1: We are shaped by out heritage.

Facial features, skin tone, height, build,

metatype, even aptitudes are influenced by the genes passed from parent to child.
Attitude, too, is taught by parents, informed by their own lives and their cultural
heritage. Where does your character come from, what is her lineage, who were her
parents, and what did she inherit from them?

2: Parents can be proud of their children or regret ever bringing them into the
world. Some are loving, and some are indifferent. All of them are only metahuman
and have their own opinions of their children. Assuming they could speak, what
would each of your character's parents say about her?

3: Many people remember certain historical events for the rest of their lives. For
those alive in the first decade of the 21st century, it could be the assassination
of John F. Kennedy, or the Tienanmen Square protests, or the fall of the Berlin
Wall, or the attack of 11 September 2001. People remember where they were, and what
they were doing when they first heard of these events. Shadowrun history has
significant events as well, such as the assassination of President Dunkelzahn, the
Crash 2.0, and the emergence of technomancers and artificial intelligences. Pick a
few events from recent Shadowrun history and ask where the character was at the
time, what does he remember about about event, and what was he doing at the time?

4: Very few people choose to become shadowrunners. More likely, they are thrown
into the life by a chaotic and uncaring world. Even if he made a conscious decision
to enter the shadows, his decision is influenced by the world around him. How did
your character get into shadowrunning, and why did he take that path?

5: People have control over their own living arrangements. From the child young
enough to use crayons and tape all the way up to the elderly shut-in who plasters
her walls with family photos and cat pictures, everyone makes their living spaces
more personally pleasing. What is your character's living space like, and what has
he added or changed to make it his own?

6: Everyone has beliefs, and many beliefs strong enough to be convictions. Some are
religious, some are political, some are social, and some are just about why people
are here. What does your character believe in, what are her convictions (if any),
and why does she hold them?

7: Everyone has aspects of their personality that grate on someone. Even the best
of friends annoy one another from time to time. The flaws in a person�s character
are as important as the qualities. What do you dislike most about your character�s
personality?

8: The Sixth World is considered by many to be spinning out of control. If anyone

could exert control over it, it would be the �Big Ten� triple-A megacorps. These
transnationals exert a lot of influence on everyday life in the 2070's. Which of
the Big Ten does your character hold in the highest (or least low) regard, which
does he like the least, and why?

9: People make acquaintances and friends; we�re hardwired for it. Humans are social
animals. This is especially true in the shadows, where often it is not the power
you have, but the power you can borrow, and not who you, are but who you know.
There�s a story behind each and every one of these relationships. What is the story
with your character and her contacts?

10: It�s Sunday morning, and your character has no commitments until tomorrow
afternoon. What does she do for the day?

11: Your character has a specific skill set, a list of Active and Knowledge skills
that define what she knows and her areas of expertise. How did she come to learn
those skills, and how did she develop them to those levels?

12: Everyone has their limits. People can be dark, but most people�s instinct is to
draw the line at certain actions and thoughts, and they keep to their own moral
convictions. Is there a moral limit that your character enforces on the jobs she
takes, and in what shadow work would she refuse to engage?

13: If you have an Awakened or technomancer character, consider your character�s

tradition and streams. Even within the major established magical traditions and the
recently emerged technomantic streams, there is room for personalization. Ask
yourself what drew her to that particular paradigm, how does it effect the way she
views the world and her magic, how does it translate into choice of mentor spirit
or paragon, and how does it affect the appearance of the spirits or sprites you
conjure or compile?

14: While acceptance and bias vary from place to place, augmentations� be they
bio-, cyber-, gene-, or nanoware�are increasingly common and available in the Sixth
World. However, personal technological enhancement is rarely cheap, and many
implants that runners possess are restricted. How did your character come to have
the enhancements she has, how were they paid for, and what motivated the choices
she made (if she did make the choices)?

15: Life as a shadowrunner is by definition outside the bounds of �normal� life.

Shadowrunners do not truly fit into the lives of ordinary people, whether they live
in slums or mansions. What does your character think of ordinary life, mainstream
culture, and those who abide by it?

16: Everyone has nightmares. Sometimes, we forget the dream completely on waking.
Sometimes, the nightmare haunts us or even recurs. If your character had a
lingering nightmare or a deep-rooted fear, what would it be, and why does he find
it so terrifying?

17: People tend to attach sentimental value to items in their possession or people
they are close to. They make an effort to keep these close by and safe. What is
your character�s �sacred object� or �close one,� and how did they come to be so
important to him?

18: One of metahumanity�s greatest assets is its ability to look toward the future
and imagine a better life. Even small children have dreams about what they want to
be when they grow up. What did your character want to become when he was a child,
and what are his goals now?

19 :A person�s appearance can say volumes about him. From fashion sense, to the
colors he prefers, to the way he walks and speaks. Sometimes, his personality
determines his appearance, and, sometimes, the appearance he chooses to present the
world effects his personality. What does your character look like, and what
inspired his choices?

20: Everyone has a name, but a runner�s street name is a representation of his
connection to the shadows. Sometimes runners choose their own moniker, but more
often it is given to them as a nickname or earned through some (mis)adventure. How
did your character come to be known by his street name?