Temple of War is a glossy black pyramidal structure, roughly fifty feet high. It has no openings other than the huge bronze double- doors that face the street. No embellishments mar the outside of the building. The first floor is called the Shrine and Garden of War. It contains several rooms in which sculpture, picture, painting, holo, and mosaic depict the history of war. The Temple has nothing to do with religion, rather the temple is a brother/sisterhood of professional mercenaries. The temple acts as an agent and support organization for its members. Membership requirements are a mystery, but members tend to be very talented in their fields. As well as acting as a professional organization, the temple also offers a wide variety of services to its members. These include use of its facilities, as well as several other more secret assets. Members tend to be secretive about the temple and its functions. They are by no means xenophobic or unsociable, rather they tend to reveal little about the temple or its members. No one who is not a member knows what is on the other floors of the temple. Security around the building is tight. The temple has the kind of security most megacorps only dream of. No shadowrun has as yet been successful in penetrating the building.

What’s With You, Kid?

J.D. Falk

With bad poetry, and much worse wine,
We help the drudges pass the time.
Another round, emote a line,
And watch those sons of bitches pine
For long ago and far away,
In what they thought a simpler day,
With childhood’s’ verse of curds and whey.
And to them did their mothers say
What’s with you, kid?

The barkeep looks an evil man
Who’d kill a Troll with just one hand–
The kind what’s feared throughout the land,
And listens to a hard rock band.
But don’t be scared, he’s really nice,
And always gives the best advice.
He’ll mix you drinks, and feed his mice,
And say (not both’ring to entice)
What’s with you, kid?

Just take a seat at bench or booth.
Listen, or talk if long of tooth.
Many secrets, in their youth,
Have here been proven to be truth.
One never knows what one might find
When wand’ring here just to unwind;
And though cruel fate may be unkind,
The chums here won’t knife your behind.
So as my verse gets much too long
Be glad I don’t break in to song
(I’ve got a voice much like King Kong!)
I say to you, and pass the bong,
What’s with you, kid?

Win-dot-bat

J.D. Falk

In the aftermath of the global upheaval caused by Microsoft going out of business in the early 2020’s, one warehouse filled with Windows software was forgotten. It wasn’t emptied, or sold. In fact, legally, it still belongs to the Bill Gates estate. (Ironically, the warehouse has no windows.)

But in actuality, its been turned into a bar cum dance hall cum gang hang-out, called (for some unknown historical reason) Win-dot-bat. Its popularity has come and gone in the twenty or thirty years its been in operation, but its always there.

The bar (made up of old IBM terminals welded together) is tended by a bitter elf, who still hates his Elfinness. His name forgotten with the Awakening, his identity is now linked forever with the history of the bar – people know him only as Progman.

Newcomers to the place are simply ignored until they become more recognized – the only way to become a regular is to roll with the punches, ignore the insults, and – most of all – stay alive until the other regulars recognize you.

There are no rules except that you pay for your drinks, accost the regulars, and never, ever say anything good about old Microsoft products. Nothing.

And don’t mention Vulcans to the bartender.

Winking Lizard

Erik Hultgren

The Winking Lizard looks to be a typical bar in the cleaner side of Seattle. However, there lurks behind that leering iguana a darker side that only “members” know of. The actual bar only takes up a small bit of the building that the bar is housed in. Behind it, hidden by soundproof walls and high security is what could only be described as The Arena. The Arena looks like a roman coliseum, with seats around the outside where patrons can sit. The movers and shakers in Seattle come here with their bodyguards and henchman. They will bet just about anything on the outcome of a fight, especially if it is their servant in the pit. Most fights are with non-lethal weapons, but grudge matches tend to be fought to the death. Dead bodies are hauled long and far away so no trace will be found.

Xaos

David J. Altman

Xaos is an underground moving club. It travels the Sprawl from location to location. The reason for this high mobility is because of the type of club it is: namely its blaze club. Blaze clubs re unusual in that they not only have the usual dance, drugs, and booze action, they also have “Special Events” . . . these can be anything, from a frenzypit (a mosh pit where people use weapons) to gladiator games to Random Hit Night (the night where everybody gets some kind of drug in their drink randomly - whether you want to or not). Xaos has decor that meshes the utterly insane in one corner with picturesque Victorian in another, with Gothic in another, and nightmarish in another. Music and events are never announced in advance, you have to show up to find out. Music is picked according to audience preference or to match the “special event” theme. Patrons of the club are usually regulars, and to get membership you must be sponsored in by a current member.

The Zone

David J. Altman

Deep underground is a vast cavern that has been converted into citylet. The place is called The Zone. Here, trolls, orks, humans, elves, and dwarves live side by side. Everything goes. Its a total free zone. No rules except the ones you can enforce yourself. The Zone is approximately ten square blocks in size. The cavern is filled with small buildings, no larger than three stories high, built along winding alleys. The cavern is lighted by streetlamps , and is often damp and foggy. Its divided into separate neighborhoods, usually on the basis of race, ethnicity, or shadowland affiliation. Its always partytime in The Zone, crowds jostle, gangs roam. Its a 24 hour a day place. Anything or anybody you want can be found here. Every vice fulfilled. Any deal made. Imagine fusing The Village (of New York), the Red Light District of Frankfurt, and the ghettos of Los Angeles and Brooklyn, and the bazaar atmosphere of Baghdad and you have The Zone.