®
CONTENTS
Clean the Blood ................................... 4
living instincts ........................................8
Types of Critters...............................9
Mundane.............................................9
Augmented .......................................10
Engineered .......................................10
Awakened .........................................10
Emerged ............................................11
Other ................................................ 12
Putting the “Wild” in Wilderness .... 12
Using Critters.................................... 12
Specialized tasks .............................. 12
Running Wild.................................. 13
Security Critters ............................... 13
Natural Encounters ........................ 14
Reagent Hunting............................... 15
Wild Interactions .............................. 15
How to Win Pets and
Influence Critters ........................... 15
Acquiring a Critter ............................ 16
Training a Critter .............................. 16
Keeping a Critter .............................. 17
Running with Critters ....................... 17
grasslands and plains ................. 19
Mongolian Death Worm....................20
Terror Bird ........................................ 21
Saber-Toothed Cats .......................... 23
Century Ferret ..................................24
Cetan Hawk.......................................24
Demon Duck ..................................... 25
Hellcow ............................................. 25
Fimbulwinter Fox .............................26
Furfur ...............................................26
Gashadokuro .................................... 27
Ground Wolf......................................28
Jackalope..........................................28
Miniwashitu ......................................29
Pegasus ............................................30
Peryton.............................................30
CONTENTS & CREDITS //
Pixiu.................................................. 31
Unicorn .............................................32
9 White Bison ......................................32 32
mountains ..................................................35
Avalanche Lynx .................................36
Fireworm .......................................... 37
Rockworm Variants ..........................38
Glamourworm ..................................39
Redflower’s Cat.................................39
Alchaeran Imperial Eagle ................. 41
Arcanus Gorilla .................................42
Death Leopard ..................................42
The Griffons ......................................43
Pain Pines ........................................ 44
Shadow Yak ......................................45
Tibetan Luck Fox ............................. 46
Thunderbird, Greater ...................... 46
Troglodyte ........................................47
Warmth of the Mountains ............... 48
Wyverns ........................................... 49
forests ......................................................... 51
Smoke Wolf....................................... 52
Damper Bunny.................................. 53
Scavenge Squirrel............................. 55
Black Forest Gargoyle ......................56
Drop Bear ......................................... 57
Horned Bear ..................................... 57
Greater Wolverine ............................58
Martichoras ......................................59
Merlin Hawk .................................... 60
Mimic Snake .....................................62
Mycofundi .........................................63
Pandamonium ................................. 64
Piasma ..............................................65
Volleying Porcupine ........................ 66
Wisp Spider.......................................67
swamps ........................................................69
King Hydra ........................................70
Vodyanoy .......................................... 71
Bunyip .............................................. 72
Afanc ................................................74
Behemoth .........................................74 74
Boobrie ............................................. 75
Colo Colo........................................... 75
Corpselight .......................................76
Hell Hog ............................................76
Ghede Fly.......................................... 77
Heqet ................................................78
Ninki Nanka ......................................79
Skunk Ape........................................ 80
Snap Dragon ..................................... 81
Stymphalian ..................................... 81
Titanoboa .........................................82
Wangliang .........................................82
jungles ......................................................... 85
Mist Leopard.................................... 86
Blood Monkey ...................................87
Novaraptor .......................................88
Amazonian Angel ........................... 90
Arang-Utan ....................................... 91
Blink Sloth ........................................92
Gomatia ............................................93
Nartaki Gorilla ................................. 94
Planar Dart Frog.............................. 96
Spider Beast .................................... 96
Talis Cat ............................................97
Tunche ..............................................98
Void Wasp .........................................98
savannas .................................................... 101
Conway’s Cheetah........................... 102
Firelion ........................................... 103
Bullyphant ......................................104
Aerial Ostrich ................................. 105
All-Seeing Leopard .........................106
Apocalypse Rhino ........................... 107
Bone Termites ................................108
Earthshaker ....................................109
Fireball Ants ...................................109
 Great Weaver Bird .......................... 110 Storm Dolphin ................................ 156 Exceptional .....................................184
Grimm’s Elephant ........................... 110 Torpedo Shark ................................ 157 Low Maintenance ...........................184
Metaplanar Meerkat........................112 Receptive to Training .....................184
urban environments ..................... 159
Ozian Baboon ..................................113 Too Cute..........................................184
ResonAnts .......................................113
Neogargoyle ...................................160
Noise Pigeons ................................. 162
Vigilant ........................................... 185 3
Void Croc ........................................ 114 Wild Soul......................................... 185
Song Dog ........................................ 163

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

deserts ........................................................ 115
Combat Wombat ..............................116
Juggernaut ......................................117
Stingwing.........................................118
Aardwolf ......................................... 120
Boom Cactus....................................121
Chimera ...........................................121
Deathrattle ..................................... 122
Ethereal Centipede ......................... 123
Gila Demon ..................................... 124
Greater Armadillo .......................... 125
Greater Dancing White Lady .......... 126
Nova Scorpion ................................ 127
Rock Lizard ..................................... 127
polar regions...................................... 129
Ghost Bear ...................................... 130
Reigndeer ........................................131
Sickly Fox ........................................ 133
Antarctic Sculptors ......................... 134
Icedrake .......................................... 134
Ice Spider........................................ 135
Matrix Hare .................................... 136
Siberian Bee ................................... 137
Snow Moose ................................... 138
Snow Owl ........................................ 138
Snow Snake .................................... 139
Vampire Penguin ............................140
Wooly Mammoth ............................ 142
oceans, seas and lakes ............ 143
Leviathan ........................................144
Megalodon ...................................... 145
Kraken ............................................ 147
Abrams Lobster ..............................148
Devilfish.......................................... 150
Devil Jack Diamond ........................ 150
Gorging Shark................................. 152
Gungir Whale .................................. 153
Meistersinger ................................. 154
New Leatherback............................ 155
Spitting Pike ................................... 155
Awakened Shepherd....................... 165
Colonist........................................... 165
Copy Cat..........................................166
Fearmonger ....................................166
Gargoyles........................................ 167
GROT ............................................... 169
Incubus ........................................... 169
Protean ........................................... 170
Tanuki ..............................................171
Tooth Fairy ......................................171
Trash Chicken ................................. 172
Traptor............................................ 173
Wampus .......................................... 174
on the care and
feeding of critters ......................... 175
Interacting with Critters ................175
New Influence Skill Specialization/
Expertise: Critters .......................... 175
Please Don’t Eat Me........................ 175
Room and Board ........................... 176
Food................................................ 176
Housing .......................................... 177
New Lifestyle Qualities ................... 177
Critter Taming and Training ...........177
Locating a Critter............................ 177
Taming the Wild.............................. 179
Purchasing a Critter .......................180
Purchasing
Augmented Critters ........................180
Critter Commands ........................ 180
Critter Command Actions ................181
Critter Special Training................. 182
Paid Training Services .................. 183
Edge Actions ................................ 183
Critter Companion Qualities ......... 184
Tamed Critter .................................184
Purchased Critter ...........................184
Bonded Critter ................................184
Clever Critter ..................................184
Eager to Please...............................184
Negative Qualities ........................ 185
Disobedient .................................... 185
Distrustful....................................... 185
Feral Frenzy.................................... 185
High Maintenance .......................... 185
Jealous............................................ 185
Lover, Not a Fighter ........................ 185
Powerless .......................................186
Runt ................................................186
Untrainable ....................................186
Critter Gear .................................. 186
critter powers................................... 187
Adaptive Coloration........................ 187
Arcane Dampening ......................... 187
Ar-Parallelism................................. 188
Blend .............................................. 188
Blindness ........................................ 188
Carrier ............................................ 188
Durable ........................................... 188
Empathy ......................................... 188
Energy Drain (Magic)...................... 188
Euphoria ......................................... 188
Fragile ............................................ 189
Gestalt Consciousness .................... 189
Holographic Concealment .............. 189
Hypnotic Song ............................... 189
Magic Sense .................................... 189
Mana Well ....................................... 189
Mutation ......................................... 189
Phasing ........................................... 189
Radiation Engulf .............................190
Resonance Feed .............................190
Sand Form ......................................190
Sonic Projection .............................190
Spores.............................................190
Taint.................................................191
Tremor Sense ..................................191
Wall Walking ....................................191
New Statuses ................................191
Irradiated # .....................................191

CREDITS
Writing: Aaron Dykstra, Jim Greene, Jason M. Hardy, J. Keith Henry, Francis Jose, Design & Production: Matt “Good Boy” Heerdt
Clifton Lambert, Hjal Nelson, Scott Schletz, CZ Wright
Art Direction: Ian King
Cover Art: Lyss Menold
Shadowrun Line Developer: Jason M. Hardy
Illustrations: Paola Andreatta, Bruno Balixa, Jori Bolton, Felipe Carneira, Wagner
Chrissante, Tyler Clark, Angga Dwipayana, Ben Giletti, Kat Hardy, Phil Hilliker, Proofing & Playtesting: Eric Borges, Adam Bruno, Jim Greene, Lex Greene,
Jack Hoyle, Dan Martin, Lukasz Matuszek, Victor Manuel Leza Moreno, Brendan Mason Hart, J. Keith Henry, Robert Volbrecht, Rebecca Welch
Murphy, Steve Palenica, Marco Pennacchietti, Kristen Plescow, Derek Poole, Jeff
Porter, Colby Richards, Júlio Rocha, Andreas “AAS” Schroth, Jose-Luis Segura, Kim
Van Deun, Anselm Zielonka

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// CONTENTS & CREDITS
 Clean the
Blood
by CZ Wright
When I open my eyes, a lioness stands staring at
me. A few yards away, just outside the spherical dome
of the forgotten, overgrown arcology, she stands in
the shadows of the dark undergrowth of kudzu vines
overtaking the oak trees. She takes my breath away.
I nearly stand up and approach her, wanting nothing
more than to get a closer look at this magnificent
creature. At the same time, her eyes seem to glow. They
transfix me, holding me in judgment. Is she an agent of
karma, here to punish my transgression?
Instead, I say, “What’s a lion doing here?” but gunfire
erupts overhead, drowning out my words in its rat-a-tat
barrage. I curl up in a ball and hold my hands against
my ears, grateful for my too-big hands on my skinny,
seventeen-year-old frame. The others duck alongside
me. Rilla’s black bob swings, briefly uncovering tips of
elf ears, as she swoops, swift and catlike, behind cover;
Allium tucks her curvy dwarf form up small on my
other side, her lavender ’fro the only part of her sticking
up over the plascrete planter.
Risking a glance, I notice we weren’t the rail drone’s
target. It fires instead at a trio of grey squirrels, who had
chased one another through the branches and down the
WILD LIFE // CLEAN THE BLOOD
white, papery trunk of a young birch growing near the
glass wall through broken floor tiles. With shrieks and
chitters of terror and indignation, the critters bolt back
out the broken window through which they’d entered.
Once they are out of range and the drone stops firing, I
glance back at the doorway. The lioness is gone.
“What’d you find, Stub?” Rilla says after the rail
drone resumes its quietly whirring patrol.
I blink, trying to remember what she is referring to.
“And did you say something about a lion?” Allium
says with a grin and furrowed brow.
I struggle to gather my thoughts. “Nothing,” I say
to Rilla as she double-checks her load-out. “There’s no
Matrix signal out here that I can find.” I turn to Allium,
who looks at me with bewildered amusement. “And
yeah, I … thought I saw one …” I trail off lamely.
Allium laughs. “Lions don’t live in Wisconsin, baby.
You take one too many blows to the head taming beasts
with your famous daddy?” She grins and snarls the
words “taming beasts,” flashing white teeth. “Or you
just daydreaming about running away to tame lions
yourself?”
Heat flushes my face, and I stare at my feet. Too
close, I think, but she couldn’t know and probably
didn’t mean it. She gives me drek about my “famous
daddy” all the time, but I’m nothing like my father. At
least I don’t want to be. “No,” is all I can muster.
She ruffles my hair, and my anger ebbs away with the
glide of her fingers. “Redhead mop top,” she mutters,
playfully pushing my head away.
 Rilla studies the scene further inside. “A hardwired
drone on guard duty, so there’s probably someone still
here. Data’s in the basement, and our intel says there’s
an elevator … over there.” She points to a column in the
center of the open dome.
“I’ve got a spell that can get us past the drone. We’ll
sneak in and be home in time for dinner,” Allium says.
Suddenly, I am fourteen again, standing in pajama
pants in the kitchen at three in the morning. “Wanted
to sneak in and be home in time for dinner,” my father
slurs, and his hot breath assaults my nose. The smell
of liquor on him isn’t new, but the black eye, torn
shirt, and bloody jacket are. “I didn’t get the gig. Some
animal welfare asshat had told them I didn’t deserve
my own show, and those prick trid producers believed
him. So when they asked me how I get my beasts in
line, I showed them.” He grins then, swaying. “It didn’t
change their minds, but I felt better.”
Allium touches me on the shoulder, and a tingle shivers
over my arm, returning me to the present. She taps me
twice, then clasps my shoulder and guides me, her non-
verbal and non-visual means of making sure I didn’t lose
the team when she made us all invisible and silent.
We work our way across the expanse of the open
plaza. The floor tiles, which must have dazzled and
gleamed once upon a time, are now littered with bird
poop, riddled with cracks and chips, and choked
with weeds.
Quiet is an entirely different animal than silence.
Alli’s spell encases us in a stifling bubble of silence,
which presses maddeningly on my ears. We reach a
tall, wide column in the middle of the plaza in which a
brushed-steel elevator stands, and Allium’s hand runs
down my shoulder to my arm. She takes my hand and
places it against the control panel of the elevator. This
is her asking me to try my powers on it.
Just before I dip into the Resonance to look for a
Matrix signal over here, she drops her Silence spell.
Relief rushes through me at hearing the noisy quiet
return: I can hear my breathing and the thump of my
heart inside my chest; the wind blows somewhere past
the missing panels in the ceiling, rustling leaves overhead.
Birds call, and the squirrels continue chattering their
displeasure outside. A tiny pebble tap, tap, taps across
the floor away from us. A heartbeat later, Allium drops
her Invisibility, too, and I realize the pebble was either
her or Rilla checking the drone’s sensor range.
“I think we’re good,” Rilla whispers and looks
expectantly at me.
I remember myself with another flush of
embarrassment and check into the Resonance. I put
out my hand and visualize little blue tendrils emanating
from me to spear the electronics, searching out any
signal with which I can interface. I find nothing. But as I
begin to withdraw, an impression of sudden alertness—
like when you’re trying to sneak past something you
think is asleep and it picks its head up—floods my
body with ice. I half-expect an alarm to start blaring. I
wrench my hand away and shake my head, eyeballing
the controls. “Nothing.”
CLEAN THE BLOOD // WILD LIFE
 Rilla digs a pry bar from her bag. “Sometimes, the
old ways are best,” she says ceremoniously, then jams
the end of the pry bar between the doors and heaves
6 them open. Inside is a nondescript and clean corporate
elevator. A light glows overhead.
“Gimme a lift,” Rilla says. Allium levitates Rilla,
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
who pushes the hatch at the top of the elevator car
up and to the side, then pulls herself through. Before
long, we all stand on top of the car inside the elevator
shaft. We each anchor our rappelling gear and begin to
lower ourselves to the ground floor. Once we reach the
bottom, we face another pair of doors. Rilla retrieves
her pry bar again and nods at Allium, who casts another
spell. Silence smothers my ears again, and Rilla slowly
pries the doors open.
I glimpse motion through the widening gap and
instinctively leap away, shoving the others to one side
with me. Dents and sparks pepper the back of the
elevator shaft—someone is shooting at us. Allium leans
over my arm and flings a spell through the gap. I let the
others go, and Rilla slams the end of the bar between
the doors and heaves herself backward, leveraging them
fully open.
On the tiles outside the door lies an unconscious
human man dressed in a lightly armored security
uniform. He wears a compact rifle in a sling across his
body, and lines of blood run down his face from his
ears, eyes, and nose.
We stand at an intersection, low-ceilinged, with
pipes and wires running above our heads. Allium lifts
the heavy silence from around us, and I take a breath
like I’ve surfaced from deep water. We stand frozen for
a moment, gauging whether anyone else is approaching.
Rilla makes a hand gesture that communicates “follow
me” and picks up the guard in a fireman’s carry. She nods
toward the next couple of doors. Allium scouts ahead,
then indicates we are free to follow. I am beginning to
feel like a member of this pack, silently communicating
and efficiently carrying one another toward continued
survival.
I open the door for Rilla, and she steps in and drops
the guard on the maintenance closet floor among mops,
buckets, and shelves full of cleaning products. She
relieves him of his weapon and commlink and places
a tranquilizer patch on his neck. Then she pulls a few
zip-ties from her bag and roughly binds his wrists and
ankles. Finally, she stuffs a rag in his mouth. “That
ought to hold him,” she says quietly and hands me his
comm. “Make sure that isn’t traceable.”
Prodding the device with Resonance, I find it as
barebones as could be. This guy’s comm only serves as
a simple walkie-talkie down here.
By the time I look up, Allium has swung back to
join us. “Coast is clear, at least for a ways. I found the
WILD LIFE // CLEAN THE BLOOD
security office.”
We follow Allium down the hallway, around a
corner, and into a room filled with screens. On the floor
are a pair of guards, lying unconscious in drool. “We
should probably pack those two in with the other one,”
Allium says. “I don’t know how long they’ll be out.”
Rilla picks up one of the guards and nods toward
the screens. “See what you can find,” she tells me. “If
we’re really lucky, you’ll be able to access our data from
here. We’re going to go scout around.”
“Here, hang on,” Allium says, and sets a warm
hand on each of our heads. A moment later, her voice
sounds in my mind, even though she hasn’t opened her
mouth. “We’re linked up with a Mindlink. Telepathic
communication. Best kind of wireless, baby!” Allium
lifts the other guard with a Levitate, and I notice beads
of sweat on her forehead.
“Keep an eye on things until Alli and I find the data
center,” Rilla says.
“Be right back, sweetie,” Allium says out loud, gives
me a wink, and leaves the room behind Rilla.
I glance over the panel, in which are set about
twenty different camera feeds. It takes me a moment
to piece together what is where, but a map on the wall
beside me helps.
A swath of bright red on one of the camera feeds
catches my eye. It looks like a red belt lying across a
large steel exam table that dominates a room lined with
walls of big, boxy animal enclosures.
And suddenly, I’m fifteen again, standing in the dark
inside a piss-stinking chain-link cage before a wall of
enclosures. My heartbeat gallops painfully through my
skull, and tears I can’t hold in mingle with the blood
and snot running from my nose. My father is locking
me inside as he rages, red-faced, about how I’ll learn
to mete out proper punishments whether I like it or
not. The belt in his hand—the one he snatched away
from me after I couldn’t hit the cat—matches his red
face, and my eye is swollen almost closed from its bite.
One of the tigers pads out onto the concrete behind
him, having nudged its gate open. My father must have
forgotten to latch it in his anger. I don’t tell him; deep
down, I want the tiger to jump him, and I pray I don’t
give it away on my face. But a second later he notices,
and he unloads on the animal, whipping it with that red
belt, pressing it back into its pen.
Movement draws my eye and pulls me from my
reverie; Rilla and Allium appear on a camera feed as they
creep down the corridor, having apparently dumped
their prisoners. I wipe at my eyes and swallow down
the powerless feeling still clinging from my flashback.
I set a hand on the panel, wind back the camera feed,
and loop on a length of inactivity. I scan the feeds and
find two in which I see guards. I refer to the map, then
give Allium and Rilla a heads-up over the Mind Net.
After the guards walk out of sight, I loop the rest of the
camera feeds on nothing, too, just in case. I trust the
others will let me know if they need help. Not that they
will. I’m all but useless.
After making sure the door is locked and I am out
of sight of the window, I set my hand against the panel
and dip into the Matrix. I find only sporadic flickers
of activity deep within thick static. Is this whole place
some elaborate Faraday cage made to look like an
abandoned arcology, or is there really no signal this far
up in the north woods?
I start to see if the data center is accessible when
suddenly, I am starving, which doesn’t make sense
because we picked up enough Stuffer Shack on our
drive up to feed a small army. No, I am not famished,
but I feel an impression of being famished. A moment
later, my skin prickles from the unmistakable sensation
of eyes on me. Dread creeps in from all sides, and my
blood runs cold. I am nothing but a helpless pack animal,
scared stupid in my tracks, while a sharp-toothed,
razor-clawed predator lines up, ready to pounce—
I leap from the panel and nearly fall over, gasping, my
heart pounding in my ears. The certainty of imminent
death tingles across me, receding much too slowly. I
catch my breath through shuddering gulps. What the
drek was that?
Once I catch my breath and regain a sliver of
composure, I curse myself for freaking out. Plus, I
neglected to look for the data. The chance of a data
center connection here is pretty slim, but—
A burst of gunfire echoes through the halls, and I
jump. I hear a brief male shriek cut off abruptly, followed
by silence. After a moment, I watch Allium and Rilla
creep past a sliver of window set in the door visible
through the enclosure-room camera feed. I compare
that to the other feeds and realize the enclosure room is
just around the corner from here.
I need to investigate, although I don’t know why. I
can always say I was looking for the data center.
I creep into the hallway, round the corner, and pad
down to the door. I try the handle, but it is locked. I
reach out to the Resonance and, in my mind’s eye, my
blue tendrils find the lock’s firmware, reach inside, and
pull. The door’s maglock disengages with a click.
Running footsteps approach from around the corner.
I know it isn’t the others; they are taking pains to be
stealthy. I dive inside, ease the door shut as quickly as
I dare, and crouch against the door below the window.
The footsteps race past. A couple of seconds later, I hear
a startled grunt, a few meaty thuds, and the ba-dum-
thump of a body hitting the floor.
I exhale the breath I’d been holding, turn to face
the room, and freeze. The body of an elf man lies
sprawled on the floor next to the exam table. His body
bears several slashes across his torso; what must have
once been a white lab coat is now the brown-red of
dried blood. The elf’s eyes stare wide open, yet he sees 7
nothing. His mouth will gape, set in that astonished
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
gasp for all time.
I have just turned seventeen, and I stand over my
father. He stares, wide-eyed yet unseeing, at the butcher
knife in my hand that still drip, drip, drips with his
blood. His mouth will hang open in surprise forever.
As for me, I will never again be surprised by his fury or
violence, although I need to leave as soon as possible.
Stay in the shadows until the heat dies down or the
universe’s vengeance finds me, because maybe I am an
animal after all.
Several barely perceptible sounds reach my ears in
quick succession, snapping me back to the here and
now: a soft clicking sound behind me, the faintest metal
whine, and a smacking sound. I turn, slowly; the sense
of being prey in the Matrix washes over me again,
and my insides tremble to jelly. The clicking is the soft
taps of claws on floor tiles. The whine is from three
enclosure doors swinging open almost soundlessly. The
smacking is a large lion running its tongue along the
side of its mouth.
I stare at three enormous lions. Their skin hangs on
their skeletons, though they are still big. I meet their
incredible, luminous stares; as threads of Resonance
reach out from them toward me, I realize they are not
lions; they are bastets. I reach back with Resonance,
barely aware I am doing it, and we connect. With a
start, I am awash in absolute ravenousness. And with a
sense of the floor dropping out from under me, I realize
the hunger is theirs. And the impression of being prey is
entirely appropriate.
Somewhere in the back seat of my attention, I notice
the door lock engage. Allium pounds on the door. Rilla
breaks out her pry bar. These sounds and their shouts
over the Mind Net to unlock the door are muffled,
because I am mesmerized. My knees nearly give way
before the bastets’ majesty, these agents of karma, surely
sent to avenge my crime. They and I know that although
I tried to avoid the violence, I couldn’t. I am too weak,
though not for the reasons my father beat me. I begin to
sob as a mingling of relief and inevitability washes over
me. As one, the bastets take steps forward, closing in
on all sides. Their hunger—for Resonance, for flesh—is
palpable. Imminent.
I know that—at least—I will never, could never be
my father’s son.
CLEAN THE BLOOD // WILD LIFE
 LIVING
INSTINCTS
Posted By: Moreau
I sure seem to be spending a lot of my time writ-
ing up these essays for JackPoint these days. Not
that I mind—it’s a nice break from the paperwork
I can never seem to keep up on. It seems that if you
live long enough in this business, people start to
think of you as an expert with wisdom to share.
> Makes sense. Anyone who can survive more than a few runs is
bound to pick up a few tricks.
> Kane
I’ve been so focused on metaplanar issues and
the arrival of the Disians over the last year or so, I
was surprised when Bull tapped me to write about
earthly critters. It shouldn’t surprise me, though—
run around with hell hounds at your side, and peo-
ple are going to make associations. And at least in
my case, it rings true. I’m an animal lover, and one
of my favorite perks of working for the founda-
LIVING INSTINCTS //
tion is that it gives me plenty of opportunities to
meet and work with strange beasts. I seem to have
a knack for working with the weird ones. Most
animal trainers don’t work so well with parani-
mals and technocritters. Over the years, I’ve raised
and trained bandits, barghests, cerberus hounds,
cockatrices, demon and devil rats, fenrir wolves,
and hell hounds, just to name a few. And I’ve bred
and raised quite a few more that just don’t seem
to take to training so well. Unrelated side note: If
someone ever tries to hire you to raise agropelters,
shoot them in the face. I have some experience
working with technocritters, though I must ad-
mit that my tenuous understanding of the Matrix
and Resonance makes it a little more difficult for
me to relate to them—I get along pretty well with
mongrels and rooks in particular. And I get out a
lot. Just because I’m a glorified fixer/Mr. Johnson
doesn’t mean I sit behind a desk all day and hang
out in bars all night (not every night, at least). My
position gives me plenty of opportunities to get out
in the field and follow up on my interests, which
sometimes actually coincide with my employer’s
interests. It’s a good arrangement, really.
> What employer is this guy talking about? Who does he work for?
> Sunshine
> It’s widely known that Moreau has strong ties to the Draco
Foundation. He used to run the shadows, and so they tend to use
him often when they must employ shadowrunners.
> Winterhawk
> So he’s a sell-out? Company man?
> Stone
> You could say that. But it’s not like working for a megacorp.
The DF’s kind of it’s own weird thing. But it’s a good gig. Steady
paycheck, good benefits, and I still get plenty of chances to raise
a little hell. They don’t own me, though.
> Moreau
So now that you know a little about me, let’s
get into what I’m here to talk about: critters. First
off, why do you even need to know about ’em?
You live in a big, fancy city, and your jobs almost
always take place in urban environments. Well, I’ll
tell you a little secret about cities: They’re just a
different biome, with just as much potential for
wildness and danger as most other places. Being
in a city might make you feel more secure, which
makes sense—it is a habitat designed by and for
metahumans, but don’t let that sense of familiar-
ity fool you into letting your guard down. Meta-
human denizens can be dangerous, but there are
plenty of critters that have adapted to life in the
sprawl. Many of these critters are opportunistic
or scavengers, feeding off of the scraps we throw
away—or in the case of many technocritters, the
byproducts of our technology. And then there’s all
the critters we bring into our lives, most as food or
security but some as pets or labor. As a shadow-
runner, you can’t just expect to avoid critters by
staying in town—whether its devil and demon rats
in the barrens, gargoyles swooping in for a meal,
or a wide variety of paracritters and cybered-up
beasts guarding your target, you’re going to have
to deal with them sooner or later. This is true in
many situations, but is especially important when
dealing with critters: the more you know, the more
likely you are to survive.
Types of Critters
Let’s get into some specifics, shall we? I’m going
to break critters up into a few different types—these
types are not scientific designations, so you paraz-
oologists can keep those corrections to yourselves.
They’re more like practical designations that can
quickly help you get an idea of what to expect.
Mundane
First off is mundane critters. These critters lack
any Awakened or Emerged powers—no magic or 9
Resonance, and they exist more or less as mother
nature intended (with some interference by breed-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
ing and domestication efforts by metahumans over
the centuries). Mundane critters tend to be the least
dangerous ones out there, both because they lack
powers and because they have the good sense to
stay the frag out of your way. Even mundane pred-
ators avoid metahumans, except in unusual cases
such as extreme hunger, a rowdy mating time, or
when they are protecting their young.
Most pets are mundane, and the same goes for
livestock that are raised for food and other prod-
ucts made from critter bits. Dogs are widely used
for a variety of labor and security tasks. Many
mundane animals are used for a variety of day-
to-day purposes, and you’ve probably learned
to ignore them or take them for granted. There
are pigeons, bats, insects, spiders, raccoons,
mice, rats, snakes, and more living in your city—
they’re all around you. As a runner (or securi-
ty consultant), you can take advantage of this,
using drones (with realistic features) or trained
critters to get close to and observe locations that
you normally wouldn’t be allowed access to.
Frag, I can remember one run in which the team
wandered right past security cameras by using a
Physical Mask spell to look like raccoons—the
cameras saw them, but the software algorithm
monitoring the cameras ignored them and didn’t
alert the guards.
> Good times. The downside is we couldn’t bring much gear.
> Bandit
> Didn’t you get noticed as soon as you dropped the spell?
> Haze
> By then we were past the most paranoid security measures, and
we altered the Mask spell to fit in (and look like we had clothes
on). One of the first things we did was raid the security locker
room to get some armor, ammo, and weapons.
> Bandit
The main point I want to make about mundane
animals is that they are easy to overlook, which is
something you can use to your advantage, but also
a set of assumptions you ought to challenge. These
critters aren’t likely to pose a major threat like a
wyvern or hell hound might, but they can spot you,
sound alarms, and serve a wide range of other func-
tions. Don’t ignore them just because they don’t
have any supernatural or technological mojo.
TYPES OF CRITTERS // LIVING INSTINCTS
 Augmented
Cybernetic and bioware augmentations were
10 originally designed for metahumans, but it didn’t
take long for many corps to start applying them
to critters. Early attempts were disastrous, re-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
sulting in critters that went berserk or became
self-destructive. It’s been decades since those days,
though, and advances in technology, training, and
other techniques have made critter augmentation
viable. Augmented critters may be more difficult to
train and keep in line, but they’re much less like-
ly to lash out at their handlers or try to chew off
their cyberlimbs. And some augmentations actu-
ally make it easier to interact with critters, such
as Evo’s Critter Comm implants. I won’t go into
much detail on this topic here, as I’ve already cov-
ered it for a different download (p. 133–148, Body
Shop), but I do have one more point to make.
Just as with metahumans, cybernetic and bio-
ware augmentations severely degrade Awakened
or Emerged capabilities. For this reason, it’s ex-
tremely rare to see augmented paracritters and
technocritters—and even when you do, the aug-
mentations are kept to a minimum. Mundane crit-
ters are much more commonly augmented, usual-
ly to improve their physical capabilities to make
them much more dangerous against intruders.
Engineered
Genetic engineering has advanced to the point
where critters can be heavily customized—and in
some cases, designed from scratch. Genetic aug-
mentations can improve an existing critter’s natural
capabilities, make them more biddable for train-
ers and handlers, and even provide them with new
powers. There are even some labs that—with the
assistance of specialized magicians—are capable of
modifying or providing Awakened powers. This is
fairly new and highly expensive but will only be-
come more commonly employed as time goes on.
And then there’s the fragging dinosaurs. You
probably won’t run into these anytime soon, but
they’re out there. Megacorps have completely ig-
nored Mr. Crichton’s cautionary tale and have been
designing, growing, and even training and augment-
ing dinosaurs. Ares seems to be leading the charge
on this, which fits their MO of dabbling in fields
that are highly likely to cause massive carnage, but
they seem to be trying to keep it secret. Well, the se-
cret’s out now, and it’s only a matter of time before
something interesting and messy happens.
> Dinosaurs! That’s AWESOME! Are they going to build a park? Can
I pet one?
> Slamm-0!
> Yeah, they even have a big brontosaurus you can slide down.
> Moreau
LIVING INSTINCTS // TYPES OF CRITTERS
> Really?
> Slamm-0!
> No.
> Moreau
Awakened
Awakened critters (us old-timers call them
paracritters) are magical. When the Awakening be-
gan, some mundane critters began to express mag-
ic powers—as well as physical changes, in most
cases. The century ferret is the first known discov-
ery, but the great dragon Ryumyo’s famous flight
near Mount Fuji in Japan was probably the most
eye-opening. The powers, temperaments, and be-
havior of Awakened critters varies so greatly that
I find it difficult to summarize them here, so I’ll
leave that largely to be covered by the individual
entries of this book.
There are a few things worth mentioning in
general terms, however. The one that stands out
to me the most is what we call dual-natured. Some
critters are capable of astral perception, with the
drawback that they can’t turn it off. These critters
exist both in physical space and in astral space,
much like a magician using their astral perception
ability. As far as I know, there are no known in-
stances of critters that are capable of astral pro-
jection—unless you count spirits that can de-mate-
rialize into an astral form (which I don’t—apples
and oranges). Dual-natured critters trained to spot
and report unauthorized astral activity are among
the most common paracritters employed for secu-
rity work—they tend to be much cheaper and eas-
ier to work with than security mages. This power
has drawbacks, though, the first of which I already
mentioned—they can’t turn it off and leave astral
space. This makes them easy to spot on the astral
plane and vulnerable to attacks from the astral.
Their astral forms are stuck in the same location
as their physical body, which means they can’t get
to an astrally projecting mage or spirit if you stay
out of their reach.
Elemental attacks are also worth mentioning.
Many paracritters have some form of ranged mag-
ical attack that is somewhat similar to an indirect
combat spell. Hell hounds, for example, can proj-
ect flames. This is why it’s so important to do your
legwork and know what you’re getting into—you
should always bring armor with the appropriate
elemental protection for the critters you’re going
to be going up against. Some critters also have
an ability to wreath themselves in an elemental
aura—if you see this, take them down with ranged
attacks, because getting close is going to hurt.
Just as there are toxic shamans in the world,
there are toxic paracritters that have been twist-
ed by pollution or the corruption of astral space
around them. Their powers tend to be a little nas-
tier than the non-toxic equivalent, and some are
carriers of diseases like VITAS, but the real danger
is their attitude. Mundane and Awakened critters
alike will act according to their nature or train- 11
ing—they’re not likely to come after you unless

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

they’re hungry, threatened, or are working for the
man. Toxic critters are vicious things full of ha-
tred—they’ll chase you down and kill you just be-
cause you’re there, and they are far less likely to be
intimidated or chased off by minor injuries. If you
might be going up against toxic critters, bring ex-
tra ammo and be prepared for things to get messy.

Emerged
Emerged critters—I prefer to call them techn-
ocritters—are a recent arrival to this mad world.
There’s been a new and different sort of Awaken-
ing going on, parallel to and quite different from
the magical one, which we call the Emergence. It
makes sense that, since we get paracritters along
with mages, we’d end up with some technocritters
to go with our technomancers. Emerged critters
have adapted or developed some capability to in-
teract with the Resonance and the Matrix. Some
of their powers or effects can seem to be passive
by-products of their presence, most commonly ex-
tra Matrix noise. Many technocritters have pow-
ers similar to those of sprites and technomancers,
and will use them to directly mess with, hack, or
subvert devices and files. I know some people who
have had limited success training some technocrit-
ters, but they tend to be more difficult to work
with than most other critters.

> You could say that training technocritters is an emerging field.

> Slamm-0!

> I hate you.

> Kyrie

Side Note: Sapience

Some critters—usually paracritters or technocrit-
ters—possess cognitive capabilities that put them a step
above what we normally consider to be “animals.” It’s
probably offensive to call them critters, but the terminol-
ogy at large hasn’t changed much over the years. They
aren’t metahumans, but they should be considered (and
are in many places) to be people. Dragons and nagas are
some of the most widely recognized sapient critters, but
you could include various Infected such as vampires and
ghouls in this category as well.

TYPES OF CRITTERS // LIVING INSTINCTS

 Other
There are other entities out there that sit out-
12 side of the categories I’m using. Some may consid-
er spirits to be critters, and from a practical stand-
point they might not be wrong, but my metaplanar
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
travels have shown me that spirits are so different
from animals and metahumans that it’s not useful
to lump them together. Protosapients, AIs, EIs, and
other Matrix entities fall within a different scope
as well—check out Hack & Slash for details about
them. The Infected—vampires, ghouls, banshees,
and the like—are worth mentioning, especially
since there are a number of other Infected critters
and carriers out there. My general advice with
them is that they all tend to have some specific
vulnerabilities, which you should take advantage
of if you have to fight them—I never leave home
without a few wood pulp rounds on me in case a
certain bloodsucker decides they want another go
at me.
Putting the “Wild”
in Wilderness
Critters put the “wild” in wilderness in the
Sixth World, and account in part for the greater
concentration of the population in the various city
sprawls in the world—one of the most significant
reasons so many people live in cities is because the
modern wildlife is so dangerous outside of them.
Using Critters
Throughout the history of metahumanity, we’ve
been using critters for a wide range of purpos-
es, from food sources to transportation, hunting,
tracking, and keeping an eye out for danger. That
tradition continues to this day, because let’s face
it—critters make great companions, and they can
be very helpful.
> And tasty!
> Clockwork
Food and food production
Let’s start with the most simple and common
role that critters play in our civilization: food.
Even with the advent of many alternatives to eat-
ing meat, metahumanity still enjoys eating animals.
Growing livestock for meat is relatively expensive
and resource-intensive compared to most plant-
based food sources, but it seems that eating meat
is never going to go out of style. Chicken, beef, and
pork are still the most common options, though
you may find cockatrice on the menu at certain
fine dining establishments.
LIVING INSTINCTS // PUTTING THE “WILD” IN WILDERNESS
> What does cockatrice taste like, I wonder?
> Kane
> I hate to fall into a cliché here, but they really do taste like
chicken. Their eggs have a distinctively unusual flavor, though.
> Moreau
But using critters as a food source doesn’t al-
ways mean slaughtering them. Eggs and dairy are
regular supermarket staples.
Megacorps exist largely to profit off our needs,
and everyone’s got to eat. This makes food produc-
tion one of the most lucrative and stable industries,
and critters play a large role in meeting our need
to feed. Though every megacorp has their finger in
the pie, Aztechnology takes the lead in this, devot-
ing the bulk of their bio-engineering research and
development toward food production.
Research and Experimentation
Megacorporations as well as many smaller or-
ganizations also perform research and experiments
on critters, seeking to understand their unique na-
ture and powers—or to test how toxic something
is. Some bioware implants have been developed by
analyzing and modifying organs that some critters
have (and metahumans don’t).
Due to the extraterritorial nature of most cor-
porate facilities, there is very little oversight into
the fair and ethical treatment of animals as test
subjects. Megacorps are not a fan of bad press,
however, so they tend to do their most egregious
work in secret facilities, often using subsidiaries
that provide them with a measure of deniability.
The most dangerous such places are pushing
the envelope on what is possible regarding the
augmentation or engineering of critters. I trust
everyone’s seen that footage of the team that
managed to break into an Ares facility that was
making cybered-up dinosaurs. Don’t end up like
them.
If you can score some solid evidence of mistreat-
ment of animals, you can usually get a fair amount
of nuyen from their competitors for the paydata.
Specialized tasks
Critters have unique capabilities, such as the
enhanced sense of smell that makes canines excel-
lent trackers, or a horse’s frame which makes them
ideal as a mount, or something as simple as a bird’s
ability to fly. These critters may be used for spe-
cialized jobs that take advantage of their natural
capabilities. If a critter has a unique ability or even
an Awakened or Emerged power, you can train
them to use that power on command. I know of a
few technomancers (and even a couple of deckers)
who have had some success working with techn-
ocritters, which can provide some help with Ma-
trix actions. One team I regularly work with has
a medic with a trained cerberus hound that helps
them retrieve and move the injured.
Running Wild
Posted By: Cayman
Moreau tapped me to provide some tips for
dealing with critters as a shadowrunner. I suppose
he’s been spending so much time behind a desk,
he probably feels like he lost his touch. I’m always
happy to help an old man get by—respect your el-
ders, and all that!
> Hey, now!
> Moreau
> Didn’t your beard used to be only partly gray?
> Cayman
Security Critters
The first thing you have to understand is how
excited someone who designed a security system is
when they throw something at invaders that the in-
vaders didn’t anticipate. I’m being completely seri-
ous here when I say that sometimes they watch live
feeds of their secured areas just to see the moment
when the opposition is caught by surprise, and then
they sit there and giggle. They do. I’ve heard it.
So that is one of the primary reasons you’ll
find critters in security setups—to catch us off our
guard. We may have our security legwork down
pat—scan for drones, scan for spirits, scan for
guards—and we overlook a critter who can cause
us a problem. This is especially tricky when they
enlist the services of critters who seem just like
part of the normal fauna—security birds and small
mammals are all the rage right now because they
are so easy to overlook on a scan. You have your
mage check all the astral bodies in the area, and
they might not remember to see if that pigeon or
squirrel is actually Awakened. Or it could be they
do check, but the facility keeps the secret weapons
locked up most of the time, so the mage tells you
everything is okay, and then you go in, and you
see a crow and think nothing of it until it swoops
down on you and pecks your eyes out.
> Wait, is that a thing that actually happens?
> Kay St. Irregular
> It’s the Sixth World, so the answer to any question of that nature
is, “At some point, somewhere, probably.” Is it common? I don’t
think it’s terribly common, but if someone does it and it works,
it’ll become more common.
> Mika
> So this brings up a question: Why is Cayman writing this?
He’s not Awakened. He’s not a decker. He has no particular
knowledge of critters. So why him, of all people?
> 0rkCE0 13
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
> Because his specialty is field knowledge. He knows what’s going
on in the shadows at any given moment because he’s always out
in them. He’s great for the eyes-on-the-ground point of view.
> Glitch
> Plus, I almost got eaten by an ammit once.
> Cayman
It’s not only that they’ll try to sneak the crit-
ters on you—they’ll also throw curveballs when it
comes to how the critters will interfere with your
work. Obviously, a critter that tries to rip your
throat out is the most direct form of anti-intruder
action, but it’s far from the only thing they can
do. Critters can interfere with your Matrix access,
spy on you from a distance, and even mess with
the local manasphere. Any function on your team
could be messed with by a critter. What’s worse,
unlike the attack on your throat, some of these
other effects can happen at more of a distance, so
the critter does not have to be directly in front of
you to cause you a problem. The headaches they
can cause are multiple.
As everyone here should know, though, every
problem is also an opportunity. Anytime a setup
tries to employ something different, there are rip-
ple effects, and those provide you with different
ways to interfere with what they are doing.
Critter Security Trainer
This is the most basic level, in that it should be
pretty clear that critters don’t maintain themselves.
They need food, they may need some grooming,
and they usually need someone to clean up what-
ever area they’re drekking in. Not only that, but
many of their security procedures are not auto-
matic. Does a noise pigeon automatically mess up
Matrix signals? Yes. Do they always stay where
you want them to be or move in the patterns you
want? Absolutely not. They need training to learn
and maintain those patterns.
So if you want to mess with security critters, one
fun way to do it is to find the trainer and mess with
them. It can be a long-term operation, because crit-
ter discipline doesn’t break down immediately, but
there is one advantage to messing with the trainer
instead of messing with the critters—the trainer
usually leaves the facility at some point, while the
critters don’t (you’re not going to be able to inter-
cept a hell hound during their evening commute).
That leaves a point of vulnerability.
RUNNING WILD // LIVING INSTINCTS
 > It may go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway: In order
to make this kind of plan work, you have to identify that there
are security critters where you’re going, and you have to identify
14 the trainer. No facility is going to go out of their way to make
either task easy for you.
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
> Hard Exit
Mess with the Food
If a place has a critter, they have to feed it, and
if they spent good money on it, they probably want
to keep it healthy. That means doing more than
just feeding them scraps from the corporate cafe-
teria. Detailed monitoring can probably help you
learn when food is delivered and who delivers it.
Find a way to put a little sedative in the food, and
your run might encounter sleepy security. Tough to
do that to a drone!
> Tough to … come on, man, have you even heard of hacking?
> Slamm-0!
Make the Critters
a Better Offer
This can be an even longer-term operation, but
if you can pull it off, the payoff can be enormous.
The vast majority of security critters are not sen-
tient (if they were, they’d have to be given pay and
breaks and occasional time off and other things
corporations hate), which often means the critters
are not especially loyal. The trainers might think
they have a special bond with their critters, but the
critters are mostly looking for whoever will feed
them, and that allegiance can shift quickly (don’t
@ me, pet owners).
So if you can find a way to wherever the critters
spend their downtime (if they have any), you might be
able to give them a few snacks and interactions over
time that lead them to like you. This doesn’t have
to be a complete deprogramming—you don’t need
them to turn on their trainers. You just want them to
hesitate enough to let you pass, or at least abuse the
trust you earned by taking them out quickly.
> You really could go for the long haul and see if you can get the
critters to turn on their masters, but that takes some serious
animal handling skills and a lot of time.
> Mika
> It can be fun, but the payoff is not worth the increased effort—at
least, not to me.
> G-Nome
> If they’re using cybered critters, sometimes you can hack them.
Usually, most of their critical systems are isolated from wireless
intrusion, but if you’re creative there’s still a lot you can work
with—especially if you have plenty of time to prep.
> Netcat
LIVING INSTINCTS // NATURAL ENCOUNTERS
Live with the Unpredictability
You stand a good chance of running into critters
in a security setup if you run the shadows enough,
but it’s still a distinct minority of situations where
they are used. There are reasons for this—drones
and gun emplacements don’t need to be fed, they
don’t wander off on their own, and they don’t
leave drekstains on your shiny corporate floors.
That middle one might be the most important
(as annoying as drekstains can be), because when
you’re guarding a sensitive point, you want your
defenses to be where they are supposed to be when
they are supposed to be there.
The purpose of a critter trainer is to make sure
the critters do just that, but critters cannot escape
being creatures of instinct over logic. At some
point, that instinct might be triggered in a way that
makes them deviate from what they are supposed
to do. That being the case, it can be a very good
idea to trigger the instincts that might make a crit-
ter go astray. Find out what the critter loves and
what the critter hates, and then bring one or the
other. Either one can work—attraction or repul-
sion can push the critter out of its appointed spot.
> The classic version of this is throwing red meat to a guard dog.
It’s terribly sick, but a lot of trainers have taken to giving their
critters a taste for metahuman flesh over more conventional
meat in order to avoid distractions of this nature. Don’t ask how
they do this.
> G-Nome
> And they call us monsters.
> Hannibelle
Natural
Encounters
No matter where you run, you may encounter
a critter in the wild. City, desert, forest—well, read
on in this download, and you’ll get the drift. The
good news is, most of them don’t care about you.
Humans, by and large, aren’t their natural prey.
We’re just too difficult to bring down reliably, so
they get accustomed to other food sources. That
means if you steer clear of them, they are not likely
to care about you.
Except for when they do. Some of them are cu-
rious, some of them are mean, and some of them
don’t really know what they’re doing from one
moment to another, which makes them very diffi-
cult to deal with.
The most universal tip I can give you (other
than “steer clear”) is that you should not think
that any one approach is always right. Sometimes
you want to be intimidating, sometimes you want
to be small. Sometimes you don’t want to move,
and sometimes you want to move very fast. So try
to know what’s out there—or have someone on
your team who knows—and don’t assume you
know what you don’t know. Don’t be all, “I saw
an armadillo once, so I definitely know what a jug-
gernaut is going to do.” Have some humility in the
face of nature and don’t assume knowledge you
have not earned.
> And don’t forget what Cayman said earlier about instinct.
Critters want food, they want a place to lie down, and sometimes
they want to mate. Reading emotions beyond that into most
critters is a fool’s errand.
> Fianchetto
> My cat loves me, and I will fight anyone who says otherwise.
> Bull
Reagent Hunting
A subset of the natural encounters are those you
deliberately seek out because there is something you
want from the critter. This is a different type of op-
eration. For starters, you’re not going to be able to
just avoid the critter. If they just left the part of them
that works as a reagent lying around, no one would
be paying you thousands of nuyen to retrieve it.
Secondly, you need to know what you’re trying
to get and how to get it. If you’re hunting a sand-
worm, you want a tooth. If you’re going after a
rock lizard, you want blood and maybe some crit-
ical organs. If you’re chasing an aerial ostrich, you
want feathers.
> Feathers? You mean, the things birds drop all the time? Didn’t
you just say that you won’t find reagents simply lying around?
> Traveler Jones
> This is part of the knowledge you need to collect. Once they’re
detached from the bird, aerial ostriches don’t much care what
happens to them—unless they observe you gathering them. Trust
me—waiting for them to wander off before you start collecting is
going to make things much easier.
> Winterhawk
> Generally speaking, the more magical a critter is, the more
reagents can be harvested from them. Something like a century
ferret is going to have little to harvest, perhaps a tail or some
fur. If you take down a dragon, literally every piece is going to be
good for something.
> Hemdale
> Selling dragon parts on the talis market sounds like a good way
to get eaten by a dragon.
> Lyran
> It is.
> Orange Queen
HOW TO WIN PETS AND INFLUENCE CRITTERS //
> It was just a hypothetical example!
> Hemdale
> I know. 15
> Orange Queen
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
Wild Interactions
If you encounter a potentially hostile critter in
the wild, don’t just reach for your guns immediate-
ly—you might be able to de-escalate the situation.
This is especially ideal if a noisy altercation might
give away your position on a run, but conserving
your ammo is almost always worth a try.
First thing is, don’t bother trying to interact
with a critter unless you have some idea of what
they are. Depending on the critter, the right ap-
proach might be intimidation or appeasement. If
you can convince a critter that messing with you
isn’t worth the risk, they may wander off and leave
you alone. This approach tends to work very well
with most mundane predators, but don’t even
think about trying to scare off a bullyphant.
If you understand what motivates a critter, you
stand a much better chance of getting through to
it. Does it just want food? Either give them some or
find a way to redirect their appetite at a different
target. Is it protecting its territory? Convince the
critter you aren’t there to challenge it, and slowly
back away. Does it have young nearby? Run for
your life! These aren’t solid rules for every situ-
ation, just a few examples. Just like when you’re
negotiating with a metahuman, knowing what a
critter wants puts you in a much stronger position.
That said, if running or hiding is an option,
consider doing that first. Every encounter is a risk,
and it’s important to remember that wild animals
are called wild for a reason.
How to Win Pets
and Influence
Critters
Posted by: Moreau
I’ll step back in and take over for this next part,
as I’ve been taming, training, keeping, breeding,
and raising all manner of critters for many years
now. Critters can make for loyal and useful com-
panions—I rarely go anywhere without a pair of
hell hounds. Canines are my favorite, but I’m hap-
py to work with any critter—the stranger, the bet-
ter. Forming a bond with a critter creates a pow-
erful connection and helps you see the world from
a different perspective. I couldn’t imagine living a
life without them.
But there are plenty of things to consider before
you go out and get yourself a hell hound puppy.
LIVING INSTINCTS
 Critters require a lot of attention and care, and they
bring some significant expenses with them. Having a
critter companion isn’t just a purchase, an upgrade,
16 or a small change—it’s a new way of life that’s going
to affect every other aspect of your life.
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
Acquiring a Critter
Depending on the critter you want, you might
be able to just buy one from a store. Almost
everywhere is going to require some form of li-
cense, so you’ll want to use a decent fake SIN
when shopping for critters. I’ll note that most
companies that breed and raise critters to be a
product sold in a store throw ethics out the win-
dow. If you don’t care, fine, but if you actually
care about animals, you won’t give your nuyen
to those companies. Not all of them are bad, but
most are. Do your research if you want to make
an ethical purchase.
A much better way to purchase a critter is to
buy them from someone who cares about them. If
you know where to look or who to ask, you can
probably find almost any critter for sale from an
independent source. Some of these might be shad-
ow contacts who won’t care whether you have a
SIN or not, while others might be more legitimate
business folk who will want to make sure they are
in compliance with all laws and regulations.
Another way to acquire a critter is to go get
one yourself. Locating and capturing a critter
from the wild has the advantages of saving nuyen
and avoiding legal oversight. The disadvantages
are that you have to be able to find the critter
you want in the wild, track it, and either tame
it in the wild or capture it for later taming. That
and wild critters tend to be more difficult to train.
The best option is to find a young critter, ideally a
baby, and raise them to maturity yourself. Those
LIVING INSTINCTS // HOW TO WIN PETS AND INFLUENCE CRITTERS
critters tend to be the most loyal, and they take to
training very well.
Training a Critter
Training a critter takes some specialized skills
and the right attitude. The first mistake that most
people make when working with critters is to an-
thropomorphize them. It’s easy to fall into, even
for an experienced trainer such as myself, but do
your best to be avoid doing this. Assuming that
critters think and act like you do is natural, but it’s
incorrect and places a barrier of misunderstanding
between you and your critter. If you can get a bet-
ter sense of what a critter is really like and what
motivates them, your attempts to form a bond
with and train them will be stronger.
Another key to good training is to take excel-
lent care of your critters. This might seem obvious
to you, but it’s also the thing that most corporate
handlers get wrong—or, more often, it’s their su-
periors who won’t allow the resources to be used.
Keeping your critter comfortable, treating them
well, working with them regularly, giving them
healthy food, and tending to their medical needs
are all critical elements of critter training and tam-
ing. You can get by with packing them in like sar-
dines, but it’s going to make them resentful and in-
troduce unwanted behaviors that could be avoided
by taking better care of them.
If you lack the skills and space to keep and train
a critter, you’re probably best off not getting one
unless you’re serious about changing your life.
However, there’s nothing wrong with bringing in
some outside help—especially when you’re still
new at it. Depending on the type of critter you
have, there’s almost certainly going to be some-
one out there who has expertise working with and
training your critter companion. If you can spare
the nuyen, they can help you train your critter, and
it’s definitely cheaper to pay for training assistance
than to replace furniture.
Keeping a Critter
Keeping a critter means taking responsibili-
ty for their life. A trained and tamed critter de-
pends on you for food, a place to live, and to
make important decisions about them. You are
in charge of every aspect of their lives, so don’t
frag it up.
Some critters require very little adaptation to
allow them into your living space, but these are
much more likely to be pets than companions. A
critter that’s going to be helping you out with your
work is probably going to require a special envi-
ronment of some kind, and one that isn’t going to
be allowed in most leased apartments.
If you don’t have the space where you live, one
option is to set up another location outside of your
home—ideally, very close to your home. Depend-
ing on the critter, you might be able to lease space
in a kennel or similar business—and there are
some shadowy unregulated services run by crim-
inal organizations to illegally house some of the
more interesting and dangerous pets.
Some critters have unusual dietary require-
ments, so be sure to do your research. Otherwise,
food for critters is relatively expensive. Just don’t
buy the cheapest stuff out there—they are full of
fillers and other unhealthy ingredients.
The biggest takeaway from this is that if you’re
going to keep a critter, you should be ready for
your lifestyle to change to accommodate them.
The bigger and stranger the critter is, the more it’s
going to cost you.
HOW TO WIN PETS AND INFLUENCE CRITTERS //
Running with Critters
Know when to bring a critter on a run and when
to leave them at home. Critters are incapable of 17
comprehending the bigger picture and understand-
ing the risks they take. You are responsible for those
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
risks and deciding whether or not to put your crit-
ter onto a potentially dangerous task—take that
responsibility very seriously, because it’s often a life-
or-death choice.
There are very few critters that are suitable for
taming and training and also capable of surviving
focused fire from a determined combat threat. Even
if your critter has been trained and equipped for
combat, they should be considered a secondary or
support combatant. If you send your critter out to
fight security guards on their own or use them as the
tip of your spear, you’ll be using them as expend-
able cannon fodder. They’re great for backup, but
they should never be your plan A for winning a fight.
When you bring a critter along for combat support,
keep them close to you, watch their back, and al-
ways make sure there’s something more dangerous
for your enemies to target instead of your critter.
It’s also very important to be aware of potential
astral threats or magical security, especially if your
critter is dual-natured. You may be able to walk
right past those wards, but getting your hell hounds
through a magical barrier is going to be impossible
without some magical assistance. If there are spirits
or astrally projecting security mages present, your
dual-natured critters may be helpless against them.
If an area has a strong mana ebb or void, it might
cause your Awakened critters some serious discom-
fort—especially if they’re dual-natured.
Be aware of your critter’s allergies, vulnerabili-
ties, and other weaknesses. If the site you’re head-
ing into is going to be particularly hazardous to
your critter, leave them at home if you can’t find
some way to mitigate the danger.
LIVING INSTINCTS
18
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

LIVING INSTINCTS // HOW TO WIN PETS AND INFLUENCE CRITTERS

 GRASSLANDS
AND PLAINS
Posted by: G-Nome
Prairies, grasslands, and plains all share similar
aspects. They are defined by their large stretches of
fields of grass with very few trees. These ecosystems
are home to a variety of wildlife, plants, and insects.
They often have a moderate amount of rainfall and
moderate temperatures, although those can swing
wildly in a single day because of the lack of wind-
breaks and bodies of water that can act as a heatsink.
There are other types of grasslands. This in-
cludes savannas, sedges, flooded grasslands, and
herbaceous salt swamps. Some of these biomes are
covered in different parts of this data drop.
The temperate grasslands cover areas of south-
ern Amazonia, the steppes of Ukraine, and the
central plains of North America. These grasslands
contain mixtures of different types of grasses.
During the spring rains, the grasses have young
tender chutes that welcome many of herbivores
that later attract predators. When summer and
fall arrive, the lower amounts of rainfall coupled
with hot weather provides risk of wildfires during
thunderstorms. At this time of year, the animals of
the grasslands will often feed upon the flowers and
seeds of the various plant life. During the winter,
much of the grass dies off while the root network
stays alive, providing a tough area to burrow into
for the many creatures like the prairie dog which
live below ground and will often hibernate through
the cold months.
The steppes are defined by colder grasslands ei-
ther due to elevation or latitude. These plains have
some of the highest ranges of temperatures anywhere
on the planet. Extremes measuring 45 °C in the sum-
mer and –55 °C in the winter have been measured
in many of these, including Mongolia and the PCC.
Subtropical steppes can be found in parts of Europe
near Greece and Italy, or the fringes of the Thar Des-
ert in India. The steppes of Ukraine and Patagonia of
Amazonia are examples of cold steppes.
Steppes tend to be drier than other types of tem-
perate grasslands. This definitely impacts the types
of animals that can be found here. Grasses are still
plentiful even with the lower precipitation, and
many of the larger animals are horses, deer, or other
herbivores. The larger predators tend to be canine,
such as the gray wolf, the fox, or the occasional bear.
There is another type of grassland that is usu-
ally constrained to smaller segments of the land.
These are naturally occurring meadows. These
stretches of grasslands are typically found on the
border of other types of ecosystems. For instance,
alpine meadows are grasslands located above the
tree line at high elevations. Many of the creatures
that subsist here are goats or other herbivores that
use the nearby mountains to avoid predators but
feed upon these grasses. Wet meadows are near the
edges of rivers or other wetlands that will flood on
occasion, but in most seasons maintain a consis-
tent growth of flora to support the local animals.
// GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS
20
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
Mongolian Death Worm
Contamination of the soil can cause havoc on
our natural ecosystems. In the steppes of Mongo-
lia, this contamination has led to the creation of a
whole breed of worms that has become acclimated
to the heavy metals, toxic runoff, and other indus-
trial compounds that have leeched into the soil.
And they say what doesn’t kill you only makes you
stronger. What was discovered was the Mongolian
death worm (Megascolides oligoi), also known as
oligoi-khorkhol.
The majority of specimens found about a decade
ago were scary and large, but nothing compared to
some of the more recent finds. It’s also possible that
what we are seeing is a new, larger variation of the
death worm. Those original worms were as large as
four meters long and about seventy kilograms. The
recent ones we have seen are tens-of-meters long
and about as big around as a city bus.
Death worms are fairly rare, so when we’re
talking about newer specimens, we’re really just re-
ferring to two recent finds. The first one was eleven
meters long, one meter in diameter, and weighed
250 kilograms. The second specimen was twen-
ty-three meters long, two meters in diameter, and
weighed 400 kilograms. My guess is that these are
very unusual, and you are most likely to see the
smaller yet still terrifying variety.
The head of the death worm consists of four
hardened hooks sitting around its circular, lam-
GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS //
// MONGOLIAN DEATH WORM //
prey-like mouth. This mouth is filled with ra-
zor-sharp teeth. In addition, there are a number of
tentacle-like antennas that it uses to locate prey.
The young worms are typically red in color with
segments along its body length. As they grow larg-
er, they form a hardened chiton around its body
along with small, armored appendages. The armor
of the two behemoths we found were a blue-green
color. It’s unknown if those are the only colors that
the armor will exhibit. In addition to the append-
ages, there are also sensory organs down the side to
help sense any movement in the soil around them.
The Mongolian death worm is a nocturnal
hunter due to the nature of its UV-light-sensitive
skin. Even the larger specimens with a hardened
shell appear to be susceptible to the light. This suits
the creature fine, as it is essentially blind, relying
heavily on its ability to sense movement within
the nearby ground. The worms will typically live
in burrows in the ground and are solitary hunters.
When a worm senses prey, it will sneak up on it
before spraying its corrosive saliva at the creature
and then striking their future dinner with those
powerful mandibles.
> Some reports say that the larger ones may generate an electrical
strike or something similar, caused by the friction of moving
through the soil. I would love it if someone else is able to get
some recorded evidence of this.
> Juice Box
 The lifecycle of the Mongolian death worm is Terror Bird
based on the life stage. The adult worms will lay
eggs on the edge of the desert around the steppes We don’t really talk about the tailor-made
animals very often. There is definitely plenty of
of Mongolia. Once the worms hatch, they grow
diversity that naturally occurs, but sometimes
21
and begin migrating toward the steppe grasslands.
a mad scientist has an idea that enough fund-

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

Once they reach breeding age, they find a mate,
share some DNA, and then head back to the desert ing can be applied to make it a reality. There
to lay some eggs. The other thing to note is that the was probably some scientist who looked at the
eggs are unprotected for the days between laying artistic drawings of the extinct terror bird and
and hatching. Many of the thousands of eggs don’t thought, “this needs to be a reality.” Then some
hatch and become food for other creatures. corporation decided that it would make an ex-
cellent investment because they could sell it. It’s
> Their eggs are a delicacy, but because of the toxic nature
a tale as old as time.
What we know is that Shiawase Biotech began
of their environment, they should not be consumed in large
selling a security bird under the name Secure Pe-
amounts. The most common way to serve them is by fermenting
rimeter Avian Control Environment (SPACE) pro-
them. This doesn’t really get rid of any chemicals but adds a gram. The bird itself has been dubbed the terror
salty flavor. bird (Struthio shiawase) by some of our illustrious
> Traveler Jones members, and by the end of this article, you will
know why. The exact mix of DNA and treatments
Once the worms hatch, they are approximately used to create these animals is a closely held secret
ten centimeters in length. They will double their of the biotech company, and believe me, we tried
size every month as they feed upon nearly any to get that for the article. What we have been able
creature they can sink their mandibles into. The to learn is that it was created from a combination
worms generally stay in their vast network of of DNA from the cockatrice and some extinct spe-
burrows and tunnels and only come up to feed at cies. They then activated and amplified some of the
night. And while the death worm is a solitary hunt- junk DNA. What you get is something between a
er, it’s not aggressive to others of its species. So in dinosaur and a bird.
those dark tunnels, the oligoi-khokhol ignores oth- The terror bird is a large, terrestrial bird with
ers of its kind unless during the breeding season. a head shaped like that of a tyrannosaurus rex
and the body of that of a cockatrice. The animal
young mongolian death worm
stands between three and four meters in height
and has a limited wingspan. In fact, the wings are
B A R S W L I C M ESS fairly far forward and have two fingers that jut
5 4 6 2 3 1 3 1 3 6
out at the first joint. The head lacks the tradition-
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE al beak associated with current bird species. In-
7 9/2 A1, I3 11 2/10/+1 stead, it has a forty-centimeter-long snout that is
filled with conical, sharp teeth. Its long, muscular
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 7 (Bite +2), Outdoors 4, Perception 5,
Stealth 4
neck and powerful legs allow it to lunge forward
Powers: Armor (2), Corrosive Spit, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (trem- rapidly to strike with its bite or lead with its ra-
or sense), Immunity (pathogens, toxins), Natural Weapon (bite), Regen- zor-sharp talons. Bright color features run from
eration, Taint the top of its head down to its ankles. Its feet are
Weakness: Vulnerability (sunlight, Mild)
Weapons:
narrow and scaly, with fifteen-centimeter-long
Corrosive Spit [Magic + Agility, DV 3P (Chemical), 6/4/—/—/—] claws.
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 4/—/—/—/—]
Unarmed Strike [Close Combat, DV 2S, 8/—/—/—/—] > You should check out their brochure on their host. You can
order the security animals with their plumage matching your
corporate colors. That is so cool.
behemoth mongolian death worm
> Dr. Spin
B A R S W L I C M ESS
18 4 6 10 3 1 3 1 6 6 Terror birds have been bred and created for se-
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
curity forces with a focus on the trainability of the
24 9/2 A1, I3 17 2/10/+1 creature. These animals are smart, and it goes be-
yond animal cunning. The terror birds that I’ve re-
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 7 (Bite +2), Outdoors 4, Perception 5, ceived reports on have shown that they can move
Stealth 4
Powers: Armor (6), Corrosive Spit, Dual Natured, Elemental Aura (Elec-
along specific routes, attack as a group, and even
tricity), Enhanced Senses (tremor sense), Immunity (pathogens, toxins), work with their human handlers and other securi-
Natural Weapon (bite), Regeneration, Taint ty forces. This ability to work closely as a group is
Weakness: Vulnerability (sunlight, Mild) tied somehow to its ability to communicate with
Weapons:
Corrosive Spit [Magic + Agility, DV 4P (Chemical), 12/10/2/—/—]
its handler and other terror birds in the area.
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 12/—/—/—/—]
Unarmed Strike [Close Combat, DV 2S, 16/—/—/—/—]

// GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS

22
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

// TERROR BIRD //

> What the brochure isn’t saying is that these birds are a plague There are some things you need to know if you’re
on the manasphere. There is something in their nature that visiting a facility guarded by these beasts. The first
just corrupts the area. The smell of bird droppings is just … thing is that their senses are extremely sharp except
oppressive when looking astrally. for their sense of smell. The next major thing is that
> Ethernaut these birds are extremely territorial and aggressive.
This can work in your favor, because they can’t just
> Another thing you don’t want to miss is that the birds bond with let the birds’ range everywhere. Instead, they need
their handler. Kill that person, and the birds become completely to specifically work with the security teams they
uncontrollable. support. If you can breach the basic security perim-
> Juice Box
eter and get with the rest of the employees, the birds
are no longer an issue until you need to leave. Final-
The birds are carnivorous. They typically con- ly, they have a few magical capabilities that likely
sume three kilograms of meat per day, and spe- have come from cockatrices and other treatments.
cifically it must be Ocean Farming brand foods. Make sure that you’re able to deal with any magical
It looks like Shiawase Biotech has put in as many threats from them.
controls as possible to prevent competition and
also be able to continue having the nuyen flow terror bird
in. One such mod is that all the terror birds sold B A R S W L I C M ESS
are sterile. Then you need to keep them on special 5 5 4 6 3 3 3 1 3 6
food. Then you must use their specific vet services.
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
The prices so far have been “contact our sales rep,” 8 7/2 A1, I3 11 10/30/+2
which means if you have to ask, you can’t afford
it. The plus side is that none of these birds have Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 6 (Bite +2, Claw +3), Outdoors 1, Perception 4
Powers: Armor 3, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (thermographic vi-
escaped and gone native. This could really disrupt sion), Immunity (own touch), Natural Weapon (bite, claws), Paralyzing
a local ecosystem. Touch (tail), Reduced Senses (smell), Taint
Weakness: Dietary Restriction (Ocean Farming brand foods)
> Life always finds a way. Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 12/—/—/—/—]
> Slamm-0! Leaping Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 14/—/—/—/—]

Note: When not in combat, the terror bird will use the Taint pow

GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS //


Saber-Toothed Cats
Once the first fossils of the Smilodon cat were
discovered in the 1830s, the population’s imagi-
nation was captured around this large, predatory
cat that had fangs reaching twenty-five centimeters
long. Imagine their surprise when the first living
one was found in North America not long after the
Awakening. Since then, many different subspecies
of saber-toothed cats have been found extending
past the discovered fossil record to many of the
continents of the world.
Saber-toothed cats have a number of ecosys-
tems where they have been found. Some of the ear-
liest sighted of the creatures was Puma novalis in
the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. This species
closely resembles the mountain lion (Puma concol-
or) in coloration but is significantly larger. Since
this first discovery, others have been found such as
the saber-toothed leopard (Panthera obsidianus),
which is related to the jaguar (Panthera onca) of
Amazonia or the saber-toothed tiger (Panthera ti-
gris timor), which is related to the Siberian tiger
(Panthera tigris tigris). These new species share
many of the same characteristics as their progeni-
tor species. For example, the saber-toothed tiger is
substantially larger than the saber-toothed jaguar.
Focusing on the saber-toothed tiger, the largest
of the various cats, we find an effective grasslands
hunter. This large predator is bulkier and shorter
than the Siberian tiger, weighing up to 300 kilo-
grams and having a maximum length of five me-
ters. The saber-toothed tiger’s skull features two
prominent upper canines that can reach thirty
centimeters in length, while the lower canines are
reduced in size when compared to its close cousin.
Their fur retains the same coloration and
striped camouflage pattern. An interesting adap-
23
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
// SABRE-TOOTHED TIGER //
tation, whether something more mundane or per-
haps a manifestation of some latent magic, allows
the saber-toothed tiger to shift the coloration and
pattern of its stripes, allowing it to better blend in
with the environment. This doesn’t appear to be
a passive ability as it only exhibits this capability
while hunting. When with its family units, the cat
will revert to its more natural orange, dark brown,
and white coat.
It differs from the Siberian tiger in its tendency
to operate more in family groups. Siberian tigers
are solitary hunters, with the exception of mothers
with cubs. There was some allowance for daugh-
ters to be allowed in the same hunting territory,
but this was not consistent. With the reappearance
of the Siberian tiger, they have adopted a more
communal behavior that is similar to that of the
African lions. This strategy has been so successful
that in some places, they have completely replaced
the local population of Siberian tigers.
Their coloration takes advantage of the tall grass-
es that make up their home territories. When on the
hunt, it is nearly impossible to detect these stealthy
animals. The adults in the family group will work in
concert to ring in their prey, and the tigers will at-
tack once the prey is looking the other way. The size
of the family group feeds into how often they need
to hunt. The average adult saber-toothed tiger needs
between ten and fifteen kilograms of food per day.
Because of this, the family groups are often limited
to four or five adults. Saber-toothed tigers hunt both
during the day and night, as opposed to the Siberian
tiger, which hunts primarily in the day.
Outside of hunting, the saber-toothed tiger is
a fairly calm creature. It may take an opportune
kill, but in most cases, if it is not hungry, it doesn’t
make additional kills. Corporations had originally
thought to use these fearsome creatures for securi-
// GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS
 ty animals but found that if they kept the creatures Century Ferret
hungry enough to be effective, then their handlers
were at risk of becoming lunch. The main threat The century ferret (Mustela millenniae) is one
of the first known Awakened creatures. Originally
24 from metahumanity to these animals is for their
discovered on January 1, 2000 (hence the name),
fur, which is highly prized by the rich and affluent.
this animal set the zoological world on fire. The
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

> Their fur and their young. Saber-toothed cats are prized pets
discovery of new species happens regularly enough,
but the sudden appearance of this large rodent was
for the rich and famous. You don’t hear about it in the news too
a surprise to experts. If only those scientists were
often, but sometimes some genius trid star thinks to make them
aware of the Awakening, they wouldn’t have been
into security animals and ends up getting killed or receives some so surprised, as we have seen an explosion in spe-
severe scarring when a hungry cat chomps down. They don’t cies with the rising mana level.
bond with you, folks. The century ferret shares much of its appear-
> Lyran ance with the black-footed ferret. Its back fur is
typically brown and grey, while the underbelly is
light yellow. The paws and area surrounding the
sabre-toothed tiger
eyes are black. While the black-footed ferret typi-
B A R S W L I C ESS cally can reach sixty-five centimeters in length, the
7 5 4 7 3 2 4 3 6 century ferret can reach lengths of two meters. Its
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
larger proportions apply to its weight as well with
7 8/2 A1, I3 13 10/40/+1 the largest specimens weighing five kilograms.
The ferret has similar behavior, as other mem-
Skills: Athletics 6, Close Combat 7 (Bite +2), Outdoors 4 (Tracking +2),
bers of the Mustela family. They are typically soli-
Perception 5, Stealth 7
Qualities: Camouflage (dynamic) tary hunters, targeting birds and rodents. The larg-
Powers: Enhanced Senses (low-light vision, thermographic vision), Natu- er size allows them to take down larger rodents and
ral Weapon (bite, claws) birds, but they pose no concern to metahumanity.
Weapons: They are often a source of food for the many larg-
Bite [Close Combat, DV 4P, 13/—/—/—/—]
Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 15/—/—/—/—] er predators of North America. There were nests
of these creatures in European grasslands as well,
but it appears that they have been wiped out in the
sabre-toothed jaguar
wild since around 2038.
Many of these creatures can be found in cap-
B A R S W L I C ESS tivity. During the early days of the Awakening,
7 5 4 7 3 2 4 3 6
their unique sneezing fits when around magic led
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
to many corporations creating breeding programs
4 9/2 A1, I3 13 10/40/+1 to use for magical security. While this is less com-
mon today because of better detection methods,
Skills: Athletics 7, Close Combat 6 (Bite +2), Outdoors 4 (Tracking +2), Per-
ception 5, Stealth 6
less hatred, and less musky methods, it’s still used
Qualities: Camouflage (basic) by some cost-conscious companies as an effective
Powers: Enhanced Senses (low-light vision, thermographic vision), Natu- means to identify the use of magic on site.
ral Weapon (bite, claws)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 10/—/—/—/—] century ferret
Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 12/—/—/—/—]
B A R S W L I C M ESS
1 2 3 1 1 2 2 1 2 6

sabre-toothed lion DR I/ID AC CM MOVE

1 5/2 A1, I3 9 10/20/+1
B A R S W L I C ESS
5 5 4 5 2 2 4 3 6 Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 3 (Bite +2), Outdoors 3, Perception 3,
Stealth 4
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE Powers: Manasense
5 8/2 A1, I3 13 10/40/+1 Weakness: Allergy (magic, Mild)
Weapons:
Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 5 (Bite +2), Outdoors 4 (Tracking +2), Per- Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 4/—/—/—/—]
ception 5, Stealth 4
Powers: Enhanced Senses (low-light vision, thermographic vision), Natu-
ral Weapon (bite, claws)
Weapons: Cetan Hawk
Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 11/—/—/—/—]
Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 13/—/—/—/—] Like many of the newly discovered animals and
creatures over the last seventy years, cetan hawks
(Buteo lakota) have deep roots in the traditions
and stories of the local peoples. This animal has

GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS //

deep roots in the history of Native American my-
thology. In the myths, the hawk is linked to grace
and successful outcomes. It is also considered a
master of both air and earth.
The cetan hawk has an appearance similar to
the red-tailed hawk. The head and tail of the cetan
hawk are a brilliant red color, similar to the shade
of a male cardinal. The underside of the hawk is
mostly white and cream, while the center of the
chest and bottom of the head is a dark brown,
mimicking the outline of a smaller bird when
viewed from below. The back of the wings and the
back of the animal are shades of brown forming a
speckled pattern.
The hawk is similar in size to the red-tailed
hawk but has a slightly larger tail and smaller
wings. It is about sixty centimeters in length with a
wingspan of 110 centimeters. They weigh between
one and one-and-a-half kilograms.
The cetan hawk is inherently magical and uses
this to aid in its hunt. The bird contains the ability
to engulf its target in either air or earth, allowing it
an easier hunt. It also uses its sharp senses to track
prey up to three kilometers away. Its typical prey
includes rodents, small birds, and other creatures
that typically weigh under two kilograms.
Cetan hawks form stable bonded pairs for mat-
ing and continue to hunt together and raise chicks
for many years. Breeding occurs in early March at
the culmination of an elaborate sky dance between
the pair. The females typically lay between two
and three eggs, which take one month to incubate.
Once the chicks hatch, it takes another month
and a half before they are ready to take their first
flights. This is the cetan hawk’s most dangerous
phase to metahumanity. If the pair feel that the
nest is being threatened, they will engulf the target
and dive bomb it with sharp talons.
cetan hawk
B A R S W L I C M ESS
1 6 3 2 3 1 3 3 4 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
1 6/2 A1, I3 2 20/60/+5 (flying)
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 4, Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Stealth 3
Powers: Dual Natured, Engulf (air, earth), Enhanced Senses (vision en-
hancement, vision magnification), Influence, Natural Weapon (beak, talons)
Weakness: Fragile (2)
Weapons:
Beak [Close Combat, DV 2P, 6/—/—/—/—]
Talons [Close Combat, DV 2P, 7/—/—/—/—]
Demon Duck
Unlike the terror bird, the mihirun (or demon
duck, Genyornis australis) is a naturally occurring
bird in Australia. Just like the terror bird, it is large,
powerful, and terrifying. While it’s a herbivore, the
territorial nature of the bird puts it on par with
geese and swans. These creatures can be found in
the grasslands.
The basic structure of the bird differs heav-
ily from ostriches or emus. They have extremely 25
stocky and strong legs, making them fast but not
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
agile. It has wings, but these are too small to be
used in flight and are used instead to help with
balance. The demon duck stands nearly three me-
ters tall and weighs eighty kilograms. Its massive
beak weighs nearly five kilograms by itself and
has hardened edges it uses to crack open nuts and
shells. The plumage of the demon duck is striped
patterns of brown and black, while its head is cov-
ered in iridescent green. Its beak is typically yellow
and orange in coloration.
The demon duck is an herbivore, and the ma-
jority of its diet consists of tough, woody vegeta-
bles and hard seeds. Due to the size of the bird and
the quality of its diet, it is grazing on food nearly
all day. While the animal is normally aggressive
against any large creature entering into its territory,
this behavior is much stronger while nesting in the
springtime near September, when it has eggs. After
the chicks hatch, the mother remains to guard the
chicks for the next six months before wandering
off to let the chicks fend for itself.
The birds are typically solitary in nature, but
many will exist over a set range. Probably the best
way to describe the behavior is that they are social
but do not really operate as a flock.
demon duck
B A R S W L I C ESS
6 4 3 7 2 1 3 2 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
6 6/1 A1, I2 11 5/10/+1
Skills: Athletics 2, Close Combat 3, Outdoors 3, Perception 5, Stealth 4
Powers: Natural Weapon (beak, claws)
Weakness: Vulnerability (Fire)
Weapons:
Slashing Claws [Close Combat, DV 3P, 11/—/—/—/—]
Beak Strike [Close Combat, DV 5S, 12/—/—/—/—]
Unarmed Strike [Close Combat, DV 2S, 10/—/—/—/—]
Hellcow
The first hellcow (Bos malus) was discovered
in 2061. The first ones discovered were tested and
found to have mad cow disease. What was more
surprising was that the animals born of those first
ones also shared the same traits, leading to it being
classified as a separate species.
You can easily tell that the hellcow is related to
the cow. The basic body shape and most of the head
resemble the family it belongs to, but there are a
couple of differences. The first is that the cow is cov-
ered in red and brown scales. Its head is dominated
by a large mouth with conical teeth and an elongat-
ed tongue. Their hooves end in curved claws.
// GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS
 The hellcow will eat anything. They use a com-
bination of sharp teeth and acidic saliva to break
down their food, which includes grass, wood, met-
26 al, cows, and just about anything else that gets
near its mouth. This has led to some difficulties in
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
breeding—not that you would want to breed this
creature, as the mother is completely willing to eat
its offspring and vice versa. In fact, this creature is
considered so detrimental to the environment that
the Corporate Court has outlawed the sale of or
shipment of any cow that expresses itself as a hell-
cow. The only regulated pasture with hellcow is
maintained by India, as they consider the beast as
a divine omen from Lord Krisha.
> There was a run a while back to get a couple head of hellcow for
a discerning buyer. The team opted to fly to India to try to steal
a few. How hard can it be? Turns out when it is a government-
secured pasture that is focused on keeping the animals in, that
getting out with one is damn near impossible. And if you were
wondering, they made it out—but without the cow.
> Kia
hellcow
B A R S W L I C M ESS
8 2 3 7 2 1 2 1 3 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
13 5/2 A1, I3 12 5/15/+3
Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 4 (Bite +2), Outdoors 2, Perception 2
Qualities: Dermal Alterations (Dragon), Tough Gut
Powers: Armor (5), Corrosive Spit, Enhanced Senses (Smell, Thermo-
graphic)
Weakness: Reduced Senses (smell)
Weapons:
Corrosive Spit [Magic + Agility, DV 3P (Chemical), 6/4/—/—/—]
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 12/—/—/—/—]
Unarmed Strike [Close Combat, DV 2S, 10/—/—/—/—]
Fimbulwinter Fox
Pollution and climate change continue to in-
fluence the planet. Many of the colder-weather
animals have been severely impacted by changes
like this. One such creature is the arctic fox, which
found that some of its prey had been driven south.
They moved south to follow but encountered man-
kind and its ability to pollute everything. Some of
the first fimbulwinter foxes (Vulpes glacies) were
found in regions controlled by the Athabaskan
Council.
The appearance of the fimbulwinter fox is never
pure white. Its fur is often green and copper, which
is caused by the leaching of ground chemicals in its
drinking water. The ears are usually black or red,
with more prominent veins visible. Their fur can
also be other colors depending on the chemicals
they have been exposed to. In addition, the teeth
of the fimbulwinter fox are more triangular than
that of the arctic fox. The animal is around six-
GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS //
ty-five centimeters long and can weigh up to three
kilograms.
Due to the loss of its pure white coat, the fim-
bulwinter fox has shifted its hunting to be fully
nocturnal. Its diet typically consists of small ro-
dents. While the arctic fox is a shy creature, the
fimbulwinter fox will boldly confront much larger
creatures and will do so in packs of six to ten. They
use their uncanny control of wind and water to
lock their opponents in layers of frost.
The toxicity has impacted their ability to repro-
duce, and they have adjusted to this as well. Their
litter size has increased from twenty kits to around
forty kits, but unfortunately many of the kits die
within the first two to three days.
Fimbulwinter Fox
B A R S W L I C M ESS
1 3 4 1 2 1 4 1 5 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
6 8/2 A1, I3 2 10/15/+1
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 7 (Bite +2), Outdoors 4, Perception 5,
Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 5, Corrosive Spit, Engulf (air, water), Energy Aura (air),
Enhanced Senses (Smell, Thermographic)
Weakness: Fragile (2)
Weapons:
Engulf Cold [Close Combat, DV 7S, 5/—/—/—/—, gain Fatigued I]
Engulf Water [Close Combat, DV 7S, 5/—/—/—/—, gain Fatigued I and Wet]
Corrosive Spit [Magic + Agility, DV 7P (Chemical), 14/12/6/4/—]
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 6/—/—/—/—]
Unarmed Strike [Close Combat, DV 2S, 14/—/—/—/—]
Note: The fimbulwinter fox air powers are meant to drop the temperature
of the area, providing a cooling effect.
Furfur
There are multiple creatures that have been
called a furfur, named after a demon that is tradi-
tionally depicted as a red deer. People have called
an Emerged elk, deer, or other members of the Cer-
vidae family a furfur. The specific one that we are
talking about is one of the caribou. Furfur and car-
ibou will often be found in the same herds roaming
across the far northern latitudes.
The furfur often appear similar to the progenitor
species. In the case of the porcupine caribou (Ran-
gifer tarandus groenlandicus), the furfur (Rangifer
tempestas groenlandicus) is approximately 150 ki-
lograms in weight and standing at a little over two
meters tall. Their coat is a similar brown to the
porcupine caribou, but there are red stripes in the
fur that are visible in the sunlight. The other main
difference between the species is that the furfur has
more angular antlers, and they have a reddish cast
from the amount of iron in the bone.
The furfur will graze along with the other car-
ibou in the herd. This peaceful creature will range
across the northern parts of the Yukon near the
 // GASHADOKURO // 27

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

Porcupine River. Their range covers nearly 2,400 Gashadokuro are giant, fleshless skeletons that
kilometers. Where the furfur earns its reputation as stand ten to fifteen meters tall. They are said to be
a demon is when around Matrix devices. They will animated by the collective hate and hunger of the vic-
relentlessly attack any devices using a combination tims of a mass casualty disaster such as a war or fam-
of Pulse Storm and data spikes. They will not stop ine. The component bones are the collected assem-
until the Matrix signal is no longer nearby. blages of mismatched pieces of numerous corpses,
Luckily, the furfur doesn’t appear to be regu- mortared together with dirt that continually crum-
larly born in the population of caribou. These will bles away as the creature moves. Its skull-like head is
only appear in one out of one hundred births and fanged, and its fingers are elongated into scythe-like
even then, the survival rate is not good when the claws. It’s only active at night. Its eye holes are illu-
area is populated by other large predators. The minated from within by green, ghostly fire.
worst outcomes generally come when a herd of The current theory is that this is some sort of
Cervidae happens upon a remote research site and phenomenon that occurs near old battleground sites
proceed to brick every device in the facility. and not a result of any specific ritual. There is defi-
nitely a correlation in the size of the spirit with the
size of the graveyard. These creatures will roam the
furfur old battlefield during the middle of the night, and
B A R S W L I C R ESS if they encounter any metahumans, they will grasp
5 4 5 4 3 1 3 3 4 6 them, consuming their life force to sustain them.
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
5 8/2 A1, I3 11 10/30/+2 Gashadokuro
MATRIX MATRIX MATRIX
DR AC CM B A R S W L I C M ESS
4 6/4 10 F+2 F F+2 F–2 F F F+1 F F 2D6*

Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 2, Cracking 4, Electronics 3, Outdoors 3, DR I/ID AC CM MOVE

Perception 5, Stealth 2 (F+2)* (F x 2) + 3/2 A1, I3 (F / 2) + 9 20/25/+1
Complex Forms: Infusion (Attack), Infusion (Sleaze), Pulse Storm
ASTRAL ASTRAL ASTRAL
Weapons: DR I/ID AC
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2S, 9/—/—/—/—]
F (F x 2)/3 A1, I4
Digital Bite [Cracking, DV 2, AR 6]
Skills: Astral, Close Combat, Perception
Powers: Astral Form, Confusion, Essence Drain, Essence Loss, Fear, Mate-
Gashadokuro rialization (immunity to normal weapons), Natural Weapon (claws/bite),
Paralyzing Touch, Sapience
Japanese folklore recognizes a type of spirit Weakness: Vulnerability (sunlight, Severe)
Weapons:
known as yokai, which could be called ghosts, de- Claws/Bite[Close Combat, DV 3P, (F x 2)/—/—/—/—]
mons, or simply “monsters” in other parts of the Astral Strike [Close Combat, DV 2, AR (F x 2)]
world. Some are beautiful and treacherous, some
are animalistic and mischievous, some are terrifying Note: The Essence of the creature is variable and modifies any immunity
to natural weapons.
and brutal. What they all have in common is they
are all deadly forces of the supernatural world.

// GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS

 Ground Wolf
The vast grasslands often do not afford the
creatures there much in the way of shelter from
28 the elements. The blazing hot sun, the cold sweep
of wind, and the sudden torrential downpours all
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
come down on the creatures that live there. Each
of the creatures end up with their own strategy for
dealing with the wide range of climate throughout
the year. One such Awakened critter is the ground
wolf (Cyonomys canis), a distant relative of the
prairie dog, which lives in burrows in the ground
and comes out to hunt its prey.
While related to the prairie dog, the ground
wolf is much larger. They are normally 1.5 meters
long, and on the rare occasion that you see them
above ground, they stand about three-quarters of
a meter tall at the shoulder. These predators come
in at a solid twenty-five kilograms of muscle. Their
paws have powerful digging claws, and they use
their long, vicious canines to perform the killing
blow on their prey. Their fur is typically some form
of dusty brown, but it is difficult to tell whether it’s
just the dirt from the ground or if that is the actual
coloration.
The ground wolf is built to hunt from below
ground. It uses its ability to phase through earth to
quickly reach the prey that it has located through
its tremor sense. Ground wolves hunt in packs of
six to seven animals, while their clan is often much
larger and lives throughout the underground town
of tunnels. The critters will typically hunt nearly
any animals that happen through, although some
prey is definitely too large for them to take down.
The biggest killer of these creatures are ranchers
who eliminate the ground wolves before they can
take down their valuable animals.
The family units typically consist of multiple
adult males and females as a single family along
with multiple litters of pups. When the pups be-
come old enough, they often seek out other dens.
Ground Wolf
B A R S W L I C
3 4 4 5 2 2 3 1
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
3 7/2 A1, I3 10 10/20/+1
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 7 (Bite +2), Outdoors 4, Perception 5,
Stealth 4
Powers: Dual Nature, Engulf (earth), Enhanced Senses (tremor sense),
Natural Weapon (bite, claws), Phasing
Weakness: Vulnerability (Fire)
Weapons:
Engulf [Close Combat, DV 6P, 8/—/—/—/—]
Bite [Close Combat, DV 4P, 8/—/—/—/—]
Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 10/—/—/—/—]
GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS //
Jackalope
The wolpertinger (Crisensus bavaricus) is one of
the more recent new creatures that was first found
on June 30, 2066. Originally thought to be caused
by a virus that caused local rabbits to grow tumor-
ous growths on its head, it has since been classified
as one of the SURGE animals. The jackalope (Cri-
sensus townsendii) is the North American cousin of
the wolpertinger. Where the wolpertinger is located
in the forests of the Allied German States, the jacka-
lope is found in the grasslands of the CAS.
Both species have many similarities including the
presence of horns and their general size. The main
difference between the two subspecies is the color-
ation. Both of these animals are typically seventy
centimeters in length and can weigh up to four ki-
lograms. The creatures are noted for their antlers,
which can be as long as one-third the total body
length (twenty centimeters). Where the wolperting-
er has a very dark brown or black fur, the jackalope
tends to have straw-colored fur. The coat helps the
creatures hide in their natural environment.
These creatures are related to hares and jack-
rabbits. They are herbivores. Their horns prevent
them from living in burrows due to the constraints
of moving, but they burrow for root vegetables. The
jackalopes use their horns during breeding season, as
the males fight over the right to mate. The resulting
mating will result in six to eight kits that are born in
mid-March and leave the grass mat nest in July.
The jackalope and wolpertinger are an import-
ant part of the ecological system and are a key prey
species for many predators. Their prolific breeding
helps keep the population from shrinking too far.
In fact, there have been problems in some towns
where they have killed off local predators, allow-
ing the jackalope population to explode.
> A charging herd of jackalopes is terrifying. I’ve seen a stampede
of hundreds of these varmints.
> Slamm-0!
> What a load of bollocks.
> Chainmaker
M ESS
4 6 > No, seriously. I have the ankle scars to prove it.
> Slamm-0!
jackalope
B A R S W L I C ESS
1 3 3 1 2 2 3 3 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
1 6/2 A1, I3 3 10/20/+1
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 3, Outdoors 3, Perception 3, Stealth 2
Powers: Natural Weapon (Horns)
Weakness: Fragile 3
Weapons:
Goring Horn [Close Combat, DV 2P, 5/—/—/—/—]
 Critter Corner: Ground Wolf
Welcome to Critter Corner. I’m Mr. Johnson, here to bring
you the dirt on a unique paracritter: the ground wolf. Like its
mundane predecessor, the ground wolf isn’t a canine, but rath-
er an Awakened prairie dog. Unlike the relatively meek prairie
dog, ground wolves are vicious predators that grow to be as
large as a metahuman. Fortunately, they don’t typically attack
metahumans, though there have been cases of attacks against
people who have strayed too close to their dens. They do pres-
ent a much more significant danger to livestock—even a small
number of ground wolves can rapidly ravage a herd.
Ground wolves are made all the more dangerous by their
Awakened powers. They are dual natured, can sense move-
ment through vibrations in the ground, and appear to be able
to pass through earth at full speed without needing to tunnel—
though they are excellent at tunneling as well. These critters
appear to be masters of the very earth, as they are able to
cause it to reach up and engulf their prey.
How to Deal
The best way to deal with ground wolves is to stay out of
their way. Unless you go looking for trouble or find yourself in
the wrong place at the wrong time, they’re not likely to attack
you. If it does come down to fighting them, find solid ground.
They can sense you through the earth, pass through it as if
it were air, and even cause it to rise up and engulf you. The
ground is their greatest advantage. If you can get up onto a
vehicle or some paved ground, or better yet, up into the air,
you’ll find them much easier to deal with.
Fortunately ground wolves aren’t particularly tough,
lacking any form of natural armor or unusual resistances to
damage. Almost any weapon, toxin, or spell is likely to be ef-
fective against them. The trouble is hitting them in the first
place, since they can just sink down into the ground to escape.
Ground wolves are also particularly vulnerable to fire-based
attacks.
Gamemaster Tips
Ground wolves are a deceptively dangerous critter. They
aren’t very tough, but their ability to pass through the earth to
Miniwashitu
There is a cryptid called miniwashitu (Bison cy-
clopsis) that was said to be the water monster of
the Missouri River. The creature that we call the
miniwashitu is not that cryptid and only shares
some of the physical descriptions. The animal re-
sembles an armored bison and ranges the prairies
of northern Missouri. And while the creature is re-
lated to the bison, it’s carnivorous and should be
avoided at all costs.
The animal is similar in size to the bison weigh-
ing 1,100 kilograms, two meters to the shoulder,
and five meters long. Normally, while hunting,
the miniwashitu hides in the tall grasses with its
green-and-brown shaggy coat. While attacking,
its coat shifts from green to bright red. A ridge of
ambush their prey combined with a relatively large dice pool
for bite attacks make them serious glass cannons. Their engulf 29
power can also be dangerous, but it is less likely to successful-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
ly hit than a close-combat attack. An individual ground wolf
poses little threat to an armed metahuman and is much more
likely to flee into the ground than attack. A larger family unit
of ground wolves attacking as a pack, however, can pose a se-
rious threat to a team of runners.
Ground wolves can also be used as a passive security mea-
sure, provided that the facility next to their den is made of sol-
id materials and contains no tasty cows to draw the ground
wolves in. While it might be possible to train the critters as
guard animals, just having them live nearby creates a hazard
for anyone attempting to skulk around or sneak in.
Plot Hook
A rancher with a ground wolf problem has made a deal
with a corp that studies paracritters—the rancher wants to be
rid of the critters, and the corp wants some live ground wolves
for study. Mr. Johnson represents the corp and hires the run-
ners to capture as many of the ground wolves as possible—at
least two, but ideally the whole den. This will be tricky, as the
ground wolves can phase through the earth and are formida-
ble predators, but if the PCs can trap them in something that
isn’t made of natural earth, they should be able to collect a
nice payday. The rancher may be convinced to provide some
bait, but they will be reluctant to do so.
Milk Run
The ground wolves have grown bold and overconfident
and will more easily be lured into any trap or trick laid by
the PCs.
Pushing the Envelope
There are actually two dens of ground wolves in the area.
Once the PCs capture a batch from the first den, a group of
ground wolves from the other den attacks—some of them at-
tempt to break open the cages while others try to kill the PCs.
thirty-centimeter spikes rests along its spine, re-
sembling saw teeth. Its head is very similar to the
bison with horns, but instead of eyes located near
the sides of the head, it has a singular eye facing
forward, toward its prey.
The miniwashitu is exceedingly rare and to
date has only been spotted in the prairies of the
central UCAS around the Missouri River. There is
not much known about their behavior so far just
because of how rare the animal is. We do know
about their hunting method, which involves setting
up ambushes in tall grass and then striking for-
ward by both blinding and paralyzing the target
with its magic-enhanced howl. So far, they have
only been seen as solitary hunters, but given how
little we know, they could work together to bring
down prey.
// GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS
 This also means that we don’t know how they
breed, or how they care for their young. We don’t
know much about how big their territory is. It’s
30 frustrating. If anyone is able to capture one alive,
send me a message. My theory is that they are the
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
result of dumping toxic chemicals into the river,
which has mutated local area bison.
Miniwashitu
B A R S W L I C
8 4 5 7 3 1 3 1
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
8 8/2 A1, I3 12 10/15/+1
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 5 (Bite +2), Outdoors 5, Perception 5,
Stealth 6
Qualities: Animal Pelage (camouflage)
Powers: Blindness, Confusion, Engulf (earth), Mist Form, Paralyzing Howl
Weapons:
Engulf [Close Combat, DV 7P, 10/—/—/—/—]
Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 13/—/—/—/—]
Bull Rush [Close Combat, DV 3S, 12/—/—/—/—]
Pegasus
The mighty pegasus (Equus volatilis amplus)
is told in many of the great mythological stories.
Winged steeds carrying mighty warriors into battle
is a core part of that storytelling tradition. This an-
imal makes its home in the grasslands of Southern
and Central Europe. The beauty of this creature
has made it a target for poachers who have found
a black market hungry for the parts, which has led
this creature to near-extinction.
> Wait—does this mean that buffalo wings aren’t made with krill
and are actually from buffalo?
> Slamm-0!
> Don’t listen to him. He knows where buffalo wings come from.
He’s just being drekhole.
> Netcat
A pegasus stands about 1.8 meters tall and
weighs about 350 kilograms. The body of the peg-
asus is typically covered in white fur, although this
can range to different shades of gray. Its impressive
wingspan can reach eight meters from tip to tip
and allows the animal the ability to fly for short
periods. The feathers on the wings are white with
stripes of silver. In every other way, the pegasus
looks like its mundane cousin, the horse.
Pegasus are docile creatures that use their power
of flight to get away from predators and avoid ob-
stacles. They are strictly herbivores and group into
small herds of ten to twenty for protection. During
breeding season, the male and female will pair and
remain together for the next year while any result-
ing foals are still unable to fly. During this time, one
of the two parents will always be on the ground.
GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS //
This is the only time where the pegasus is danger-
ous, as the parents will become extremely aggressive
in protecting the foal using powerful kicks and a
buffeting wind to drive any predator away.
pegasus
B A R S W L I C M ESS
8 5 6 7 3 2 4 3 4 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
M ESS
8 10/2 A1, I3 12 15/40/+5
5 6
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 4, Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Stealth 4
Powers: Elemental Attack (air), Natural Weapon (kick)
Weakness: Dietary Restriction (fruit)
Weapons:
Air Blast [Elemental Attack, DV 2P, 8/6/—/—/—]
Unarmed Strike [Close Combat, DV 3S, 14/—/—/—/—]
Note: The ground speed for the pegasus is 10/25/+3
Peryton
We have frequently seen that the Awakened
relatives of mundane animals are generally larger,
and the peryton (Cervos insolens) is no different to
that. The peryton is the Awakened form of a deer.
This winged deer is interesting when compared
to pegasus and unicorns in that there is a signifi-
cant diet change when compared to the base spe-
cies. The peryton is omnivorous and doesn’t really
mind making a meal of a gnome or human.
Their size is similar to that of a reindeer or a
horse and stand about 1.5 meters tall with a near-
ly six-meter wingspan. Their weight ranges from
125 to 150 kilograms depending on the gender of
the peryton. As the animal has added meat to their
menu, they have adaptations for their hooves and
teeth. Their teeth include sharp incisors and ca-
nines. They have sharpened, claw-like hooves and
altered dentition that reflects their omnivorous
diet and capacity to hunt live prey.
The fur of their bodies is brown and cream col-
ored. Their wings are owl-like in shape and col-
oration. The feathers have golds, dark browns,
and reds that form stripes perpendicular to the di-
rection of the feather. When fully extended, these
stripes form curving lines across multiple feathers.
Both the male and female of the species have large
racks of antlers, reaching lengths of around two
meters.
The peryton is known to eat vegetation similar
to that of deer, such as roots, tubers, fruit, and tree
bark. But to supplement its diet, it also will attack
medium to large animals, including metahumans.
Its attack uses flight to swoop in and knock the
prey down, and then it employs its razor-sharp
claws and antlers to finish the kill. It is a diurnal
hunter and prefers to hunt during the day when its
eyesight is at its best.
Earlier researchers believed they were solitary
 31

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

// PERYTON //

creatures, but this has proven to be untrue. These Pixiu

creatures are extraordinarily social. Well … social
with other peryton—they see just about everything
else as prey. They will stick together in a herd, al-
though the herd is smaller than that of other deer,
but they will often hunt as individuals unless there is
sizable prey, at which point they will work together.
The most dangerous time to deal with peryton is
during their breeding season in the spring. During
this time, the males become extremely aggressive.
Anyone wandering through their hunting grounds
is at risk as the animal will typically increase its
protein intake during this period.
peryton
B A R S W L I C
8 5 5 7 4 2 4 2
There are times where I wonder if a people’s be-
lief in something is enough to create a thing where
nothing was before. For example, there have nev-
er been any lions in Manchuria, but yet the local
population has long included lions as part of their
dance, art, and culture. After the Awakening, much
to the surprise of everyone except the natives of
the land, lions were seen to roam the grassland
steppes of Manchuria. But these lions are far from
ordinary, as they can fly on their golden wings.
> The old stories talk about these creatures having their rectum
sealed by angry emperors. Does that hold for what we’ve seen in
the wild?
M ESS
> Kat O’ Nine Tales
4 6

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE > No. The specimens that have been examined have a fully
8 9/2 A1, I3 12 15/35/+5 functional digestive system. Eating metals seems to be the only
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Stealth 4 weird thing about their diet.
Powers: Accident, Enhanced Senses (vision magnification), Natural Weap- > Juice Box
on (antlers, claws), Silence
Weapons:
Goring Antlers [Close Combat, DV 3P, 14/—/—/—/—] The pixiu (Panthera cervinum) is assumed to be
Clawed Kick [Close Combat, DV 2P, 16/—/—/—/—] native to the steppes of Asia. It is identifiable by its
longer, sinuous body that can be up to six meters
Note: The ground speed of the peryton is 10/25/+3.
long from nose to tail. It has a narrow body and is
fairly comparable to the African lion. The neck of
the pixiu is long, and when it stretches up, it can be

// GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS

 four meters off the ground. Its fur is frequently a
golden shade but can veer into greens and coppers
as well.
32 Its head has two horns that are similar to that
of antelopes. These horns are brown and can be
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
The unicorn is native to the grasslands of North
America and Europe. The greater unicorn is more
often found in higher-altitude grasslands nearer to
the foothills near mountain regions. Unicorns are
often part of large herds riding across the grass-

sixty centimeters long. The snout is much wider, lands, while the greater unicorn tends toward
taking up nearly the entire width of the head, with smaller, family-sized units. Both of these species
a broad nose and visible lower fangs. The males are diurnal herbivores. The unicorns are generally
of the species have a mane similar to that of the non-violent, but when backed into a corner, their
African lion, but it is curly. hooves and horns can wreck even a troll.
The pixiu is an apex predator in the region. It
feeds upon nearly any animal that it can find. A
family unit consists of a single male and multiple unicorn
females and cubs. The family unit tends to hunt B A R S W L I C M ESS
together, although it is frequently just the females 7 5 5 7 4 2 4 4 5 6
doing the hunting.
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
7 9/2 A1, I3 12 20/45/+1

pixiu Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 4, Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Sorcery 4

(Counterspelling +2)
B A R S W L I C M ESS
Powers: Immunity (pathogens), Magical Guard, Natural Weapon (horn)
8 5 4 6 5 2 3 4 5 6
Weakness: Allergy (pollutants, Severe)
Weapons:
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
Hooves [Close Combat, DV 2S, 12/—/—/—/—]
11 7/2 A1, I3 12 15/30/+5 Horn [Close Combat, DV 4P, 14/—/—/—/—]
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 5 (Bite +2), Perception 5, Stealth 4
Powers: Armor (3), Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (low-light vision,
smell), Guard, Natural Weapon (bite, horn), Paralyzing Howl
greater unicorn
Weakness: Dietary Restriction (must include traces of gold, silver, or jewels)
Weapons: B A R S W L I C M ESS
Bite [Close Combat, DV 4P, 12/—/—/—/—] 9 5 4 9 4 2 4 3 6 6
Horn [Close Combat, DV 2P, 14/—/—/—/—]
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
Notes: The ground speed of the pixiu is 10/20/+3
7 9/2 A1, I3 12 20/45/+1

Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 4, Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Sorcery 4

(Counterspelling +2)

Unicorn Powers: Arcane Arrester, Empathy, Immunity (pathogens, poisons), Mag-

The mythical unicorn (Unicornus validus) is a
popular legend made reality when magic Awak-
ened in the modern world. These majestic animals
represent a purity and source of hope for many
who have seen them. They have also been the sub-
ject of predation by metahumanity, who seek their
body parts, especially the horn, for their magical
properties. In addition to describing the regular
unicorn, we will also discuss the greater unicorn
(Unicornus magus).
Regular unicorns stand 1.5 meters tall and
weigh roughly 400 kilograms. Their coat is of-
ten described as pearlescent white, as is their long
flowing tail and mane. The greater unicorn is a
stockier breed with thicker haunches and broad-
er shoulders. They stand about 1.7 meters tall and
weigh upward of 550 kilograms. Their coat has a
golden sheen to it, and their black main and tail
are generally shorter.
> There is an interesting variant that has been seen in and around
the NAN. This variant has a coat similar to a paint horse, and the
horn has a vibrant copper color.
> Zhaganaash
ical Guard, Natural Weapon (horn), Search
Weakness: Allergy (pollutants, Severe)
Weapons:
Hooves [Close Combat, DV 2S, 12/—/—/—/—]
Horn [Close Combat, DV 4P, 14/—/—/—/—]
White Bison
Long has the white bison (Bison bison blanc)
been sacred among Native American religions,
often seen as both a blessing and an ill portent.
These myths tell of the return of the white buffalo
to a time when humanity is being evaluated con-
cerning their ability to live in harmony with na-
ture. If they failed to meet these measures, the tribe
would be cursed until the next evaluation. In more
recent history, these rare creatures were thought
to be rare genetic mutations such as albinism or
leucistic. After the Awakening, multiple white bi-
son were spotted in the wild, and we have learned
that they are actually a magically active form of
the North American bison (Bison bison).
The white bison is not a distinct separate species
from the American bison. Bison born from white
bison don’t necessarily share the same traits as the
parents and may be born mundane. The white bi-

GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS //

 // UNICORN //
33

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

son is known for its brilliant white coat and short While the ownership of a white bison pelt is ille-
grey horns. The blanc subspecies is generally larg- gal, the value of them on the black market is high
er and heavier than their mundane cousin. With enough for individuals to brave the penalties. This
a height of three meters to the shoulder and over has resulted in help from one of the unlikeliest of
four meters in length, the white bison easily stands organizations: the Koshari. They have been known
out in a herd of bison. They weigh 1,300 kilograms to sponsor teams to assassinate known poachers.
as a full-grown adult.
Like its progenitor species, the white bison is
white bison
an herbivore that grazes on grasses in the plains of
North America. A white bison is more aggressive B A R S W L I C M ESS
and territorial than the other bison in its herd. A 9 3 3 8 3 2 4 3 4 6
single charging bison is terrifying, but we’ve seen DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
entire herds act in concert, mimicking the behav- 9 7/2 A1, I3 13 10/30/+1
ior of the white bison in the group. A similar herd
without a white bison has been shown to not act in Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 3, Influence 2 (Intimidation +2), Outdoors
4, Perception 3
this aggressive manner, leading scientists to believe Powers: Animal Control (Buffalo), Enhanced Senses (hearing, smell), Im-
that the white bison has some form of influence on munity (pathogens), Search
the behavior of those around it. Weakness: Allergy (pollutants, Severe)
The white bison has a special place today with- Weapons:
Trample [Close Combat, DV 4P, 11/—/—/—/—]
in the tribes of the Native American Nations. The Butt [Close Combat, DV 2S, 11/—/—/—/—]
NAN has enacted laws to protect the white bison
and also restrict pollution near the grasslands that Note: Herds of bison act as a grunt group (p. 114, SR6) in terms of tram-
pling attacks.
the bison call its home. These protections have de-
finitively helped increase the number of white bi-
son in the NAN, which only encouraged poachers.

// GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS

34
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

GRASSLANDS AND PLAINS //

 MOUNTAINS
Posted by: G-Nome
I absolutely love the beauty and variety of life
in the peaks and valleys, but as any and everyone
here should know, or at least suspect, all those wild
places are increasingly trying to kill you. Moun-
tainous terrain is not just a danger based on the
paracritters but also provides plenty of opportuni-
ties to get killed by physics, especially gravity and
thermal energy (or lack thereof). The local wildlife,
especially the paranormal variety, take advantage
of these opportunities and the dangerous sur-
roundings to enhance their nutrient supply.
While the mountains of the world are dangerous,
it’s something far more mundane that usually caus-
es significant issues here: traveling. Due to altitude
changes, soil variations, flora growth, lack of devel-
oped paths, and the general similarity of the sur-
roundings, finding your way around the mountains
is a unique challenge. For mapsoft addicts who find
it hard to locate the Stuffer Shack a quarter-kilo-
meter away using commlink directions, the moun-
tains could easily mean certain death. Rarely is the
path to travel between two points in the mountains
a straight line, and it in fact usually involves three
planes of motion rather than the standard two.
Mountains are part of the landscape on every
continent, though local wildlife could vary im-
mensely. NorthAm has the Rockies and Appala-
chians. SouthAm is famous for the Andes. Australia
fields the Great Dividing Range, Blue Mountains,
Australian Alps, and Flinders Range, just to name
a few. Europe has the Alps, Caucasus, and Pyre-
nees. Asia has the monster Himalayas, as well as
the Tian Shan, the Caucasus, the Urals, the Hindu
Kush, the Western and Eastern Ghats, the Kara-
koram, and the Pamir Mountains. The vastness
of Africa has the Atlas Simien, Rwenzori, Virun-
gu, and Drakensberg mountains, to name a few.
Antarctica has the Transantarctic Range running
across the continent. Each of these ranges has both
evolutionary parallel species as well as unique in-
habitants of their own. Many of the paracritters
of the regions are shaped by the local legends, and
often research shows them connected in some way
to mana-specific metaplanes.
The thing about mountains and mountainous
environments is their history as something divisive.
Whether it’s the physical divide between biomes, the
political and social divide between nations, or the
psychological divide created by their impenetrable
visage, the mountainous regions of the world are
commonly areas of contention. This psycho-social
phenomenon deeply affects the legends and tall tales
related to mountains, and in our Awakened world,
this shapes the mana and the paranormal life that
arises in the region.
// MOUNTAINS
36
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
Avalanche Lynx
(Lynx avalanchus)
The avalanche lynx is an Awakened subspecies
of the Eurasian lynx. It is easily recognizable upon
close inspection, as it is a lion-size lynx with mas-
sive paws. Its fur is a blend of earth tones on a
base of white that is perpetually covered in a layer
of frost with icicles dangling from its torso. I have
had several encounters with them during my re-
search but the most memorable was nearly an end
to my earthly existence.
Oh, I remember it like it was yesterday. Waking
up, battered but alive, in my Evo Baller. The little
motorized hamster ball was such a great off-road-
er and the perfect vehicle from which to work on
my research among the sharpest peaks of the cen-
tral Rockies. Or so I had felt, until I lay in the dim-
ming emergency lighting buried under ghost-only-
knows how many metric tons of snow. Snow that
was delivered upon me by the very species I was
trying to research and protect!
The avalanche lynx is a remarkable Sixth World
predator. In a world of razor-sharp teeth and
flesh-rending talons, this insidious beast uses some
kind of inherent knowledge of geology and physics
alongside its power to manipulate snow and rock
to drop avalanches on its prey.
MOUNTAINS //
// AVALANCHE LYNX //
It then sifts through the snow and rubble to
find the remains with that same power to move
matter, which rivals the abilities of some of the
greatest earth spirits. I was lucky when it came
upon me that rather than attempting to pierce the
transparent shell preserving my existence, it sim-
ply moved on, leaving me a sliver of a chance at
survival.
I used the last bits of reserve battery to rotate
the exit hatch so I could align the door with a po-
tential way out, and I then started the long climb
back to the dim light above.
Subsequent research visits have proven less dire
but no less problematic in creating a valid reason to
protect this species from the corporate-sponsored
hunts that threaten its continued existence. The
“natural” disasters they create prove consistent-
ly damaging to corporate and private properties,
keeping them from any form of legal protection.
These hunts are thinly veiled as “property pro-
tection operations” but are little more than sport
hunts and private hunting contracts. I have little
remorse for those who take them and end up a
frozen treat for the very beast they seek to slay.
My condolences to any runner who has lost a
friend in this way, but as all urban predators are
wise to remember, the top of the food chain varies
by the biome.
 This species also uses its powers of earth ma-
nipulation to create complex and confusing ice
caverns and earth tunnels to hide its den, making
hunting it in that fashion problematic as well. Not
to mention their habit of creating a direct exit
for themselves rather than traversing their own
creations. These passages are often unstable and
again lead to injuries, deaths, and property dam-
age as they collapse and crumble.
> The contracts G-Nome mentions are regularly available and have
been open and active for several years now. They’re only a week
long, though. They’re rather unique in that you have to “buy” the
contract. The purchase is actually worded as a property-access
permit for any of the hunting that might cross onto corporate
property. It’s usually about a thousand nuyen, but the bounty on
an avalanche lynx is 25k. The ratio of collections to forfeitures is
stunningly one -sided, though, so most of the corps pay for any
bounty with the cash collected from over-eager hunters.
> Ecotope
> Those property access permits are a handy purchase if you get a
gig to go after an installation up in the mountains. It’s not a free
pass, but it’s usually a one-shot get-out-of-jail-free card if they
catch you during your insertion or initial recon.
> Mika
> There is an opportunity for anyone who wants to try a live
capture. Most of the big names in paracritter research have a
100k live bounty on this species. Based on the limited info out
there, no one has managed it. I was part of a team that managed
to track and tranq one, but no one knew the dosage to keep it
down, and it stripped the road from underneath the rig that
was holding it and sent it tumbling 300 meters down a valley.
We tried to minimize our losses and at least collect on a corpse,
but it survived the tumble down the mountain and dug itself a
hidey-hole we weren’t willing to venture into.
> Balladeer
avalanche lynx
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
8 5 5 7 4 2 6 3 4 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
10 11/2 A1/I3 12 10/20/+3
Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 5, Close Combat 6, Engineering 4, Outdoors 8,
Perception 6, Stealth 6
Powers: Armor 2, Dual Natured, Elemental Attack (Cold), Enhanced Sens-
es, Immunity (Cold), Natural Weapon, Quake
Weaknesses: Vulnerability (Fire)
Weapons:
Claws/Bite [Close Combat, DV 4P, 12/—/—/—/—]
Fireworm
(Vermes saxi infernus)
I’m happy to say I’ve never had a fireworm 37
make an active effort to kill me. That said, this still
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
falls under my collection of species that have near-
ly ended my scientific career. I was working in the
Carib League down in St. Vincent, checking out La
Soufrière for the local governance in hopes of fig-
uring out how soon its growing lava dome was go-
ing to pop. They had already detected the presence
of “rockworms” in the area and thus reached out
to a parazoologist rather than someone with a vol-
canology expertise. The quotation marks indicate
this was not in fact vermes saxi, but was instead a
new subparaspecies, vermes saxi infernus.
Similar in size but drastically different in col-
oration, the fireworm’s skin is orange and black,
rather than the pallid, fleshy color of the rock-
worm. I don’t know how any of the locals with a
Matrix connection couldn’t have simply looked it
up and known the difference, but they didn’t, and
I have another new paraspecies discovery attribut-
ed to me.
But the initial point here is to tell the tale of
my near death. As I stated, I was studying La
Soufrière, and while not a volcanologist, I knew
enough to tell something was off. The recorded
pressure dome growth rates and the subaquatic
lava flow quantities seemed strange, mainly be-
cause both varied greatly, including several neg-
ative growth reports without any indication of
eruption. I was working around the crater, taking
soil samples and looking for signs of paraspecies
activity along with keeping a general eye out for
anything arcane in nature, wondering if maybe
spirits were active in the area. I discovered sever-
al “rockworm” tunnels, another indication this
was something else, as rockworms do not leave
consistent and sturdy tunnels. Each of these tun-
nels was also still generating heat and venting
gases. Now, I was so excited I stopped being as
careful as I should have been, and I managed to
crumble the top of a tunnel I had not noticed
yet. The recent rain had found a route in, and
the walls of the tunnel were almost as smooth as
glass. Needless to say I fell in and lost my bear-
ings as I began to slide in the dark. I ended up a
good 100 meters underground when I stopped.
The chamber I was in was steamy and only sur-
vivable thanks to a few quick protective spells
and Focustak, an earth spirit I had been working
with. It was here I spotted four fireworms, all
resting. I did my best to study them quickly and
then began to work my way back out with Fo-
custak’s assistance.
So, nearly killed, but it wasn’t intentional. It
did reveal that the fireworms were the reason La
Soufrière had not already erupted. This species
was “venting” energy from the dome. That effect
// MOUNTAINS
 travel via the deep subsurface volcanic flows or
even (this would be an amazing discovery) via sub-
crustal magma.
38 Needless to say, my research has not been solely
kept within the scientific community and, as usu-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

al, I have been the target of a datatheft. Since this

event several governments and corps are using my
initial research to determine if the fireworm has
potential for countering arcane and metaplanar in-
fluences over volcanic activity.
Alongside this research, the normal collection
and bounty contracts have arisen, and I will add
a few more tidbits as a warning for any seeking
to collect. The mouth of the fireworm is not the
grinder of the rockworm, but rather long inci-
sor-like plates that shove material back into the
throat of the creature after it has been properly
warmed (meaning melted) by the ring of their oral
cavity that maintains a healthy 1,200 Celsius tem-
perature. This makes them difficult to hold in cap-
tivity but not impossible.

fireworm
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
3 2 2 3 2 1 2 2 1 6 6

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
3 4/1 A1/I2 10 5/10/+1

Skills: Astral 3, Close Combat 3, Outdoors 2, Perception 4, Stealth 2

Powers: Dual Natured, Elemental Attack (Fire), Enhanced Senses, Immu-
nity (Fire), Natural Weapon
Weaknesses: Vulnerability (Cold)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 6P(Fire), 10/—/—/—/—]

Rockworm Variants
// FIREWORM //
As an aside I wanted to mention a few other
was more inadvertent than intentional, but their rockworm subspecies that an associate of mine has
apparent purpose was feeding and breeding, and been doing extensive research on. I know I cannot
the process was extending the time they had by publish full papers here but let me talk briefly on
stalling the eruption. this menagerie of Awakened night crawlers.
My discovery also meant my need to do further
study if I wanted credit, so I stuck around for a Exoworm
bit longer. As the fireworm feeds off minerals and (Vermes saxi extremus)
matter in the volcanic environment and its body
creates biological energy through a thermal equiv- Similar to the fireworm as a pseudo-extrem-
alent of photosynthesis, it leaves tunnels and tubes ophile, this subspecies can heat the materials
off of magma pockets and lava flows. This pres- through which it burrows. As it heats and digests
sure decrease slows the processes that lead to erup- the minerals and nutrients, its excretions are dou-
bly unique. The cooled material forms a solid
tion, prolonging their stay in a region and making
channel, and many of the metal components are
predictions and warnings for pending eruptions
separated and deposited in those tunnels, including
difficult. I’ve provided several signs of their pres- precious gems and rare earth metals.
ence and activities and have offered a clue on
eruption timing connected to their departure. If a
volcanic region becomes unstable or eruptive, the
fireworms depart. As none travel the surface, my
inferences on their migration are speculative based
on tunneling that leads downward and shows they

MOUNTAINS //
 not go gently into the dark night. They can col-
exoworm lapse building and roads as well as create caverns
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS and dangerous underground systems.
4 2 2 4 2 1 3 3 1 6 6 39
mountain eater

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
4 5/1 A1/I2 10 5/10/+1
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
Skills: Astral 3, Close Combat 3, Outdoors 2, Perception 4, Stealth 2 22 3 2 20 2 2 2 4 2 6 6
Powers: Dual Natured, Elemental Attack (Fire), Enhanced Senses, Immu-
nity (Fire), Natural Weapon, Wealth* DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
Weaknesses: Vulnerability (Cold) 22 4/1 A1/I2 19 10
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 6P(Fire), 10/—/—/—/—]
Skills: Astral 3, Close Combat 6, Outdoors 3, Perception 4
*Wealth created is within the tunnels the exoworm creates. Roll Magic + Powers: Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses, Natural Weapon
Edge and multiply the hits times 1¥ per meter of tunnel. Excavating the Weapons:
tunnel requires an Engineering + Logic (4, 1 hour) test for every 10 meters. Bite: 20P, 20/—/—/—/—

Sandworm Glamourworm
(Vermes saxi aridus) B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
While not often found in mountainous regions, 2 3 4 2 3 1 3 5 1 6 6
the sandworm is a dry-climate, desert-dwelling DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
subspecies that is exceptionally (okay, supernatu- 2 7/2 A1/I3 10 5/10/+1
rally) good at garnering water in the driest of re-
gions. This is actually due to a connection to the Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 2, Close Combat 3, Outdoors 1, Perception 3,
Stealth 2
metaplane of water. They are actively hunted by Powers: Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses, Innate Spell (Phantasm), Natu-
local tribes for meat and water as well as by cor- ral Weapon, Wealth*
porations and talismongers for use in telesma, foci, Weapons:
and reagents. Their movements soften and saturate Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 5/—/—/—/—]

the sands to such a degree that their trails are often *Roll Body + Magic + Edge, 5,000¥/hit
riddled with quicksand. They are also a bit larg-
er, six meters long on average, and thus make for
some wide inadvertent traps. Glamourworm
(Vermes saxi arcanus)
sandworm After I got the first scientific brief on these from
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS Dr. Greene, I knew this was going to be a target
6 1 2 4 2 1 3 1 1 6 6 for runners, often as that personal pot of gold
that gets them fragging killed. As you can tell by
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE the name, this subspecies of rockworm has some
6 5/1 A1/I2 11 10/15/+1
illusion abilities that it uses to defend itself from
Skills: Astral 3, Close Combat 3, Outdoors 2, Perception 4, Stealth 3 predators—metahumans in particular. A good de-
Powers: Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses, Natural Weapon
Weaknesses: Vulnerability (Fire)
fense is a necessity, as its hardened keratin ring is
Weapons: a repository for precious gems, such as diamonds,
Bite [Close Combat, DV 4P(Fire), 8/—/—/—/—] rubies, and sapphires, that accumulate as it ages.
The glamourworm is the same general size as the
basic species and tends to favor geological regions
Mountain Eater with high mineral wealth. A typical specimen will
have upward of 10,000 nuyen worth of raw mate-
(Vermes saxi mortis) rials, which can be processed to increase that value
Frag these fragging fraggers with a frag gre- tenfold as gemstones or reagents. Larger or older
nade. Okay, that’s out of my system. Research has specimens may have ten times that amount.
been up, down, and all around on these things and
keeps jumping origins with each researcher. Just Redflower’s Cat
know that they can get huge (100+ meters long)
and can excavate massive quantities of earth with (Panthera sukie)
their five-meter-wide pie hole. In case you wanted I’ll just admit it: I’m a Sukiephant! It was a
to throw your hat in the hunting ring and needed pile of clichéd plots and full of all sorts of terri-
intel, you can get reports on these being SURGEd, ble examples for young magicians, but the stories
toxics, just subspecies, or entirely transplanar. No were entertaining. Sukie was a performance pow-
matter where you think they came from, they do erhouse, and at the time I just needed something to

// MOUNTAINS
40
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
visually ingest that didn’t take a lot of brainpower.
I was so enthralled with her that one of my
most thorough (and again nearly last) paraspecies
research projects was on Redflower’s cat. I boldly
headed off into the wilds of the Rocky Mountains
near Jasper, specifically focusing on Red Mountain
because I was being blinded by some hokey level
of gut instinct that told me Redflower’s cat would
be found on Red Mountain.
We can ignore the fact that I was right, because
no good scientist should base his research on his
gut or his fanatic love of a trid show.
Now that we have the setting for the search, we
can get on to how one drek-brained gnome, who
went into the wild alone, became the toy mouse in
a real-world game of cat and mouse—just cat and
gnome in this case.
Night one, the feline prankster hit me with an il-
lusion spell that had me thinking I was tucking my-
self into a nice little protected cave. A few hours lat-
er, I wake to a flood of water pouring from a natural
spring, and I see I’ve laid down directly under the
falls rather than in a nice cave. Thankfully, I dried
myself relatively easily, but I couldn’t find a good
place to sleep, so I did a little astral scouting and
found the signature of the spell and got a good read
on it, hoping it would help me track down the cat.
I summoned a rather nice spirit of the earth
who went by Gypsum, who was happy to help me
MOUNTAINS //
// REDFLOWER’S CAT //
stay safe and move more easily, but they active-
ly refused to help me track my subject, who they
called Quartz. I was able to ask a few questions
that cleared up the name and gave me a clue what
I should be looking for on the astral plane. Seems
Redflower’s cats, as a breed, all have bright auras
that look like a crystal feline. They also aren’t com-
pletely dual-natured, but much like a modern ar-
canist, they can astrally perceive and project.
This had been referenced in episode eight of
season four, Kitty’s Pride, but I had simply tak-
en it as creative license, especially since no other
non-sapient species had displayed that ability. This
knowledge fueled my desires anew, as it meant I
could possibly find out Redflower’s cat was a sa-
pient species!
Over the next three days and nights, I repeat-
edly felt as if I was on the verge of discovery, only
to be once again shown I was a blundering dun-
derhead. Minor illusions sent my tracking astray,
had me traipsing through a trail of elk scat, and
had me set my camp in the middle of an open field.
Every time I thought I had countered the feline’s
latest trickery, it doubled it back on me. The worst
part for me was knowing it was close enough to
put these spells in place but still missing it over
and over.
It was at this point I realized this was a game.
I was not being worn down to make easy prey. I
was being played with for some kind of entertain-
ment while also being left to get rest enough to
stay sharp.
Quartz didn’t want me to quit. My problem
was that I only had food enough for a week, and
that time was dwindling quickly. I decided to turn
the tides. Rather than actively tracking, I started to
wander and place random illusions around, mostly
of prey species for the cat, but a few times I placed
my own visage in a potentially harmful situation.
At this point I caught sight of an illusion in the
casting, did a quick track on the line of sight, and
got my first glimpse of Quartz.
This famous Awakened mountain lion was
crimson from head to toe, with the only exception
being its piercing emerald-green eyes. It was nearly
identical to the cat from the show, a sleek-bodied,
small-framed mountain lion. It had been using a
variation on the levitation spell to make itself light
enough to be supported by its secondary tail and
to use the thin upper branches of the trees to avoid
being spotted. I only really managed it because I
looked up in frustration at one point.
As soon as I spotted them, Quartz slowly levi-
tated down from the tree to a spot in front of me.
Through a very basic form of telepathy and an
empathetic link, Quartz reached out and commu-
nicated with me. I was able to understand their in-
herent spellcasting abilities, which begin with illu-
sions. Some, though, can perceive and learn spells
cast by others.
Before I left my studies, a month after a brief
trip back to civilization (with an invisible Quartz),
I had a fuller understanding and actual connection
to Quartz that fueled my own magic in a similar
fashion to my power focus.
But yes, I, like Sukie Redflower herself, have
published nothing official on our findings on this
ability because of a fear of corporate exploitation
of this ability. I’m putting it here now, because I
have already seen in-house research by both MCT
and Evo on the topic, so telling the shadow com-
munity seems only fair.
redflower’s cat
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
4 5 5 3 3 2 5 4 2 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
6 10/2 A1/I3 10 10/20/+3
Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 5, Close Combat 6, Outdoors 6, Perception 8,
Sorcery 4, Stealth 6
Powers: Armor 2, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses, Natural Weapon,
Sapience
Spells: Levitate, Mindlink, Phantasm, Silence, others at gamemaster
discretion
Weapons:
Bite/Claws [Close Combat, DV 5P, 8/—/—/—/—]
Alchaeran Imperial Eagle
(Aquila heliaco arcanus)
While not directly at the top of my favorite 41
things to study, alchera are most certainly in the
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
top five. Combine an alchera exploration with the
discovery of the alchaeran imperial eagle, and it
doesn’t matter what was up top last week, that’s
my new favorite study.
We were studying an alchera in the Caucasus. It
was a castle with multicultural and exocultural ele-
ments in the design. Local legends connected it to a
rather unpleasant collection of werewolves, but not
the shifter kind we are used to, more the horror-mov-
ie style. All of this was legendary conjecture that we
kept at the back of our heads, and it also was why we
had a rather bulky security detail. All those big goons
didn’t do me any good when I slipped off to do some
quiet digging and I came across a trio of alchaeran
elves. They were an element of the local magic and
very little threat to me, but my cockiness clouded my
judgment. When a very real alchaeran eagle swooped
down and pinned two of those elves by their helmet-
ed heads to the hand-carved stone, I was face-to-beak
with death. I was saved by the third elf taking a swing
and then taking the beak over his face.
I did the sane thing and ran to find a spot I
could safely document the events from. I start-
ed with the look. Similar to the eastern imperial
eagle, the alchaeran version sports two key vari-
ations. The wingtips on the alchaeran are black
and trail a variable stream of wispy blackness de-
pending on the detection of an alchera. Within
an alchera, the wings seem to almost flow like a
stream. The second feature unique to the alchae-
ran eagle are the eyes. When not in or near an
alchera, they appear similar to a mundane eagle,
but upon approach, the eyes slowly glow red and
finally erupt in flames as the creature crosses the
arcane boundaries.
Subsequent research has demonstrated the crea-
ture gains sustenance primarily from the entire
menu of alchera inhabitants and prefers to locate
alchera and alcheral thins in order to hunt. This is
one of the values it holds for arcanocorps, as it can
be tracked to locate potential alchera for explora-
6
tion and exploitation.
Alchaeran Imperial Eagle
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
5 6 5 7 4 2 5 5 1 8 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
5 10/2 A1/I3 10 10/20/+3
Skills: Astral 5, Athletics 5 (Flying +2), Close Combat 6, Outdoors 6, Per-
ception 6, Stealth 2
Powers: Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Vision Magnification), Natural
Weapon
Weapons:
Beak/talons [Close Combat, DV 7P, 10/—/—/—/—]
// MOUNTAINS
 Arcanus Gorilla
(Gorilla arcanus)
42 I always enjoyed the work of Dian Fossey. It’s
inspirational to young scientists and adds some ad-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
venture and intrigue to the field that boring labs
are never going to give you. This, chummers, is
how I ended up living among a family of moun-
tain gorillas doing research on their social bonding
rituals. Thanks to my arcane abilities, I was often
able to hold my own when it came to physical con-
tests, but any lapse in my focus generally led to
bruises and a few broken bones.
It took well over six months to get myself accept-
ed, and even after I was in, I was often treated as
a younger gorilla and definitely treated by my size
more than what I provided for the troop. It was hum-
bling for sure and slightly frustrating, as I was rarely
able to interact with the group I was actually there
to study. Oh, yeah, I didn’t clarify that—the arcanus
gorilla lives among the common mountain gorilla as
a regular member of the troop. The difference is in
the name, as the arcanus gorilla is magically active.
From my initial distant observations, I collected data
on powers it possessed and logged them as compared
to other species displaying similar abilities.
Then, it happened. I’m not sure why, but one of
the young female gorillas took an interest in me.
While nothing happened to constitute bestiality, I
utilized a Mask spell to interact more personally in
a matched form.
This was unwise. Enjoyable, but unwise.
The troop’s lead silverback felt I was a threat to
his harem control (technically, I caused some ab-
normalities), and he challenged me. I wasn’t keen
on getting kicked out because I’d had some stu-
pid youthful fun. To balance the scales and make
my best effort to not throw off the hierarchy while
also preserving my own life, I used more of my
arcane talents than at any time up to this.
In the midst of the fight, a pair of burly, all gold-
en-furred females barreled into the middle of the
fight and used some kind of gorilla-fu to break us
apart only a moment before my little gnome skull
got crushed. They pinned us down as Ohtuktuk,
the arcanus gorilla, moved in among us and pulled
me from the fight.
After that, my life spun 180 degrees. I moved in
among the arcanus gorillas and kept distance from
the others. I learned of an unspoken hierarchy,
where the physically strongest lead the mundane
gorillas and the most arcanely powerful control
the arcanus gorillas, who in turn lead all the goril-
las of their troop.
It wasn’t long on the inside that I discovered
their abilities were not traditional paracritter pow-
ers, but instead the actual ability to intentionally
manipulate mana, which even included the sum-
moning of spirits, and the development of their
own arcane tradition.
MOUNTAINS //
Communication was difficult at first, until I re-
alized the spirits they summoned could easily act
as interpreters. Understanding exploded after that,
which is a paper for another time and place.
Here, just know that they consider many of the
ruins of the old cultures as theirs to protect and
preserve, riches and all.
Arcanus Gorilla
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
10 4 4 12 4 3 4 5 1 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
10 8/1 A1/I2 13 10/15/+2
Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 4, Close Combat 6, Conjuring, Outdoors 4, Per-
ception 3, Sorcery 5, Stealth 4
Powers: Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Natural Weapon
Spells: Gamemaster discretion
Weapons:
Fists [Close Combat, DV 10S, 10/—/—/—/—]
Death Leopard
(Panthera mortis)
When I first started looking into this particular
species, I will admit I was digging and seeing clues
based on my own personal bias. I was positive this
paracritter was not truly a critter at all and was
simply a shifter who had taken a dark, dark road
after seeing too many atrocities. I got it. I had seen
the same. I think I almost wanted that to be the
case. I wanted this to be an avenging angel of some
kind rather than a nasty paracritter with a solid
purpose but less-than-eco-friendly methods.
The death leopard is an Awakened species of
the snow leopard, a species driven to extinction
(or so we thought). Their actions arose first in the
2040s when a hunting camp in the mountains of
central Asia was found slaughtered. Most of the
bodies were left behind, mutilated, with a few oth-
ers dragged out to traps and used to set them off.
It certainly seemed like the actions of a vengeful
metahuman group rather than those of an Awak-
ened leopard. Similar scenes were discovered reg-
ularly in that same region and then slowly spread-
ing out over a wider range. While the first camp
was specifically hunting rumors of leopards in the
mountains, later camps were everything from mon-
key poachers to cattle ranchers moving the herd.
When I finally came into contact with a death
leopard (the only I have ever seen), I was work-
ing with a group of chummers on the prowl for
a young warmth of the mountain to bring to an-
other area for repopulation. The first night, Lady
Strange, a Chaos mage, was on watch and went
missing. All we found in the morning were paw
prints and a long strip of the snowy ground that
has been split when she got slammed a good ten
meters and then dragged off. We all stayed up
night two and discovered the opening strike is a Griffon
sudden silence, followed by a blast of chill air, and
(Alatusleo Aquila)
then a pouncing leopard. It managed to air-slam
me and roll me off the edge of a cliff. I almost hit The basic namesake, pulled from Greek my- 43
bottom before I could get my levitation spell off. thology, fits the original physical bill. It has a large

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

Up above, I watched muzzle flashes in the silence. feline body, powerful eagle-like wings, sharpened
By the time I was back up, the leopard had already talons at the end of its birdlike forelimbs, and a
fled, but not before nearly killing Billy and leaving raptor’s beaked head.
Rocket with some deep love bites. This was my third near-death experience when
It was a brutal loss on our end, and to make it the wily critter dropped me at the top of a dense fir.
an even bigger hit to the ego, the death leopard is Hitting the branches kept me disoriented enough
really cute and extra fluffy, with just a little more that I couldn’t get a spell off to slow me down.
dark than light fur compared to the base species. On the negative side, the fall didn’t kill me, and
As mentioned before, I have only ever encoun- I wasn’t going down gently. That critter paid a
tered a single subject of this species, however, events healthy percentage of my medical bill after I sold
tracked and recorded by others in the scientific and its bits to my favorite talismonger.
laymen communities have identified events at times
too close together to be the same.
griffon
> The spirits speak through the death leopard. The heart of the B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
mountains wants none of metahumanity’s dark dealings in their 8 6 4 8 4 3 5 1 1 6 6
domain.
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
> Many-Names
10/20/+2
12 9/2 A1/I3 12 (20/40/+4
> Are you saying this is some kind of possession event, rather than Flying)
a paracritter?
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 6, Flight 4, Perception 5
> G-Nome Powers: Armor 4, Enhanced Senses (Vision Magnification), Natural Weapon
Weapons:
> I am saying what I am saying. Talons [Close Combat, DV 8P, 12/—/—/—/—]

> Many-Names
Asian Griffon
death leopard (Alatusleo serpens)
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
Early studies assumed these were some cous-
4 5 5 4 4 2 6 2 1 6 6
in of the dragon or wyvern, but genetic samples
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE revealed they are most closely related to the grif-
6 11/3 A1/I4 10 15/30/+3 fon. Usually found in the mountain ranges of the
Asian continent, they have a more reptilian torso
Skills: Astral 5, Athletics 6, Astral, Close Combat 8, Outdoors 7, Perception
8, Stealth 8 and rear legs but still bear avian forelegs. The head
Powers: Armor 2, Concealment (Self), Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses, is scaled and the crown and long neck are ringed
Movement (Self), Natural Weapon, Shadow Cloak, Silence with spikes that then come closer together around
Weapons: the neck region and traverse spine to tail.
Claws [Close Combat, DV 6P, 12/—/—/—/—]
I didn’t get lifted by an Asian griffin, but instead
I strolled into its lair with no expectations of find-
The Griffons ing it home, however, it and its small family group
were all home, and I demonstrated to them very
I have had drek luck on too many research ex- quickly how quickly a little gnome could skydive.
peditions going after these majestic predators. But Then they proceeded to work with me on my aeri-
then again, I am pretty much a snack-size mor- al combat skills.
sel—I just pack a lot of fight. Big problem is, all As dangerous as these are in the wild, they are
that fight isn’t terribly useful once they’ve snatched worse when trained. Several remote research and
you from your sleep and have hauled you up sever- mining operations run by Wuxing across Asia use
al hundred meters. Since I’m a glutton for punish- them as site protection. With their three-dimen-
ment and also one who seeks to learn and improve sional dominance, they are perfect security critters.
on the mistakes of the past, I’ve looked about at
several different relatives of the griffon, and I have
a decent snippet of knowledge for each.

// MOUNTAINS
 Asian Griffon
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
44 9 5 4 8 4 2 5 2 1 6 6
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
10/20/+2
15 9/2 A1/I3 13 (20/30/+4
Flying)

Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 6, Flight 4, Perception 5

Powers: Armor 6, Enhanced Senses (Vision Magnification), Natural Weapon
Weapons:
Claws [Close Combat, DV 8P, 12/—/—/—/—]

Pain Pines
I really dislike Awakened flora. It’s bad enough
having predators we once thought were myth and
legend out in the wilds trying to kill us, but it’s just
a slap in the evolutionary face to know you are
occasionally kicked off the top of the food chain
by a fragging plant!
With that out of my system, let me tell you
how problematic this particular species of Awak-
ened tree can be. First, they look very similar to
standard cembra pines, with thick black needles
mixed around the regular green variety. Several
branches are curled back around the trunk when
the tree is set to strike, which from most of my // PAIN PINE //
investigations is all the time. For the quick-and-
dirty explanation of the threat here, these trees
lash out and knock down or kill animals that get
close. They grow in groups that often share root
structures and are frequently found near cliff edg-
es, where they grow those root systems to reach
the bottom or the nearest flat surfaces where bod-
ies may land.
Now, before any trolls start commenting or
chuckling, sure, this isn’t exactly a threat to you,
but I’m a gnome, and even average humans and
elves could be at risk of being thrown off balance.
This is before I go into the danger of those black
needles and their cones.
I’ll just admit to getting thoroughly distracted
in watching another pain pine and the ill-fated al-
pine chaff that landed among its branches. I was
trying to get a better camera angle and took one
too many steps back, right into range of the pain
pine behind me. Three branches whipped out in
quick succession. I was startled and pushed a little see your skin beginning to rot and liquify around
by the first, dodged the second, but I was off-bal- the wound. Horrifying.
ance from the dodge, and the third branch con- The cones are also bad news for nearby spe-
nected solidly and sent me tumbling to the edge of cies of animals and plants. The whipping of the
the cliff. Luckily, I had an air spirit handy nearby branches not only knocks down prey and poten-
who I’d taught my Levitation spell, and they man- tially paralyzes, it can also fling the cones up to
aged to stop me before I went splat. 100 meters or so. The cones immediately explode
I ended up with three of those needles in me. when they impact any firm object. The burst not
Along with injecting a paralytic into your system, only spreads seeds but also sends cone fragments
they also cause rapid skin necrosis around the in- that are covered in that paralytic-necrotic combo
sertion point. You don’t feel it, but you can easily cocktail over the area to better develop the soil

MOUNTAINS //
 // SHADOW YAK //
45

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

for growth with plenty of new nutrients. In areas The shadow yak is dark blue and black in col-
where pain pines have sprouted, they are gradually or with long hair that reaches all the way to the
taking over. ground. Along the underside of the yak’s abdomen
is a skin pocket that can hold one or two metahu-
mans each up to the size of an ork. This sac seems
pain pines to have no other purpose. It’s not marsupial or an
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS augmentation. It’s an anatomical anomaly, that
14 4 4 8 1 1 4 1 1 6 6 along with the darker hair, makes them ideal for
moving stealthily at night.
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
Several of the local tribes keep and revere these
24 8/1 A1/I2 15 0
anomalies, but the yaks often escape in order to
Skills: Astarl 2, Close Combat 3, Exotic Weapon (Branch) 4, Perception 3
fulfill their work. They somehow know when there
Powers: Armor 10, Dual Natured, Natural Weapon is a danger to the fragile peace and show up to help
Weapons: by moving key individuals to the right place.
Branch [Close Combat, DV 6S, 10/—/—/—/—]
Needles [Close Combat, DV 4P, 4/4/4/—/—]
> Some of that movement is not voluntary. There is a small group
known as the Honorable Order of the Ebon Yak that participates
Shadow Yak in kidnappings and extractions in order to make it work.
> Lyran
(Bos umbras)
I’m not sure if this is a genemod or some quirk shadow yak
of evolution in an area that is rife with tribal
arguments that escalate quickly and require in- B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
10 1 2 12 2 1 2 1 1 6 6
dividuals to get around quietly, but either way
it’s some funny drek. For those who don’t know,
yaks have been used as domesticated animals DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
for a variety of purposes up in the mountains. 13 4/1 A1/I2 13 10/20/+2
They’re hardy, they’re sturdy, and they don’t
taste too bad in a pinch. The thing about the Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 4, Outdoors 4, Perception 3, Stealth 8
shadow yak is its peculiar purpose, which is Powers: Armor 3, Movement, Shadow Cloak, Silence

stealthily transporting metahumans from region

to region in the mountains.

// MOUNTAINS
 Tibetan Luck Fox
(Vulpes karmus)
46 The beautiful Himalayas. So many austere
peaks and places for metahumanity to challenge
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
nature to a contest of physical endurance. Until
you pop your head up over a ledge and see, look-
ing straight at you with its head cocked and curi-
osity in its eyes, an adorable big-eared fox. A fox
that might be on the verge of fragging your life
forever.
While it doesn’t look terribly different than a
Tibetan sand fox, the luck fox can be both a bane
and a boon. By whatever whim guides it, the cute
little creature decides whether to pull your luck
or protect your hoop. Generally referred to as the
powers of Accident and Guard, the luck fox ap-
plies these at the edge of life. The only way to
tell whether you’ve come across a sand fox or a
luck fox is the eyes. The luck fox has a twinkling
glimmer that is always present no matter the sur-
rounding lighting.
Many a climber, including myself, have seen
that head cock left and felt the rocks beneath our
fingers and around our safety pitons crumble. I
got mojo and managed to halt my expedited de-
scent, but I’m in the minority.
On the other side, I have seen climbers start
bounding and swinging across spots they should
not even be climbing with a luck fox leaping and
climbing along behind them.
At least three runner teams I know have head-
ed up into the mountains to catch one for a rich
exec who wanted a quirky toy in his menagerie.
At least one lost enough chummers to cut and
run. Another managed to snag one, and I’m pret-
ty sure it went to Damien Knight. The last team I
lost track of, as my research stint was done, but
they were a fun distraction while waiting for sam-
ples to come back from DNA analysis.
tibetan luck fox
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
2 6 4 2 4 2 6 4 1 6 6 As if I had not already been close enough to death,
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
2 10/2 A1/I3 9 10/20/+2
Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 5, Close Combat 3, Outdoors 4, Perception 7,
Stealth 5
Powers: Accident, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses, Guard, Natural Weapon
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 8/—/—/—/—]
MOUNTAINS //
Thunderbird, Greater
(Avesfulmen splendidus)
A friend mentioned a tactic used by this glo-
rious species in the Howling Shadows download.
At the time, I didn’t think it was that big a deal to
mention, and neither did he, obviously. A little se-
cret behind that tale, though—I was a part of that
thunderbird horror story.
I was doing research on the greater thunder-
bird in a small company town called Moorhatch
Junction. The place had a real old-American-west
feel, but it was just corporate shellac over a re-
mote technosapience research facility. I was there
consulting on a totally different species when this
nasty early winter storm whips up and shuts down
land access to anyone except a snow-walking Tolk-
ien elf. Along with the snow, this heavy fog cover
kept VTOLs from getting in or out. It was like the
whole place got cocooned in a bubble of white.
And then the red started. The first few were just
animals. The town had a small ranch for luxury
meat production, and three of the cattle went miss-
ing. They all had tracking RFIDs, so the company
did a quick search and found them about 500 me-
ters up a ridge with no easy access. They followed
that up with a scan on their previous tracking
points, and I got called in because they went from
their pasture up 200 meters, down 200 meters
(rapidly), and then over to the ridge.
Between the weather and that attack style, I
instantly hypothesized greater thunderbirds. The
little town went on high security and what started
as three cattle quickly escalated to security person-
nel, researchers, more cattle, local pets, and even
a full-grown grizzly. The bear was dropped dead
center in town and then scooped back up as an
assertion of dominance. This went on for nearly
a month. It was like living in a horror trid. Sev-
eral people went mad and tried to walk to safety
only to be dropped back in town as part of further
dominance gestures.
I took a chance and did a little astral scouting.
this is where they truly messed me up, but I man-
aged to discover the problem. It was not a lone
thunderbird but a small clutch of four adults and
a dozen young.
Needless to say, after my recovery, I suggested
hunkering down, utilizing our processed rations,
and sacrificing the cattle and other animals to the
thunderbird family to protect metahuman life.
Luckily my status as a mage kept me more valu-
able than the cattle, and the decision-makers chose
a different course of action.
 an isolated case. It had happened increasingly since
thunderbird, greater the local facility had opened, and I spotted signs
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
that it was orally accessed from food or water.
4 3 7 8 3 2 4 1 1 6 6 Quick determination that the facility that hired 47
us was releasing radiation into the water. The trog-

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE lodytes had the same assessment and were just try-
1/5/+1 ing to take enough parts to make it stop.
4 11/2 A1/I3 9 (20/40/+3
Flying)
Noble and simple.
I had the data I needed and reported my findings
Skills: Astral 5, Athletics 4 (Flying +2), Close Combat 5, Exotic Weapon 5, to my employer. They offhandedly mentioned an
Outdoors 5, Perception 6 extermination contract knowing full well it wasn’t
Powers: Dual Natured, Elemental Attack (Electricity), Enhanced Senses
(Low-Light Vision), Natural Weapon, Weather Control (Electrical Storms)
what we do. I refused with a chuckle while at the
Weaknesses: Fragile 1 same time renting transport down to Turret.
Weapons: I got to the tribe there, convinced the leaders to
Talons [Close Combat, DV 8P, 12/—/—/—/—] send a few representatives, and brought them back
up to the Seven Council Fires site.
Leaving them to their own devices, they worked
Troglodyte together to identify the source and best way to stop
(Pan speluncae)
it directly.
It’s hard to admit I was nearly killed by these > Are you telling me you instigated the Jay Em massacre?
simple creatures, but meat is meat in the subterra- > Icarus
nean world of the troglodyte. I wasn’t alone in this
one. A small research team and I headed into a cave > I simply aligned a pair of burgeoning tribes to utilize and
system in Oceti Sakowin. We were there under a
share their strengths to solve a problem. The fact that they
government contract to study a tribe of troglodytes
that had been causing problems for a local facility, solved it with extreme violence was not my intention. They also
finding ways in and stealing anything they could. disassembled the system that was polluting their groundwater
Several of the pilfered pieces were quite valuable, and now have expanded their territory.
and the government university thought maybe this > G-Nome
was something a little more direct—possibly an en-
tity influencing the tribe or a leadership caste devel-
troglodyte
oping in this tribe of troglodytes that was changing
their hunting pattern similar to the Turret tribe I B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
have researched in the past. 3 3 4 2 3 2 3 2 1 2 6
Being on a team is beneficial in many ways, but
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
in nature when you are the smallest and frailest of
3 7/1 A1/I2 10 10/15/+1
the pack, you become the target. While the early
assaults and traps were set by the mundane troglo- Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 4, Con 2, Influence 2, Outdoors 3, Per-
dytes, they had no idea I was skilled in magic. My ception 4, Stealth 4
continued survival seemed to be attributed to luck Powers: Enhanced Senses (Thermographic), Sapience
or the protection of those around me.
This led to the pit.
I was in the lead looking for signs well before troglodyte brute
anyone else, and I missed a slide trap hidden with
crushed brick and some leaves. It was quite ornate, B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
and I only treaded on it in order to get a better angle 6 4 4 8 2 2 2 1 1 2 6

on a few glyphs. An uncomfortable tumble down DR I/ID AC CM MOVE

the rock put me in a small chamber with two of the
6 6/1 A1/I2 11 10/15/+1
biggest motherfragging troglodytes I had ever seen.
Both had large clubs in hand and were looking at Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 6, Influence 2 (Intimidation +2), Outdoors
me with anticipation. When they didn’t immediately 3, Perception 4, Stealth 3
pounce, I took a breath and tried to use my rudi- Powers: Enhanced Senses (Thermographic), Sapience
mentary knowledge of their language (exponential
opportunity for a frag up). I did a quick intro.
They said, “Ducktar?” And I was led to a trog- troglodyte leader
lodyte that was suffering from radiation poisoning.
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
Not my specialty, but I’d seen it plenty of times in 3 2 3 2 4 3 4 5 1 2 6
my research. I did the only two things I could do: I
slapped the patient with a couple heavy tranq patch- DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
es, then I began investigating the cause. She was not 3 7/1 A1/I2 10 10/15/+1

Skills: Athletics 2, Close Combat 2, Con 4, Influence 5, Outdoors 2, Per-

ception 3, Stealth 3
Powers: Enhanced Senses (Thermographic), Sapience // MOUNTAINS
 Warmth of the Mountains
(Lama glorius)
48 Don’t call this magnificent creature a simple
alpaca, especially to the corporate slags who have
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

been hiring runner teams to head up into the Andes

and snag these for private and corporate collections
for the beautiful wool they generate.
This Awakened alpaca has a coat of fur thicker
than any other seen in nature. The wool is softer // WARMTH OF
than anything else in nature and has a strength pro-
THE MOUNTAINS //
file similar to spider-silk. The fur is a mix of white,
black, silver, brown, and gold and is used for ex-
pensive wool garments that provide decent ballistic
protection as well as warmth. Not to mention the
social boost you get for wearing some of the rarest
materials on the planet. It’s like a nice, warm dia-
mond your grandma can knit a sweater out of!
But seriously, the Warmth of the Mountains is
protected and holy to the local tribes. While these
tribes are not sophisticated in the ways of modern
tech, magic helps bridge the gap between the bullets
and sticks when it comes to keeping these creatures
safe. Not that this is completely necessary with this
Awakened alpaca’s particular defense mechanism.
I guess this is a good spot to bring up how I al-
most died. I was out ahead of my companions as I
was regularly utilizing levitation rather than climb-
ing. I settled over a ridge and looked back to check
on my fellows, but as I turned back, I came face-to-
snout with a beautiful specimen. It looked me up and
down. I could tell it was checking out my aura, and
then it cocked its head to the side and slightly back
before a rapid snapback and spit. I was expecting
typical alpaca spit, stinky and gooey, but instead I
started to feel my flesh burn and caught the familiar
scent of early chemistry class and hydrochloric acid.
I felt a little bad about my response. It was a bit
extreme. I lashed out with a too-potent lightning bolt
and scorched this poor critter clean off the face of ter-
ra firma. I quickly followed that up with a little heal-
ing mojo and then waited for the rest of my chum-
mers to reach the ridge and give me a hoop chewing.
I was able to start my next paper focusing on the
acidic spit of this Awakened alpaca, so that was a
positive step for my career, but the scorched corpse
didn’t help our credstick accounts.
It did fill our bellies nicely, though.

warmth of the mountains

B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
8 3 3 6 2 1 4 5 1 6 6 warmth of the world weave
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE This armor modification can be added to armor with
12 7/1 A1/I2 12 10/15/+1 Cold Resistance. When added, it prevents Cold Resistance
from degrading with each attack.
Skills: Athletics 2 (Running +2), Close Combat 2, Outdoors 6, Perception 4
Powers: Armor 4, Enhanced Senses, Immunity (Cold) CAPACITY AVAIL COST
— 4 5,000¥

MOUNTAINS //
Wyverns
wyvern
(Aleutoserpens pili melior)
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
Let me tell you, first off, I did not fall prey to an 9 4 4 16 4 4 4 3 1 6 6 49
Asian wyvern, or nine-tail fox as they are locally

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

referred. DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
5/10/+2
I was studying hunting patterns in a small pack, 15 8/2 A1/I3 13 (20/30/+4
yes pack, of North American urban wyverns. This Flying)
particular group were mostly adolescent aged and
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 4 (Flying +2), Close Combat 6, Outdoors 6, Per-
seemed to be banding together for many of the ception 5, Stealth 3
same reasons gangers or shadowrunners do. It was Powers: Armor 6, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses, Natural Weapon, Venom
partly brotherhood and safety in numbers but also Weapons:
partly due to the collection of abilities. Among this Claws [Close Combat, DV 12P, 16/—/—/—/—]
Tail [Close Combat, DV 8P, 12/—/—/—/— (Venom)]
particular quiver of wyverns were two Awakened,
two Emerged, and four baseline examples. It re-
minded me of the gradual modern shift of the devil
rat and its collection of species variations. Emerged Wyvern
I, however, was unaware of the Emerged na- (Aleutoserpens pili techni)
ture of the pair and found their trickery with my B A R S W L I C EDG R ESS
electronics quite impressive and entirely convinc- 7 4 4 12 5 5 5 4 1 6 6
ing once I could not detect a spell in use. Instead,
they simply adjusted my video and mapping feeds DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
5/10/+2
to lead me into a trap. I escaped with my life but 11 9/2 A1/I3 12 (20/30/+4
only thanks to a bit of fortunate timing, as I was Flying)
in St. Louis during the blackout. The event sent
Skills: Athletics 4 (Flying +2), Close Combat 6, Cracking 4, Outdoors 3,
the Emergent wyverns into a bit of a tizzy, and I Perception 4, Stealth 2, Tasking 4
was able to use their own inter-quiver chaos to my Powers: Armor 4, Enhanced Senses, Natural Weapon, Venom
advantage. Weapons:
Besides these urban alterations, wyverns have Claws [Close Combat, DV 8P, 10/—/—/—/—]
Tail [Close Combat, DV 6P, 8/—/—/—/— (Venom)]
managed to adapt or arise across the globe. Ob-
viously, I mentioned the Asian variety, the nine-
tail fox that has a potent shape-changing ability
that allows it to appear as a beautiful woman or Asian Wyvern-Nine-Tailed Fox
adorable young girl. The form is used to lure male (Aleutoserpens pili asi)
metahumans to a nest of others where they are B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
stung, paralyzed, and then eaten. Simple and bru- 6 5 4 10 4 3 5 6 1 6 6
tal, but the wyvern has never been seen as a partic-
ularly complex predator. The most recent addition DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
5/10/+2
to the wyvern family tree is the arctic wyvern. This 10 9/2 A1/I3 11 (20/30/+4
rather interesting variation was discovered by a Flying)
colleague, Dr. Jim Greene (that’s how you politely
credit others), while digging into potential connec- Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 5, Close Combat 4, Outdoors 4, Perception 5,
Stealth 6
tions between Inuit legends and modern Awakened Powers: Armor 4, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses, Innate Spell (Phan-
species. The arctic wyvern is far more robust than tasm), Natural Weapon, Venom
its slender cousin, with thick layers of blubber and Weapons:
massive wings. The beast is likely connected to the Claws [Close Combat, DV 10P, 12/—/—/—/—]
Tail [Close Combat, DV 7P, 10/—/—/—/— (Venom)]
Isitoq mythos and is frequently referred to by that
name in northern tribal nations. Also noted in the
research of Dr. Greene was the kongamato, or Afri-
can wyvern. This interesting predator has focused
heavily on metahumans, using the environment,
especially rivers and lakes, as hunting grounds by
dive-bombing boats to overturn them. Prey in the
water are watched for signs of weakness before the
kongamato comes in for the kill.

// MOUNTAINS
 Arctic Wyvern-Isitoq
(Aleutoserpens pili arctos)
50 B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
14 3 3 18 3 3 5 2 1 6 6
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
5/10/+2
20 8/2 A1/I3 15 (20/30/+4
Flying)

Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 5, Close Combat 4, Exotic Weapon 5, Outdoors 4,

Perception 5, Stealth 6
Powers: Armor 6, Dual Natured, Elemental Attack (Cold), Enhanced Sens-
es, Immunity (Cold), Natural Weapon, Venom
Weapons:
Claws [Close Combat, DV 14P, 15/—/—/—/—]
Tail [Close Combat, DV 8P, 14/—/—/—/— (Venom)]

African Wyvern-Kongamato
(Aleutoserpens pili africanus)
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
10 5 4 14 4 4 6 3 1 6 6

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
5/10/+2
14 10/2 A1/I3 13 (20/30/+4
Flying)

Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 6 (Flying +2), Close Combat 6, Outdoors 4, Per-

ception 5, Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 4, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses, Natural Weapon, Venom
Weapons:
Claws [Close Combat, DV 10P, 14/—/—/—/—]
Tail [Close Combat, DV 8P, 12/—/—/—/— (Venom)]

MOUNTAINS //
 FORESTS
Posted by: G-Nome
Covering about thirty percent of the world’s
landmass, there is a huge amount of biodiversity
and a massive abundance of paracritters inhabiting
the world’s forests. If you spend any time outside
the metroplexes, you will more than likely wan-
der your way into a forested area. This makes this
particular habitat easy to relate to, but its global
variety and the amount of crossover it has with
other biomes is tremendous. The massive diversity
in these regions globally, along with humanity’s ef-
forts to arrange and adapt many forested areas to
be more metahuman-friendly, means there is also a
large amount of misconception about this partic-
ular biome.
Let’s put down a few basics. A forest is defined
by an abundance of trees that create a thorough
enough canopy that ground growth is less abun-
dant and varies by canopy coverage and region.
Without the intervention of metahumanity, the
only phenomena that make clear paths through
forests are streams or rivers, and those often me-
ander so much they aren’t really direct. The clearly
developed trails and tracks of any forest are solely
the creation of metahumanity. While some forests
may have “game trails,” any real tracker or hunt-
er will tell you how difficult they are to spot with
the untrained eye, and even those created by large
game aren’t easily walkable. Transit through any
untracked forest is arduous and requires care and
attention to where you are walking. While ground
foliage is not so dense you need to hack through it,
it is thick enough you can easily miss an uneven bit
of ground and wrench an ankle.
The temperatures in a forest vary by the season
and region, as does the precipitation, but all for-
ests require an abundant supply of water in order
to sustain the biomass of the biome. This rain is
absorbed into soil, seeps down to aquifers, or runs
off to streams, lakes, or ponds. The key point here
focuses on the water remaining accessible, rather
than evaporating or running off to someplace in-
accessible.
The list of notable forests around the globe is
too large to put here but they exist on every con-
tinent except Antarctica. Many metroplexes are
built in the midst of forested regions as the wood
and abundant water were used by the original set-
tlers in the region to build structures and live. This
also means you can regularly find forested areas
with patches that have been deforested in order
to suit agricultural needs. Whenever any forested
area is encountered or you are required to venture
forth into one be sure to do some research in ad-
vance. Not just on what paracritters you may find
there but also on what the risks or obstacles the
terrain is going to bring to bear (before you run
into the Awakened bear).
// FORESTS
 Smoke Wolf
(Canis lupus infernus)
52 When it comes to digging into some of the Sixth
World’s most unique paracritters, you have to be
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
ready for some wild adventures. The smoke wolf fits
this bill. Like a moth drawn to the flame, your only
chance of studying a smoke wolf is to head toward
a forest fire. That is not the direction most sane peo-
ple run. I’m not saying the shadows are full of the
most sane people, but even the dimmest runners
I’ve met know that running into a fire is a bad idea.
That being said, I’ll clarify that I did not go chasing
these critters into a fire to learn about them. I have
encountered them and I’d like to run you through
what I thought at the time was going to be my one
and only encounter with a pack of these.
Let’s talk looks first. Imagine a smoky grey-and-
black wolf, eyesight on par with your elf research
assistant who happened to play basketball for
U-Dub. Their fur is constantly flaking off ash and a
thin smoke. Every specimen I have seen has orange
eyes that look to be lit by an inner flame. The edges
of their fur and tips of their nails are always hot
and can be focused on to start a flame or singe an
opponent or attacker. They travel in packs of only
their own kind, as other wolves couldn’t handle
the environments they both face and create.
The smoke wolf is as much a spirit of vengeance
as it is a physical being. Now, I’m not saying it’s a
spirit of beasts—that was an early hypothesis done
by Dr. Shannon Tootle (RIP), who discovered the
fatal facts at the cost of her life. Smoke wolf packs
delve into forest fires to forage or hunt for food.
The fear of their prey seems as much a part of their
sustenance as the meat itself, but they also track
and hunt down the source of forest fires. Any fire
caused by some cause outside of simple natural
phenomena (metahuman stupidity is not a con-
sidered a natural phenomenon) is tracked down.
Smoke wolves have entered urban and suburban
areas in order to exact revenge on those who start-
ed these fires.
This is how I get caught up in all this. I was
working research on Canadian geese migration fol-
lowing the Chicago and Detroit disasters. We were
working in the woods along the north shore of Lake
Superior. It was a solidly damp place, and no one on
the team was following proper fire protocols.
That’s just my complaint—it wasn’t truly our
fault a fire started, but you can’t explain to a pack of
smoke wolves that your research camp was attacked
by a gaggle of corpsec who thought you were there
spying on their employer’s latest genefish farm.
We’ve got a couple fires going, well-controlled
and easy to manage, and these corp fragbrains pop
six stun grenades into our camp. No flame, but a
little flash and enough pure force to launch hot
embers a hundred yards into the dark. We were
a tad stunned, but we still chased off the corpers.
FORESTS //
Problem is, as we’re packing gear to clear out of
the area and avoid any other corporate entangle-
ments, we spot the smoke. Rigger shoots a drone
up and has at least six source fires.
I truly hate to be that guy and nearly cranked
myself out summoning a big water spirit to put
out as much as she could. First off, as I said, it
wasn’t enough. Second off, she came across the
pack and with a little spiritual empathic connec-
tion, she gave them the rundown. Their best astral
connection is me, so they let her finish toiling and
then tailed her back.
The first wolf that showed and came my way
wasn’t enough to bring me down, but it was too
close for comfort. Another pair went after Ridgley,
our rigger, and Wall, our street sam, and they did
better holding their own. The pack backed off, but
it wasn’t the end.
We got back with our geese research and give
Miss Johnson, who we now identified as Glynda
Raincastle, the rundown. After that, she started
acting all sketchy and skittish. She paid what was
owed and we went on our way, but two days lat-
er I heard she was paying top nuyen for intel on
me. I did nothing worth a sellout and have no clue
why, but then Ridgley and Wall reached out to me.
They’d heard the same thing. I was already half
a world away on my next expedition, so I didn’t
care, but I kept the comms open for anything com-
ing from St. Louis, where we were started the job.
Before I got news on that, Ridgley shot me a
data drop from a pal he had with Wolverine, the
corp responsible for the goons we bumped into on
the goose run. This is where the smoke wolves went
all spirit-of-vengeance style. This pal told Ridgley
about some quad of drekheads working as the
corpsec night crew on the night we were attacked.
Turns out, one night they put in a report about
chasing off some runners and were talking trash
(likely referring to us even though that wasn’t how
it went), and the next night none of them showed
for their shift. This pal is an internal investigator,
and while the other crews on staff are talking some
kind of payoff or mass AWOL event, he’s got the
pics and char analysis tests showing all four of
their deaths by fire and the memo from on high
to just cover it up and transfer in some fresh meat.
All the work of the smoke wolves.
But that’s not the end. I was looking over my
shoulder and news hit me that the intel money
wasn’t on the table anymore. Not because it was
collected or dropped, but because the bankroll be-
hind it got burnt up in a house fire at her condo.
Miss Raincastle got tracked down by the wolves
and scorched. I’m not sure how, but it probably
had to do with Ridgley and Wall leading them
down that path. That pair got scorched the night
before. Streets said it was hellhounds, but I know
better. The smoke wolves came that far to make a
statement on starting forest fires.
 53

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

// SMOKE WOLF //

Watch your hoop messing with anything in- lel regions, primarily those with particularly high
cendiary in the woods these days. Nature ain’t mana levels. Whether this species is a natural
playing fair. means to keep mana levels in check and balanced
as compared to other regions is unclear. What is
clear is that all forms of mana manipulation per-
smoke wolf
formed within the sphere of influence of the damp-
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS er bunny are dulled, sometimes to the point of
6 5 4 6 2 2 7 2 2 6 6 complete neutralization. On the astral plane, the
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
space around a damper bunny looks hazy and
9 11/2 A1/I3 11 10/40/+1 dark, with the bunny’s own life aura staying dim,
despite the fact that they are dual natured.
Skills: Astral 5, Athletics 5 (Running +2), Close Combat 6, Outdoors 6, Per-
ception 5, Stealth 4
This odd status leaves them with a less-than-
Powers: Armor 3, Dual Natured, Energy Aura (Fire), Enhanced Senses (Vi- pleasant disposition. They’re still rabbits but tend
sion), Immunity (Fire), Natural Weapon to bite and threaten more often, and small groups
Weapons: of them have been known to bring down slightly
Bite/Claws [Close Combat, DV 6P, 10/—/—/—/—]
larger Awakened animals. Including at least one
attempt on a gnome’s life. They are still primarily
herbivores and often focus and feed on Awakened
Damper Bunny plants. It was quite interesting to watch the damp-
er bunnies go out with groups of their mundane
(Lepus unarcana) kin. The dampers would neutralize the powers of
Ever seen that super villain with the adorable the plant species, and the standard bunnies would
pet that just sits in their lap and gets stroked? eat them. The reverse has not appeared true with
These things are built for that gig—and to serve a mundane bunnies partaking in their Awakened
purpose at the same time. kin’s carnivorous habits, but I cannot see what oc-
First off, the damper bunny isn’t limited to a curs within the warrens. I have done fecal analysis
single species of rabbit. Damper bunnies come in all around the area and found no sign of the mun-
all shapes and sizes of the Leporidae family. Their dane bunnies becoming meat-eaters.
Awakening seems to have occurred across paral- You’re welcome for that.

// FORESTS
 I was sitting and observing a warren that was
known to possess a small pod of damper bunnies.
This particular warren had at least two dozen logged
54 access points, and I only had ten remote cameras for
the project. That left plenty going unmonitored—
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

even if I got them all, which I doubted. Around

0200, I got this really strange feeling. I’ve been in
ebbs before, and I know exactly what they feel like,
and this was definitely stronger than an ebb. I draw
my trusty pistol and start looking around to find
several sets of beady little grey eyes staring at me.
There was a moment I could tell they were trying
to figure out if they could take me. I watched sev-
eral posturing and testing behaviors, and the more
I watched and didn’t react, the bolder they became.
As I reached the point I knew they were going to
attack because they assessed me as prey, I shot one
of them clean in the face. Slivergun versus bunny is
not pretty.
Damper bunny tastes just as good as regular rab-
bit when roasted over a coal pit with a little salt and
pepper.
The biggest problems with these guys are the
corporations and government installations that are
trying to simplify their arcane security by getting
pet bunnies all over and no magic anywhere. I’d say
it’s crazy, but it’s damn effective. All they need is a
little extra rabbit breeding and a small cultural shift.
It’s pretty easy to convince people that a cute little
bunny makes a great pet, especially when it comes
with special perks and benefits.
For runners on the lookout for a payday, you can
just head in and grab a few. They aren’t hard to cap-
ture, but the magic types on your team will feel fun-
ny around them, and some get a little off in the head
when they’re too close. Occasionally, this is so bad
it gets to the point of the mage offing the rabbit or
flipping their ever-loving drek on their teammates.
Lastly, and this one is odd and recent, some group
called the Asintmah Alliance has been paying top
dollar to get these furry little mana suckers. Not a
lot on this newer pack of lugnuts, but if they’re col-
lecting mana-dampening rabbits, it can’t be good.

damper bunny
// DAMPER BUNNY //
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
1 6 4 1 3 2 7 5 1 6 6

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
1 11/2 A1/I3 4 5/30/+2

Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 4, Close Combat 1, Outdoors 2, Perception 4,

Stealth 2
Powers: Arcane Dampening, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Hearing)
Weaknesses: Fragile 5

FORESTS //
Scavenge Squirrel
(Sciurus legerus)
// SCAVENGE SQUIRREL //
Part of me wanted to name these things savage 55
squirrels, but just because I had one bad experience

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

doesn’t mean I should spread that kind of hate.
Awakened from the eastern grey squirrel, they are
abundant across the North American continent. As
the grey squirrel is so common, their numbers are
exceptionally high for an Awakened species.
When I first started to look into them, I pre-
sumed they were an Emergent species rather than
Awakened due to the perceived focus of their col-
lections. The scavenge squirrel collects anything
shiny and hides it with their food stashes. This
regularly includes datachips and other tech. The
initial attention given the paraspecies was directed
and influenced by corporations that had lost valu-
able items to the squirrels. It wasn’t until my con-
tracted study that I came across their stashes and
discovered a collection of items that were not sole-
ly tech-based. This included rings, watches, coins,
and shiny baubles of all kinds. As I did my study
in the wilds, it was strange to find so much jewelry
and other urban artifacts. That was, until I discov-
ered the scavenge squirrel is also quite the thief.
In national park areas or near small towns,
these clever critters would play nice for food, and
as travelers would feed them, the squirrels would
rob them blind through a combination of mun-
dane legerdemain and misdirection as well as a lit-
tle illusion and manipulation magic. Several squir-
rels would often work together and then pool their
collected goods.
Locals in the area had long known about
these critters and often tracked down their stash-
es to pull out valuables to sell. Tales from some
of these locals talked about early attacks by the
squirrels after a cache had been pilfered, but then
they learned if they left something in its place, the
squirrels were fine.
I didn’t learn this before my first cache encoun-
ter, and I actually took everything that wasn’t food
in order to categorize and track acquisition loca-
tions. I had everything back in my motel room and
I was done sorting, so I took the first item, a rather
expensive Vashon Island watch, laid it on my chest,
and astrally projected in order to read the aura and
potentially track its origin. I had two spirits on
hand, a kindred spirit in the motel room watching
my physical form and a spirit of air ready to help
me do some astral tracking.
I got a decent read on an aura imprint, fed
the sensation to Whithers, the air spirit, and off
they went. I followed to lend a little aid and get
a first-person view of whatever Whithers found.
I wasn’t gone five minutes when I was suddenly
struck with this sense of pain in my physical form.
I couldn’t tell exactly what it is, but I knew I was
hurting. I shot back and found Zenith, spirit of

// FORESTS
 kin, pulling little squirrel forms off me and tossing
them out a window.
Some were hopping back in and going back to
56 biting my unconscious form, others were harassing
Zenith, while the majority were grabbing all the
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

trinkets I had taken and running out the window.

They weren’t doing me any huge amount of injury,
so I followed them outside to find more squirrels
taking a hand-off, while others ran back in. There
must have been forty squirrels working together.
Then I felt it. The searing hit of a grievous in-
jury to my body. As I jumped back in, there was
a squirrel on my neck, going right at my jugu-
lar. I mentally ordered Zenith to patch me up as
I slipped my astral form back into my body and
woke with some wooziness, a little pain, a lot of
anger, and some ability to still cast spells without
knocking myself out.
I helped levitate the rest of the stuff out of the
motel room and then collapsed in the corner af-
ter all the squirrels left. Zenith apologized, as he
didn’t see the squirrels as a threat to me until one
went after the watch and then the attacks began.
Currently, they’re mostly part of object-retriev-
al jobs or pets for people who want their own little
pet thief.

Scavenge Squirrel
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
1 5 4 1 2 1 4 1 1 6 6 // BLACK FOREST
GARGOYLE //
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
1 8/1 A1/I2 3 5/15/+2
the name. Small groups, sometime as few as two
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 3, Close Combat 1, Outdoors 2, Perception 4,
Stealth 4
or three, have been known to bring down a full-
Powers: Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Vision), Innate Spell (Levitate), grown troll. Since their discovery there, other for-
Innate Spell (Phantasm) ested locations have come back with similar tales
Weaknesses: Fragile 6 and rumors.
It was tracking down one of these other poten-
tial groups out on the Olympic Peninsula, where I
Black Forest Gargoyle made the mistake of stepping away from camp to
do my business. I was squatting on a camping john
(Gargoyle arboreus)
one moment, and then pinned to the ground face
The dark forests of the world can very quick- down the next. I felt a rough knee pressed into my
ly change from beautiful, serene places of peace back, and then a strong hand firmly grasped the
to dark, horror-filled nightmare zones, with just a back of my neck. I am pretty sure I was about to
simple shift of the sun or a change in the variety have my head popped off like a child’s doll when
of vegetation. It can also turn terrifying when the the forest erupted in thunder. The hand and knee
trees around you seem to suddenly come to life and both lifted, and as I rolled over, I saw the shad-
sprout wings, claws, and an appetite for fresh meat. owy form of a dragon in the darkness. My guess
The Black Forest gargoyle is different from its is it was Urubia or Kalanyr, as they have a strong
more urban cousins. Rather than appearing to be connection to the region, but there was too little
made from stone, they appear to be made from light to make out color or get a good look at their
wood. They are no less resilient and add an ele- shape.
ment of stealth to their predatory repertoire that Since that encounter, I have discovered that
goes well beyond blending in with other building some of the forest gargoyles serve those powerful
structures, especially since gargoyles on buildings with magic. They are also highly sought-after, as
have not been in style for several centuries. most of the paracritter security firms have pro-
This highly intelligent predator was first dis- grams to start using them, primarily at facilities
covered in the Black Forest Troll Kingdom, hence within heavily forested regions, obviously.

FORESTS //

Black Forest Gargoyle
B A R S W L I C
6 4 5 7 2 2 4 4
DR I/ID AC CM
10/15/+1
12 9/2 A1/I3 11 (15/30/+2
Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 4 (Flying +2), Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4, Per-
ception 5, Stealth 5
Powers: Adaptive Coloration, Armor 4, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses
(Low-Light Vision), Hardened Armor 2, Natural Weapon, Silence
Weapons:
Claws [Close Combat, DV 8P, 12/—/—/—/—]
Drop Bear
(Phascolarctos hemolus)
I kind of like the name, because it is exactly
what you should do when you see one of these
horrible little monsters.
Drop them.
With extreme prejudice.
No mercy.
And maybe even let yourself feel a little glee.
I know that doesn’t sound like the usual me, but
some things are not better for the world or meant
to be here.
These jet-black Awakened koalas are a blight
on Australia. It’s not like they are some apex pred-
ator throwing off the food web, they literally drop
on potential prey that happens to walk below
them while they’re up in a eucalyptus tree noshing
some grub. The problem is that they carry HM-
HVV. Sure, it’s the II strain, which turns humans to
loup-garou, elves to harvesters, trolls to fomóraig,
orks to grendels, and dwarfs to gnawers, but it’s a
plague Australia doesn’t need. They have enough
species that can kill you and don’t need metahu-
mans getting turned Infected and adding to the
collection of unpleasant predators.
Anyway, these omnivorous little bastards are
more opportunistic hunters, but when the wrong
metahuman comes wandering by and gets bit,
they’ve got a lot more to deal with than a bloody
bite. Thankfully, the drop bear itself isn’t Infected
and doesn’t have any of the more horrifying pow-
ers of those stricken with HMHVV. They do still
have that creepy adaptive coloration ability to hide
among the branches and then drop at you and shift
to look like nothing but falling black fur and ra-
zor-sharp teeth and claws.
This is how my horror started.
I was simply walking out to a research stand,
my attention on the ground and foliage because we
were studying an Awakened trapdoor spider, when
I hear something rustle above me. One second it’s
just the rustling, the next it’s a blur above me, and
then it’s a black ten-kilo ball of hell falling at my
face. I gained a nice scar on my nose from a claw
before I zapped the little bastard halfway back to
EDG M ESS Sydney with a lightning bolt. I was lucky it wasn’t
1 6 6 the teeth, because I’d hate to be a gnawer. 57
These little blights have been getting worse
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
MOVE
and worse, with their numbers on the rise across
Australia thanks to an Evo-promoted program
Flying) to plant biomodified eucalyptus trees intended to
help rejuvenate mana levels in ebbed areas. The
drop bears move in and breed like rabbits, but Evo
leaves them alone because they’re not a problem
for them.
drop bear
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
3 3 3 5 5 2 4 1 1 3 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
5 7/2 A1/I3 10 5/15/+1
Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 2, Outdoors 2, Perception 4, Stealth 3
Powers: Adaptive Coloration, Armor 2, Immunity (Pathogens, Toxins),
Natural Weapon
Weaknesses: Carrier (HMHVV-II), Dietary Requirement (Eucalyptus)
Weapons:
Claws/Bite [Close Combat, DV 5P, 8/—/—/—/—]
Horned Bear
(Ursus americanus cornuda)
Another species that I’ve done baseline and ad-
ditional research on is this Awakened black bear.
They are similar to the piasma, but a bit larger,
with horns as well as tusks, and they have a far
more pleasant demeanor. By “far more pleasant,” I
simply mean they won’t try to eat you outright un-
less it’s a matter of feeding themselves during lean
times or feeding their young. I mentioned their in-
teresting honorable behaviors in other writings but
did not mention my encounters—yes, plural—with
them and thus my brush with death.
After Balladeer mentioned his direct and vio-
lent encounter with the horned bear, I wanted to
test out my hypothesis on their inability to distin-
guish between metahumans. I contracted with an-
other gnome friend of mine and took him out to
the Front Range Free Zone, where we started our
work and research on horned bear territories in
the region. Outside the area that is now controlled
by Ghostwalker, there are at least four horned bear
territories within 100 kilometers of the FRFZ.
None have allowed their territory to overlap with
the property claimed by Ghostwalker. As several
individuals have given eyewitness accounts of the
great dragon eating a piasma, I’m sure the wiser
horned bear is smart enough to avoid crossing ter-
ritory with the dragon.
With four options in the region, we set out to
perform four separate tests. At each location, we
made sure to be located and threatened by the
// FORESTS
 local horned bear. We split the initial encounters
between us, and neither of us had any issues with
a direct attack. We both got the terrifying intimi-
58 dation display and vacated the area. Upon our re-
turns to each area, we switched roles. Not once
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
did any of the bears do anything but offer another
display, and we offered another retreat.
Then came the fun part. We had to each return
for our second stop and test if the horned bears
would switch tactics. I volunteered to go first and,
as my research often does, it almost got me killed.
The horned bear offered no display whatsoever.
As soon as it got my scent it was after me and
it didn’t stop until I crossed out of its territory.
The same proved true on the next three because
science doesn’t accept single occurrences. My
companion and I are both safe, and we survived
our encounters, but there is a fairly large tract of
land neither one of us should head into around
the FRFZ.
horned bear
B A R S W L I C
13 4 4 13 5 4 4 1
DR I/ID AC CM
23 8/1 A1/I2 18 10/40/+2
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 4 (Running +2), Close Combat 6, Influence 4 (In-
timidation +2), Outdoors 4, Perception 4
Powers: Armor 10, Dual Natured, Durable 3, Enhanced Senses (Smell),
Influence, Natural Weapon
Weaknesses: Reduced Senses (Vision)
Weapons:
Claws/Bite [Close Combat, DV 13P or 13S, 17/—/—/—/—]
Greater Wolverine
(Gulo impii)
When you encounter a creature with a
wide-ranging personality, you always feel a need
to go back and keep exploring its habits and abil-
ities. That was my situation with the greater wol-
verine after having my hypothesis backed up by
Ecotope’s observations. I was mainly curious as
to the purpose or advantage of bringing together
a collection of aggressive predators when pack-
style hunting is not the biological base. Much
like many Awakened species I have studied, the
number of paranormal animals that display vari-
ations in social order and hunting styles is high.
Several other species have also altered their social
structures from solitary to pack, and while the
greater wolverine has not done so with its own
kind (which would be horrifying), its gathering of
mundane wolverines displays the same purpose:
strength in numbers.
The greater wolverine presents as an extremely
large wolverine. They don’t vary in color or inter-
nal structures from their mundane kin, and in fact
FORESTS //
still interbreed. Their improved hunting abilities
more than meet the need for sustenance for the
pack, and this increased social behavior translates
into little more than a need for additional hunting
territory.
I made the mistake of trying my hand at be-
havioral studies without enough assistance, a.k.a.
backup, and without doing an initial territorial
and population analysis, so I had no idea how
many specimens I was dealing with. Despite my
utmost respect for this predator, I was far too
pompous in my efforts. Having admitted that, I
can also now feel comfortable in saying it’s still
not my fault.
I was doing the study and had everything well
in hand, but in the midst of tracking one of their
hunts, I came into contact with a damper bunny.
I had no idea they were even active in the area
(again, my mistake), and when my levitation and
invisibility spells suddenly dropped I was plopped
in the path of a pack that were cornering an elk.
While the mundane wolverines continued their
efforts to bring down that prey, the greater wol-
EDG M ESS verine turned its attention to me.
1 6 6 I have never run so fast in my life.
I was waiting to feel the hindrance of the
MOVE
damper bunny cease when I spotted several war-
ren hutches. These entrances to the rabbit warren
told me I was probably running right through the
middle of it and quite possibly was not going to
regain the use of my arcane abilities before I be-
came wolverine food. The creature managed to
catch up to me, and I just barely ducked the first
swing of its claws. I wasn’t outrunning it and with
my slivergun I wasn’t outgunning it, so I tucked in
behind a large tree and went with outwitting it. I
ducked and ran in circles around the tree while it
snapped and clawed. It was cartoonish but effec-
tive. The tree was splintered and torn apart when
I felt my mojo return. I considered trying to take
the creature down but instead trusted fleeing over
fighting.
The beast started to climb a tree to come after
me as I levitated until its weight bent the trunk,
and it had to give up the chase.
greater wolverine
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
7 6 5 5 4 2 4 1 1 4 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
13 9/2 A1/I3 12 10/25/+2
Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 5, Close Combat 8, Outdoors 6, Perception 5,
Stealth 4
Powers: Animal Control (Wolverines, Badgers), Armor 6, Dual Natured,
Enhanced Senses (Smell), Natural Weapon
Weaknesses: Reduced Senses (Vision)
Weapons:
Claws [Close Combat, DV 8P, 12/—/—/—/—]
Martichoras
(Martichoras hastae)
I personally find the presence of this porcupine
tailed lion in the northern reaches of North Amer-
ica to be strange, but who am I to question the
Awakening? My description is a bit oversimplified,
but it isn’t terribly off. If a little kid were to draw
a lion and then draw a porcupine at the end of its
tail, you would get a martichoras. The quills on
that porcupine would be poisonous, and the lion
in the drawing would have teeth like a shark if you
looked really close. The more I describe this, the
more it really sounds like the creation of a kid’s
hyperactive imagination.
It isn’t. It’s real. Very real. And very deadly.
Claiming territory across the continent, these
apex predators are a danger to anyone trekking
through the wilds. Usually found in small prides of
one female matriarch and two to four male hunters,
they reverse the harem system of their leonine pro-
genitors. The males hunt both individually and in
groups. Group tactics usually involve flushing prey
toward a choke point, where their fellow hunters lie
hidden and waiting. The males always bring their
kills back to the matriarch, who gets first dibs on
the best bits. After she eats her fill, the males can
eat, and after the males, any cubs currently present
are allowed to get some scraps. Cubs in a pride are
second-class citizens right up until they mature, at
which point they are all cast out. Females are forced
out to go form a pride of their own, often start-
ing the process a bit to close to mum’s territory and
creating familial squabbles. Males are sent packing
to go live on their own until they can find a new
female to accept them. Some never find a new pride,
and many have been captured by corporate secu-
rity firms to be “trained” and set to guard isolated
installations. Early efforts in this training were hin-
dered and failed regularly due to the martichoras’
inability to tolerate pollution.
Prey is killed via tooth and claw, never with the
poisonous quills on their tails. These deadly little
barbed spikes are used solely for defensive purpos-
es, and anything struck with a quill is left behind
and not taken as food. This is likely due to the
fact that the martichoras is not immune to its own
venom. Quarreling females will in fact attack each
other with their quilled tails. These are large and
hearty beasts, so a little poison isn’t likely to kill
them, but it leaves a nasty enough reminder of why
they need to keep out of another pride’s territory.
The quill kill is also beneficial to security details, as
it leaves a body behind to investigate rather than
their security critter eating all the evidence.
As is the point of all my tales here, I have an
encounter with a martichoras that nearly led to my
untimely demise. I was working with a research
team up in the northern reaches of the Tsimshian
Protectorate trying to determine if the operations of
a corporation across the border were environmen-
tally unfriendly enough to have seeped down across
the border, because as everyone knows, pollution
doesn’t care about politics. This particular opera- 59
tion and their runoff also did enough environmental
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
damage to push a pride of martichoras out of their
territory. The move sent a fairly well-established el-
der matriarch down into the territory of one of her
more robust daughters. What would normally have
been a simple ousting turned into a rather violent
series of skirmishes between the prides.
I saw this as a great opportunity to capture
footage of this rare event, and I left my research
team for a short stint to do this on my own. I’ve
done a lot of independent predator research, and I
know how to keep myself out of danger despite my
abundant near misses of the grim reaper’s scythe.
You can actually see the footage I gathered on one
of the Evo Earth specials if you’re interested. The
vicious conflict between the females was a specta-
cle to behold, and while I was focused on that, sev-
eral of the males were vying for dominance nearby.
Their conflict was a bit more mobile, and a pair
came around to my rear. I was well-protected in
a nice armed hide strung up between several ev-
ergreens, but the males started flailing their tails
around. They don’t project the quills, but some
will occasionally fly off with a good tail snap.
While I wasn’t looking, one of these rare tail snaps
occurred and sent a quill up into the hide. It didn’t
hit me but instead landed on the seat in the hide.
I was on my feet at the time, recording, but after
the epic battle of the matrons was done, I sat down
and got that quill jammed right in my rump.
Hurt like hell. Set me to puking my guts out
and got me the attention of the male that had won
the nearby conflict. Clever devil found one of the
ropes holding up my hide and cut it. The hide
rolled sideways, and my gut juice poured out onto
the ground. The martichoras took one whiff and
wandered off to leave me for dead. A Detox spell
and some uncomfortable rest got me well enough
to return to my research team, who hadn’t even
noticed my two-day absence.
Martichoras
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
7 5 5 6 3 2 4 1 1 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
11 9/1 A1/I2 12 15/50/+2
Skills: Athletics 2 (Climbing +2), Close Combat 5, Outdoors 3, Perception
3, Stealth 3
Powers: Armor 4, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Natural Weapon,
Venom (Vector: Injection; Speed: 1 combat round; Power: Magic; Effect:
Nauseated, Poisoned (Magic)P)
Weaknesses: Allergy (Pollution, Mild)
Weapons:
Claws/Bite [Close Combat, DV 6P, 11/—/—/—/—]
// FORESTS
 Critter Corner: Martichoras
It’s time for another Critter Corner! I’m your host Mr.
Johnson, here to tell you that you aren’t out of the woods
60 yet. There’s a reason so many spooky stories involve the
dark and untamed forest, and one of those reasons might
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
just be the martichoras. These apex leonine predators are
native to the forests of North America, though they can also
be found in other parts of the world. They look much like
lions, with the conspicuous addition of venomous quills on
their tails. Due to an intolerance of pollution, they are rarely
used as security animals and are usually only found in the
wild.
Martichoras form a matriarchal pride, with a single fe-
male leading a group of several males. They hunt solo or as
a team, working to flush prey into ambushes. When hunting
for food, they do not use their venom, but against more dan-
gerous threats (such as armed metahumans)—apparently
the venom makes the prey inedible, so if you get poisoned
by a martichoras, you can at least be grateful that you won’t
be eaten.
How to Deal
Most martichoras will avoid groups of metahumans,
though it is not uncommon for a pride to attack when threat-
ened or if food is scarce. Lone stragglers are much more like-
ly to be picked off, however. When passing through marti-
choras territory, which is potentially anywhere in a forest,
use the buddy system and keep your weapons at the ready.
Martichoras are stealthy hunters, but they lack any
Awakened powers that amplify their stealth, making them
fairly easy to spot. If you see one or two, make sure to look
closely in other directions as well—they employ clever pack
tactics to mislead their prey and prepare ambushes.
When it comes to fighting martichoras, no special combat
tactics or weapons are needed. They are vulnerable to modern
weapons, toxins, and spells. It might take several solid shots to
take one of them down, but they can be killed using conven-
tional means. They do have a mild allergy to pollutants, which
you might be able to exploit if you’re willing to stoop to such
measures.
Gamemaster Tips
Martichoras are dangerous critters, with an effective
close-combat attack and venom that causes both nausea
and Physical damage. They hunt for survival, and they prob-
ably won’t attack what they aren’t going to eat. Marticho-
ras are likely to try to pick off individuals who stray from
the group. Any attack against a team of PCs is going to be
Merlin Hawk
(Falco velox)
The most interesting stories often come from what
should have been the most boring of studies. Sure, the
information coming from the study could be super
exciting to other parazoology nerds, but overall, no
one really cares about the sapience and spellcasting
abilities of the merlin hawk. I’m sure a few corporate
scientists were forced to read my work and give their
FORESTS //
a group effort, sneaking up on and surrounding the PCs or
drawing them into a waiting ambush.
One significant advantage martichoras have is their
speed—they are capable of sprinting incredibly fast to
close the distance and attack or break off and hide. Anoth-
er advantage is their venom, which probably won’t be used
against every target, as it spoils the food, but is likely to be
used against the most apparently dangerous targets first.
Martichoras might begin with a hit-and-run attack, striking
some targets with their venom and retreating to allow the
poison to kick in before the critter returns to finish the fight.
Martichoras aren’t popular choices for security due to
their allergy to pollution, but more remote facilities located
on the outskirts of civilization or out in the wilderness might
make use of them.
Plot Hook
Mr. Johnson wants to hire the PCs to sneak into a hid-
den and remote corporate research facility to find out what
they’re up to. The target facility is off-the-grid deep in a for-
est, guarded by an elite security team—the security on hand
is tough, but at least the PCs won’t have to worry about rapid
reinforcements.
What Mr. Johnson (and by extension, the PCs) doesn’t
know is what the facility is researching. The corp sponsor-
ing this facility is seeking to develop martichoras that are
tolerant to pollution. Unbeknownst to that corp, the person
running the project is a toxic magician with their own agen-
da—to develop toxic martichoras. Fortunately for the PCs,
they’re being hired to find out what’s going on, not to shut it
down. If they can get in and out without having to face the
toxic mage or fighting any toxic paracritters, they’ll get paid.
Milk Run
The toxic magician isn’t currently present at the facili-
ty, as they are off on a metaplanar quest or something. The
martichoras in the facility are sickly and diseased, posing
little threat. The only serious danger is the security team.
Pushing the Envelope
The toxic magician has succeeded and created toxic
martichoras. They are all too happy to use the PCs as test
subjects to see how dangerous the toxic beasts truly are.
Increase the toxic martichoras’ Magic attribute by 2 and re-
place their allergy with Immunity (toxins). Their venom is
now delivered by their claws and bite as well as their quills.
opinions on the validity and potential value of merlin
hawks to internal arcane security forces, but since ev-
erything I found out pointed to a rudimentary sapi-
ence as well as a casting and summoning ability that
would be difficult to include in any form of training,
I’d guess they put it down very quickly and moved
on to something I turned in about a critter with fur,
claws, and sharp teeth.
Nevertheless, I’d like to cover it here because
shadowrunners are a different lot, and while cor-
porate security focuses on repeatable training,
shadowrunners are more likely to form a unique
bond and treat a merlin hawk like a pet or even
family. First, a few basics. The merlin hawk is an
Awakened form of the mundane merlin and is ac-
tually a falcon, but poor naming habits aren’t what
this is about. There are two distinct species of mer-
lins—one native to Europe, the other North Amer-
ica—but the merlin hawk Awakened in both spe-
cies at the same time. Coloration varies by gender
and season, with the males changing from mostly
blue-grey with a reddish brown belly for the ma-
jority of the year to red with a white spotted chest
in the spring. Females are dark brown with a tan
belly all year round. All have a strong eye-stripe
that helps with initial identification.
For those interested in raising and rearing a
merlin hawk, know that they form breeding pairs
and work cooperatively to raise their young and
hunt. This means it is easier to work with a pair
than with a single bird. In rural areas, they gen-
erally hunt small rodents and birds, but in urban
environments they commonly take down dev-
il rats alone and demon rats when working as
a pair or small family unit. Hunting as a family
occurs when the young are learning to hunt as
fledglings—they stay with their parents until they
are about two months old. During any normal
hunt, the merlin hawk acts as a standard bird of
prey, using its incredible speed, but if a hunt goes
bad, you can see them demonstrate some of their
special magical abilities.
These talents include a wide variety of detection
and illusion spells as well as an ability to summon
spirits. This summoning, and even their spellcast-
ing ability, is not like the arcane traditions we
learn, but is instead an innate ability stowed deep
in their genetic code. Their summoning of spirits is
much closer to a small astral gateway that opens
to the metaplane of air, and their spellcasting leans
toward brute misdirection and threat detection
rather than any nuanced planning of spells. The
most commonly utilized spells are Invisibility, Si-
lence, and Phantasm, but several other illusions
have been witnessed. These spells are not used in
an offensive manner but rather only occur when
the merlin hawk goes on the defensive. Whether, as
stated above, a hunt goes bad or they are the target
of poachers, this is where you will see air spirits
come to their aid, and they will use spells to evade
capture and avoid injury.
All of this gathered intel is thanks to the So-
ciety of Hawks in New York. They provided me
with a small grant that I used to do my research.
It was well worth their investment, as the merlin
hawk is now protected as a pseudo-sapient species.
Not quite all the way to metahuman rights, but
a step in the right direction. Much of this status
was gained by communicating with the spirits that
come to their aid. These witnesses have provided
testimony that the merlin hawk can communicate
with them. The style is primarily pictographic and
conceptual, but it is communication beyond that
of a mundane bird. 61
Since this is about near-death experiences for
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
me, but I wanted to include an update on the mer-
lin hawk, I need to go a little off script. It wasn’t
a merlin hawk that nearly killed me but a poacher
who was hunting the nest I was studying. I was
perched on a branch above the nest, monitoring
and recording the behaviors of the young inside,
when I spotted them. It was a trio of orks, all with
modern compound bows. I’d read before about
merlin hawk hunters using bows and willow wood
arrows because the merlin hawk is allergic to the
wood. The hunters spotted the nest, and all three
took up positions around it to wait for the adults
to return. I considered spooking them before the
hawks came, but I also wanted to see how the
hawks responded to the threat so close to home.
As evasion is their usual tactic, I wasn’t sure how
they would respond with their young under threat.
I had managed to get an RFID tracker on the
mated pair and knew when they were returning
and where they were coming from. It worked well,
as it put them past my position as they came in so I
could potentially spook them if I didn’t think they
spotted the trio. There were way too many ifs in
the whole plan.
The pair came in and one of the orks lined up
and got a shot off. I stupidly assumed the arrows
were made of willow wood and chose to simply
layer an armor spell on myself and levitate into the
line of fire. I knew the low density wood would
shatter against my spell, but I should have realized
those high-tech bows couldn’t be launching pure
willow wood arrows. So, I took a rather high-tech
metal-headed arrow with a willow-wood-wrapped
aluminum shaft right to the gut. It was not a high-
light moment in my career. It managed to warn
the merlin hawks, which then summoned some air
spirits to harass and chase off the trio while they
zipped around invisible and scratched and tore at
their scalps in swooping fly-bys.
After all that, the merlin hawks actually landed
on a branch near me and acknowledged me while
I went about trying to remove the arrow and heal
my injuries. One of the air spirits offered to help
hold my spells while I focused on healing and said
it was an offering from the hawks. Quite the cool
gesture and more proof of their near-sapience.
Be warned when bringing a merlin hawk
around anyone with a compromised Essence—
whether due to extensive cyberware, drug use, or
HMHVV—they will get skittish and even openly
hostile if approached without an avenue to escape.
Though a well-treated merlin hawk that is com-
fortable with its handler can be an excellent way of
detecting individuals with well-masked cyber- and
bioware.
// FORESTS

merlin hawk
B A R S W L I C
62 1 7 3 1 4 4 6 4
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
DR I/ID AC CM
1/4 (30/70/+4
1 9/1 A1/I2 3
Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 5 (Flight +3), Close Combat 3, Conjuring 4, Out-
doors 4, Perception 4, Sorcery 4, Stealth 3
Powers: Animal Control (Avians), Astral Gateway, Dual Natured, Innate
Spell (All Detection and Illusion), Natural Weapon
Weaknesses: Fragile 6, Vulnerability (Willow-Wood Weapons, Poisons)
Weapons:
Claws/Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 10/—/—/—/—]
Mimic Snake
(Serpentes fistulae)
It should come as no surprise how this partic-
ular critter managed to get the drop on me. What
should be surprising is that a specimen quite liter-
ally got the drop on me and it wasn’t an accident
or a defensive move. It actually attacked me like I
was food. Sure, I’m small, but I’m still far larger
than their normal prey. I’ll go into more detail af-
ter a little brief on them.
The average mimic snake is about four meters
long and weighs in at about forty kilos. They’ve
got dark green scales with black and yellow mark-
ings breaking up the shape and color pattern and
providing excellent natural camouflage for the
wooded areas of the UCAS and CAS east of the
Mississippi River. Unlike most constrictors, they
have pronounced fangs but are not venomous, in-
stead using the angled teeth to keep prey that is
still squirming from escaping their unhinged maw.
This is generally not an issue, as their prey is either
suffocated or dead from internal injuries, but that
isn’t always guaranteed. I should know.
In order to capture prey, the mimic snake hunts
by replicating the sounds of prey animals. Mat-
ing calls are the most common but a collection of
howls, yips, clicks, warbles, and other communica-
tion noises have been observed. This sound mimic-
ry can also extend into metahuman vocalizations
for subjects that spend extended periods of time
near urban centers. Even near urban populations,
metahumans aren’t their usual prey. Most of the
subjects I studied used the warble of the wild tur-
key to hunt them, but other small birds and mam-
mals are also on the menu. Slightly larger mam-
mals, such as coyotes, large dogs, wolves, and even
deer aren’t usually attacked because they’re too
large to swallow and leave the snakes vulnerable
to predators. This isn’t always the case, as even
a vulnerable mimic snake has a great method of
chasing off would-be predators.
Mimicking a bigger predator is a favorite strat-
egy. This is commonly a bear or wolf but most
FORESTS //
often a piasma because they fragging terrify ev-
erything. On a few observed occasions, they have
EDG M ESS imitated a gunshot, because metahumans are scary
3 5 6 when properly equipped. The trick is to make the
sound before the predator can catch sight or scent
MOVE of them. While the mimic snake is similar to other
Flight)
constrictors that incubate their eggs internally be-
fore birthing live young, the tales of mimic snakes
hunting in groups, with some snakes mimicking
predators to push prey toward others lying in
wait, are unsubstantiated. Even the newly birthed
young don’t work together and instead immediate-
ly go their separate ways. A single birthing could
include up to sixty offspring, and dependent on lo-
cal prey density, populations of constrictors in an
area can rise quite quickly. The mimic snake has
actually done a good job of decreasing wild boa
populations by outcompeting them for resources
and predator avoidance. Though neither of these
species has much in the way of natural predators.
Speaking of predators, the mimic snake will of-
ten hide in trees to avoid them but then also uses
that vantage to drop down onto unsuspecting prey.
That’s part of how they got me.
I wasn’t doing research on them at the time but
rather trying to locate a scavenge squirrel stash. I
was still scanning up, down, and all around, but I’ll
be damned if I didn’t miss one of these tucked up in
a kudzu-covered oak. It wasn’t just the camouflage.
It made an exceptionally convincing rendition of a
woman calling for help. I’m not the type to leave a
damsel in distress, but I’m also not the type to stum-
ble blindly through the woods when I hear someone
call. I was neither fast nor slow, but somehow the
snake’s call was perfectly placed to get me to move
right under its hidey spot in the tree.
One second I was moving toward the help
sounds, and the next I was bit over my head, and
the snake dropped down to squeeze me. I wanted
to blast the fragging thing, but all I could manage
was getting an Oxygenate spell up so I wouldn’t
suffocate and putting everything else I had into
a Barrier spell so the thing wouldn’t squish me
like a tube of soypaste. I did a great job of stay-
ing calm and playing dead, because it popped its
jaw and started to swallow me. With the constric-
tion lessened, I was able to ease up on the barrier
enough to arc a lightning bolt through the frag-
ging thing. It wasn’t the highlight of my parazool-
ogy career to fry the thing, but my bleeding heart
stops as soon as I swap over from observer to part
of the food web.
A final note on that effort in Atlanta to keep the
pigeon population down. It worked. Pigeons are
nearly non-existent there, but instead the city has
a huge mimic snake problem. Also, metahuman
children are not too large to prey on. If you take
a gig in Atlanta for a corp kid gone missing, you
can add the local mimic snake population to your
investigation suspects.

mimic snake
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
3 4 4 5 2 2 4 1 1 4 6 most of Asia. First encountered in the forests of Tír
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
5 8/1 A1/I2 10 5/15/+1
Skills: Athletics 2, Close Combat 3, Outdoors 2, Perception 2, Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 2, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Mimicry, Natural
Weapon
Weapons:
Constriction [Close Combat, DV 10S, 12/—/—/—/—]
Mycofundi
Also known as “gnomes” or “shroomies,” these
fungal-based lifeforms appear as both capped and
uncapped hominids between fifteen and ninety cen-
timeters tall, often seen in earthy browns, greens,
and yellows. Occasional specimens have bright red
or orange bulbous caps, with anywhere from eight
to twelve eyespots crowning their upper portions.
They are a mutation of mycoprotein fungi after
placed in contact with decaying oak, teak, and
cherry trees in medium or high mana flow sites.
They are usually encountered in groups from three
to fifty. They display animal-level intelligence, ca-
pable of pack and herd behavior.
> To be clear, their mutation has not been repeated with any
consistency. Some arcanofauna specialists report that they have
been encountered in other metaplanes.
> Lyran
While not inherently hostile, they respond to
threats by mutating spontaneously to survive.
> The fastest recorded mutation is under two seconds.
> Rikki
Known mutations include short limbs capable
of throwing small items and sprouting as many
as three pairs at once (brawlers), exploding spore
caps emitting repulsive clouds of pungent odors
(yellow caps), exploding blisters that ooze high-
ly corrosive agents (smelts), piercing whistle-like
screams that can both deafen and invoke nausea
in most creatures with ears (choirs), and last-
ly transforming into lengthy sharp spines that
are painful to step onto or if struck with when
thrown (maltrops).
> This ability to toss others is real. I accidentally trekked into a
good-sized colony while in the Broceliande, and some of those
brawlers began tossing their maltrop pals like spiny shuriken.
Even hurled a yellow cap into the backpack of my buddy Hank.
Not fun at all.
> Stone
Mycofundi have been found globally, with
confirmed sightings in the Americas, Central and
Southern Europe, Central and Southern Africa, and
63
Tairngire and the Native American Nations, myco-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
nids thrive in temperate and boreal forests, often
found with lichen and moss in shaded spots, and
they are noted for their ability to proliferate quickly
among decaying biomatter, leaving behind healthier
soils and setting up symbiotic relationships in the
roots of many species of trees, tubers, and grasses.
They become ambulatory when threatened or when
a commune needs to spread out.
Exposure to the spores of mycofundi can de-
velop into candidemia, a blood infection for
which there are a wide array of treatments, much
as any other pathogen. Respirators are not fully
effective, though blood filtration technologies are.
> If you’ve ever had a case of thrush, you’ve had a common form
of candidemia. The illnesses can take on a variety of forms, and
if left untreated can do immense damage to internal organs,
including the artificial ones many of us have. Some people know
of “hospital cough” or even “convention crud”—those are other
common forms of candidemia.
> Butch
In a relaxed state, mycofundi usually stand be-
tween ten and thirty centimeters tall, with caps of
equal diameter. When agitated or afraid, they be-
gin to mutate. The known mutations are brawlers
(found in groups of one to three), which receive
additional pairs of limbs similar to Shiva Arms
(p. 126, Sixth World Companion); choirs (found
in groups of six or more), which begin uttering a
painful whistling scream that induces the Nause-
ated status (p. 52, SR6, effective up to five meters
per member of the choir); maltrops that have an
effect similar to the thorns dermal alteration (p.
121, Sixth World Companion); smelts, which com-
bine the qualities of Corrosive Spit and Defensive
Secretion (p. 118, Sixth World Companion); and
yellow caps, which as their name suggests, change
their caps to a brilliant yellow color developing
Bioluminescence (p. 128, Sixth World Compan-
ion). If their caps are broken or crushed in any
manner, they emit Spores (p. 190) exposing all sur-
faces and individuals within three meters to their
effects, and that of Nausea Gas (p. 122, SR6) for
one to six minutes. Additionally, exposure requires
a resistance test repeated every twelve hours or
develop candidemia, a respiratory/blood disease.
Respiratory and blood filtration augmentations or
gear bonuses are half rating.
// FORESTS
 // PANDAMONIUM //

64
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

I’ve put in some time for a little more research and

mycofundi would like to update my findings and express how
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS dangerous these toxic critters can be. Aside from
2 2 3 1 3 2 4 — — 3 3 the previously mentioned ability to shift colors for
camouflage, I have discovered they are also capa-
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE ble of audio mimicry and, whether present during
2 4/1 A1, I1 11 2/5/+1
my initial encounter or a newly developed ability,
Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 3, Perception 2, Outdoors 2 (Forests +2), they can project a caustic spit from a gland beneath
Stealth 3 their tongue. This spit happens to be exceptional at
Powers: Concealment, Enhanced Senses (Smell, Thermographic Sense,
Ultraviolet Light, Touch), Infection, Mutation
breaking down bamboo but also contains enough
Attack: secondary toxins to be extremely harmful to all liv-
Punch [Close Combat, DV 2S, 4/–/–/–/–] ing things, including other pandamoniums.
When the adaptive coloration isn’t in action,
the pandamonium has a similar frame to a mun-
dane panda but slightly larger claws and teeth. Its
disease: candidemia fur is a ratted mess of sickly and spindly white fi-
Duration: 72 hours bers that look almost like fiberoptic cables.
Power: 6 New research finds they have developed a social
Speed: 6 hours
Effect: The disease persists until treated or the person suffers critical or-
structure, and rather than being solitary like their
gan failure and dies. panda kin, they form small packs of six to twelve
individuals. Part of this appears to be the result of a
massive increase in their population from both tox-
ic mutation of some remaining regular pandas and
Pandamonium breeding. They have developed into an independent
species that breeds true. However, due to the toxic-
(Ailuropoda toxis) ity of their environment, they birth large litters and
I talked about my horrifying experience with the have a survival-of-the-fittest mentality. This includes
pandamonium in Howling Shadows, but since then cannibalism of their weaker littermates.

FORESTS //
 // PIASMA //

These packs are developing territories and ex-

panding those territories almost daily. Wuxing
has had huge issues with them claiming several
power and R&D properties within their territory 65
and wreaking havoc on the employees and facili-

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

ties. Work for shadowy types abounds, but it ain’t
like shooting ducks in a barrel.
This issue led to me working as an observer
at a Wuxing facility that had become a target. I
wasn’t meant to be there for any purpose outside
of observation, so I was being very low key, except
my low key also seemed to lack some awareness.
I was walking to a security hut along the perime-
ter and missed the trio of pandamoniums that had
breached the fence and were crouched right in my
path. I literally tripped over one of them.
They obviously were more focused on staying
hidden since they didn’t attack me until after I was
recovering from my stumble. The one I tripped on
slashed at me and took a nice chunk out of my
back. The blow planted me back on the dirt again,
which was good, because the gunner in the secu-
rity tower opened up. I focused on the bulkiest
armor spell I could manage and curled up. Both
the bullets and the pandamonium’s claws tried the
armor—luckily, it held.
I don’t know who I was more pissed at after-
ward, but since the Wuxing docs patched me up
good, I forgave the gun goon for being a little over-
zealous in trying to exterminate the critters.
Positive side was the autopsy I got to perform
on the one they managed to down. Helped me get a
good grasp on their spit gland and their unique fur.

pandamonium
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
6 4 5 8 3 1 5 4 1 6 6

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE to others with similar features, we might have re-

9 10/2 A1/I3 11 5/20/+1
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 4, Exotic Weapon 4, Outdoors 3, Percep-
tion 4, Stealth 2
Powers: Adaptive Coloration, Armor 3, Corrosive Spit, Enhanced Senses
(Hearing, Low-Light Vision, Smell), Immunity (Pathogens, Radiation, Tox-
ins), Mimicry, Natural Weapon
Weapons:
Claws/Bite [Close Combat, DV 8P, 9/—/—/—/—]
Piasma
(Ursus piasma)
I’m never sure if it’s an acknowledgment of my
amazing research repertoire and skills or if I’m one
of the rare few willing to study this crazy drek, but
I live pretty well off the research grants and con-
tracts I get, especially for paraspecies no one wants
to come close to. I actually like the piasma. I think
they’re misunderstood, and had we not looked at
them through the same lens we may have applied
alized that sooner.
Ha ha! Had you going! The piasma is a fierce
predator, and it doesn’t play well with others. An
Awakened brown bear, it adds quite a bit of mus-
cle bulk and a thick set of tusks to its dangerous
repertoire. They aren’t fit for training, but corps
have been using them for zero-zone security, and
it works out well for both parties. In most cases.
Almost getting killed by one of these is easier
than breathing. I was trying to tag a specimen to
track its migration and territory to compare with
several other regional specimens. I had hypothe-
sized that each piasma has a small section of its
claimed territory that overlaps and is shared with
another. This small area is a neutral space where
the two creatures can come together for copula-
tion, communication, or commiseration. This is
not a widely accepted concept, with piasma being
looked at as lone predators, but it has proven true
on multiple occasions.

// FORESTS
 Back to the point of trying to RFID one when I
didn’t realize I was working in one of those neutral
zones. I have never dipped, ducked, and levitated
66 so fast in my life, but I survived a potentially dead-
ly encounter and tagged two piasma in one day.
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
Win for me!
I also learned that the piasma is quite the skilled
climber. Levitating to escape required haste and some
aeronautical maneuvering in order to keep clear of
one of these beasts scaling a tree like a squirrel.
piasma
B A R S W L I C
12 4 4 12 4 3 4 1
DR I/ID AC CM
20 8/1 A1/I2 14 10/40/+1
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 5, Close Combat 6, Outdoors 2, Perception 4, Stealth 3
Powers: Armor 8, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Vision), Immunity
(Cold), Natural Weapon
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 14P, 16/—/—/—/—]
Claws [Close Combat, DV 12P, 16/—/—/—/—]
Volleying Porcupine
(Hystrix Sagittarius)
It is not wise to get into a drinking contest with
a cyclops when studying volleying porcupines in
southern Greece.
That said, let’s talk about the critters before I tell
you this story of my idiocy. Volleying porcupines
closely resemble their progenitor species (the North
African crested porcupine) in general appearance.
The average subject is a little over a meter long with
another quarter meter of tail wagging along behind
them. They usually weigh in at about fifteen kilos
and have similarly adapted hairs that grow together
into dense quills. The quills near the rear and tail
usually reach a length of twenty-five centimeters,
with quills along the nape of the neck and ridge of
the back growing to half a meter.
Quite the impressive mohawk.
The rest of the fur is generally coarse and dark
brown, with some variation between a standard
brown on the lighter side and black. Sightings of al-
bino subjects have been reported and confirmed, but
this is the typical genetic abnormality. As a unique
variation, these subjects are often the target of poach-
ers working for eccentric clients who desire rare an-
imals for their menagerie of things to show they’re
special. In other words, there’s more money in snag-
ging albinos. There is still decent money in gathering
the basic species, as security firms use them, as do
ecological protection organizations when trying to
prevent logging and construction in wild areas. They
are easily trained and manipulated using salt licks, as
they have an intense dietary need for salt.
FORESTS //
My research points toward their defensive musk
as the reason for the salt, since the musk is quite
similar to chlorine gas. This is one of two unique
defenses that protect the porcupine from predators.
The second are the tail quills. With a fierce whipping
of its tail, the volleying porcupine earns its name by
hurling groups of quills at potential threats.
These are never used in an offensive manner, as
the volleying porcupine is an herbivore. They eat
roots and bulbs in the warmer months and tree
bark in the winter months. This occasionally leads
to lethal levels of bark loss for a tree, and this makes
the porcupine a threat to logging companies.
EDG M ESS The volleying porcupine family structure is quite
1 4 6
social. They live in burrows in groups of parents
MOVE
and children. A packed burrow could include up
to six individuals, putting a serious strain on local
food resources and potentially damaging or killing
a large number of trees during the winter months.
When encountered, a volleying porcupine will
start by puffing up its crest to scare off a predator.
If this doesn’t work, it will whip tail quills if the
predator is still some distance away, or unleash its
noxious musk if the predator is close. If attacked,
the porcupine moves to put its quilled regions into
the maw of its attacker. This method is almost one
hundred percent effective, as nothing likes to bite
down on a bunch of barbed spikes.
What it doesn’t work against is a creature that
isn’t trying to bite it, like a drunk cyclops. Let’s go
there now.
We’re drinking. I’m drunk. I’m making stu-
pid claims about the defensive skills of this spe-
cies I’m studying. The cyclops I’m drinking with,
George-something-opapopadopalos, says he has
moved these critters with his bare hands. Now, I get
he’s a troll, but come on, no one wants to carry one
of these things for any length of time. I tell him that
and he says, “Bet me!”
I’m a sucker for a good bet, and I say I’ll cover
his tab for a week if he can carry a volleying por-
cupine fifty meters. Now, this is dumb on so many
levels, not the smallest of which is that I’m putting
some innocent animal through no small amount of
terror to win a bet.
Well, Mother Nature has an in with karma, and
I got my comeuppance for this moronic choice.
Off to the woods we go, where I know of a den
of volleying porcupines. It’s night time, so they are
out and about. I send George after one.
It puffs up. George keeps coming.
It sends a volley his way. George keeps coming.
It sprays George with musk. George keeps coming.
It turns its quills to George. George reaches
around its flanks and scoops it up.
The porcupine starts to panic and starts flinging
quills everywhere. George starts walking for his fif-
ty meters.
I start getting pelted with quills. I’m drunk. I got
no spells up. I got no armor on because I was just
 // WISP SPIDER //

67

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

out drinking.
I get turned
into a damn pin
cushion before George
notices and turns the porcupine
away from me.
He strolls the whole 50 meters, then walks
back 50 meters to put the porcupine back down
where he picked it up. The thing’s tail is practically Wisp Spider
bald, and it scampers at top speed back into the
den while George walks over to me while flicking Posted by: Graham
barbed needles out of his dermal sheathing. > Got a new one here for you that few people have seen, so I
He scoops me up and starts pulling my quills. invited one of those few to share information.
Luckily I’m drunk, so the pain is minimal, but I’m > Glitch
a damn bloody mess from the barbs. Luckily I got
a decent CrashCart contract while I was there, and One of the common themes in new critter dis-
they popped in to patch me up. coveries is myths and legends of the Fifth World
brought to life. Sometimes the translation is pret-
Volleying Porcupine ty pure, like with nagas; other times, it comes
with a twist (sometimes a nasty twist), like the
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
tooth fairies.
1 4 2 1 3 1 3 2 2 4 6
The wisp spider is a nasty twist.
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE Stories have long told of glowing lights in the
3 5/1 A1/I2 5 10/20/+1 woods leading unwary travelers astray. Often,
these stories have been associated with fireflies or
Skills: Athletics 2 (Climbing +2), Close Combat 2, Exotic Ranged Weapon
(Quills) 4, Outdoors 2, Perception 3, Stealth 2 other phosphorescent creatures, though if any of
Powers: Armor 2, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Natural Weapon those animals led a traveler astray, it generally was
(Bite, Quills), Noxious Breath by complete accident.
Weaknesses: Dietary Requirement (Salt), Fragile 4 That is not the case with the wisp spider. The
Note: Quills are barbed, and pulling them out inflicts 2P damage
Weapons: wisp spider exists to lead unwary animals and
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 7/—/—/—/—]
Quills [Close Combat, DV 3P, 10/8/4/—/—]

// FORESTS
 travelers astray. Specifically, to its web, where it
will wrap and consume them.
Its basic strategy is simple, even primitive. It
68 glows at night, and insects and small animals at-
tracted by light come to it.
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
> Can you harvest venom from one of these to use on some poor
sap? Yes. Are there easier ways to get poisonous substances?
Also yes.
> G-Nome

This was effective for the early wisp spiders, as > Remember that the light of the wisp spider is magical in nature,
the moths and gnats it attracted kept it adequately rather than firefly-like phosphorescence. This means there are
fed. Unfortunately, as they ate and basked in the explorations to be made in the use of wisp spider venom as a
mana of the Sixth World, they grew larger, which reagent.
meant they needed larger food. Food that would > Elijah
not be attracted to a stationary light.
A moving light is a whole different ball game. Wisp spiders have bodies that are up to half a
All sorts of creatures are interested in that light, meter long, while their legs can cover a span of
especially if they’re not certain where they’re go- over a meter. They weigh up to a kilogram, mean-
ing. Who isn’t attracted to a light in the dark when ing they aren’t going to bowl you over with their
you’re lost? weight.
While the wisp spider hasn’t shown signs of
sentience, it has learned hunting patterns. Once it
knows interesting prey is nearby (usually target- wisp spider
ed by its keen sense of smell), it starts wandering B A R S W L I C ESS M
around, turning its light on and off, keeping the 2 4 5 2 3 1 4 1 6 4
prey interested or confused. With any luck, the wisp
spider will lead the prey into a thick web, where it DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
can easily be wrapped up and devoured. And for- 6 9/1 A1, I2 10 10/15/+10
get about hoping it will wrap you up but leave you Skills: Athletics 5 (Climbing +2), Close Combat 3, Outdoors 5, Perception
sleeping or anything—once you’re wrapped, you 4, Stealth 5
get hit with venom, and your insides start turning to Powers: Armor 4, Enhanced Senses (Smell), Innate Spell (Light), Natural
Weapon (Bite), Venom
goo. You’re not surviving for long. Venom: Vector: Injection; Speed: 1 combat round; Power: Magic; Effect:
This brings up an important additional point: Poisoned 6P
The wisp spider is quite venomous. You do not Weapons:
want to be bitten by one of these. Even a larger Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 7/—/—/—/—]
person like a troll or ork might lose a limb from
one of these bites, and smaller metahuman might
die from a single bite if they don’t get some an-
ti-venom.

FORESTS //
 SWAMPS
Posted by: G-Nome
The swamps, marshes, and other wetlands of
the Sixth World can be a dangerous place. This
type of biome is located all around the world
and covers a variety of different temperature
ranges and water salinity. The common element
in the wetland ecosystem is heavily saturated soil
or frequent flooding. Wetlands can be forested,
strictly grasslands, or some combination of the
two. Wetlands are one of the most biologically
diverse areas of the planet, competing with jungles
and forests.
There are a large number of different types of
wetlands in the Sixth World. These areas carry a
range of names, some of which are regional and
others that denote specific qualities that make them
distinct. Swamps are typically forested wetland
located in tropical or subtropical regions. Swamps
can be freshwater, saltwater, or brackish, and
water levels fluctuate but rarely completely dry up.
Marshes frequently are found near waterways and
are noted by their lack of trees, containing grasses
and low shrubs. Marshlands are classified based
on whether they are saltwater, freshwater, or tidal.
Beyond swamps and marshes, there are fens, bogs,
muskeg, sloughs, and many other regional areas.
Some swamps around the world include the
Okefenokee swamp in Georgia, the Caribbean
Lowlands in southern Aztlan, the Burraga swamp
in New South Wales, and the Myristica swamps of
the Indian Union. Marshes can be found around
the world as well, such as the Everglades swamp in
Florida, the Pripet marshland, and Basra marsh in
Iraq. Another example of wetlands are the bayous
around New Orleans on the Mississippi River
delta. In all of these, bring the right gear for the
weather and always pack your waterproof boots.
The Okefenokee swamp is located on the
border between Florida and Georgia in the CAS.
Its forests consist of cypress trees, tupelo trees,
oak, and longleaf pine. In addition, there are a
number of carnivorous plants including a couple
of varieties of pitcher plants. The swamp is home
to alligators, afanc, and a large variety of birds,
turtles, and snakes. There are even some bears and
piasma in the drier parts of the swamp.
Wetlands ecosystems are fragile. Leave it to
metahumanity to dump all sorts of drek in the
waterways. The resulting effect on the environment
would normally result in mass extinction in our
world’s marshlands. But with the Awakening, this
has instead resulted in creatures that have rapidly
adapted to the toxic habitat. The wetlands are a
vital part of our ecology. Much research has been
done to find new cures for diseases and advance
metahumanity. This advancement continues to be
exploited by corporations, and yet they still poison
the very environment they seek to profit from.
If only they would put their effort into cleaning
up the waterways instead of dumping chemical
byproducts.
// SWAMPS
 // KING HYDRA //
King Hydra
Most folks know about the Greek creature,
70 the Lernaean hydra, a serpentine monster from
ancient mythology. In the modern world, there
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

are multiple creatures with polycephaly, like the

hydra and hydra wyrm. The king hydra is a distant
relative to the mundane and deadly king cobra.
The animal is known for its multiple heads, its
ability to regenerate from damage, and its deadly
venom. The creature makes its home throughout
Southeast Asia in a variety of different biomes.
While it can be found in other locations, in the
wetlands is where it’s at its deadliest.
Besides the king hydra, there are additional
species in the Elapidae hydraphiinae family.
Researchers believed that the two-headed snakes
from the Fifth World were just early Awakenings.
The other species vary based on coloration, adult
size, venom toxicity, and aggression. But each of
these species shares an impressive regenerative
ability, multiple heads, and venomous fangs.

> Note that this is distinct from Pleuracanthus polycaput or more

commonly the hydra wyrm. This is also distinct from Hydras
polycaput. Researchers had originally thought that multiple
heads were uncommon, but the more time we’ve had studying
the natural world, the more examples we’ve been able to find.
> Marko

The king hydra is the largest of the genus,

growing to a length of eight meters. The creature
will typically have between six and eight heads,
and the neck is normally one-third the length of the
hydra and sixty centimeters in diameter. This can
expand to accommodate larger prey. Specimens
with seven heads are considered sacred among the
local populations.
The body of the hydra is widest at the
“shoulders” before tapering down to the tail. The
scales of the king are lighter in color along the
belly in shades of beige, while the backs have the
chevron pattern of gold and dark green. Like others
in the Elapidae family, the hydra will rear upright
when it feels threatened. One unique aspect to the
king hydra is that it exhibits the same spread neck
flap as the king cobra, spreading its hood in order
to look larger.
The king hydra’s venom is extremely toxic, and
when their fangs can be forty millimeters in length,
armor is more of a suggestion. The venom is
potent and consists of cytotoxins and neurotoxins.
This venom has a cardiotoxic effect. Its venom is
produced in glands located in each of the heads and
named postorbital venom glands. The combination
of toxins in the venom affects the central nervous
system and results in pain, blurred vision, vertigo,
and paralysis. In the case of a serious reaction,
the victim can suffer cardiovascular collapse and

SWAMPS //
fall into a coma. Death is a likely outcome due to
respiratory failure.
One of the more interesting traits is the strong
ability of the creature to regenerate rapidly from
egregious wounds. The creature has even been
known to survive the loss of multiple heads and
regrow them. Its strong ability to regenerate from
wounds has led to it being a poor candidate for
reagent harvesting, as the amount of damage
necessary to kill the beast will typically render its
parts unusable.
The king hydra is extremely aggressive and
treats metahumanity as predator and prey. When
hunting, the hydra will use its powerful venom
to paralyze its victim before consuming its prey
whole. After a meal, the hydra is typically docile
for roughly a week while it digests its food, but
it will defend itself, its territory, or its nest in that
time. The hydra is often a solitary hunter and can
cover a range of dozens of square kilometers.
Many of the hydras take naturally to land or sea,
and the king hydra is no exception. It can endure
long dry spells as well as the torrential downpours
and periods of flooding in southeast Asia. The king
hydra nests in a burrow situated above the water
line. When they prepare to lay eggs, they build a
mound of dirt and dead vegetation in order to
house up to 100 fertilized eggs. Both the male and
female hydra take turns guarding the nest until the
eggs hatch; the two then go their separate ways.
king hydra
B A R S W L I C M ESS
11 7 8 10 4 2 4 3 7 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
18 12/2 A1, I3* 14 10/15/+1
Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 4, Close Combat 7 (Bite +2), Outdoors 2, Percep-
tion 5, Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 7, Compulsion, Corrosive Spit, Dual Natured, Enhanced
Senses (Smell, Thermographic), Regeneration, Venom
Weakness: Vulnerability (Fire)
Weapons:
Corrosive Spit [Magic + Agility, DV 7P (Chemical), 14/12/6/4/—]
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P†, 18/—/—/—/—]
*Note: The hydra gains one additional Minor Action for each head that
it has.
†Note: On a bite attack, if the target takes damage, they gain the Dazed
and Poisoned 7P status. Hydra venom has an Injection vector with Speed
1 and Power 7.
Vodyanoy
The vodyanoy (Pelophylax senexavus) is a
species of amphibian named for a water spirit
in Slavic mythology. The mythology tells of a
malicious, bearded frog-like spirit who lurks in the
dark and seeks to drown its victims. The creature
that bears the same name is less of a hostile entity
and more of a nuisance. And while the Emergent
frog-like creature won’t attempt to drown you, it’s
pretty likely that it will drown your network in 71
noise if you don’t bribe it with food.
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
The largest population of vodyanoy can be
found in the Pripet marshes in Belarus along
its southern border. This isn’t where the only
population is located, as they have spread
throughout the wetlands of Russia and Yakut.
Colonies of vodyanoy tend to form near areas with
metahuman populations and lots of devices.
An interesting development is how some
corporate entities have taken advantage of these
colonies, attracting them with devices and food to
hide their facilities in noise. Some have gone as far
as trying to domesticate the animals by building
habitats and trying to train the vodyanoy on when
to cause noise. Some corps are reporting success in
this avenue of research.
The vodyanoy is shaped like a frog. It
averages thirty-five centimeters long and weighs
four kilograms. The easiest way to recognize a
vodyanoy compared to other frogs and toads is
the less-pronounced jaw and beard underneath the
mouth. The beard can be as long as the creature
is. The skin of the belly is a light gray, and the
back skin color ranges from light green to dark
green. The age of the animal helps define the color
of the beard. The younger vodyanoy tend to have
dark green or dark brown beard, while the older
specimens have a gray beard. Another somewhat
creepy attribute of the vodyanoy is that it has
human-like teeth.
The digital avatars for these creatures in the
Matrix are most often bugs found in the local
swamps, such as dragonflies or water skimmers.
Current theories are that the animal doesn’t really
understand how it looks and instead takes on the
aspects of things it most often sees or that they are
selecting animals that move quickly in their natural
environment. They don’t seem to be interested in
any of the data located on devices or hosts. They
focus their efforts on ramping up noise around
areas with many devices. The other hallmark of
the species is that they often leave messages on
devices containing a picture of food and a location.
Outside of the Matrix, the vodyanoy live in
colonies that consist of around eight to twelve
family groups. The creatures pose no real risk to
larger animals and will use their burrows and dens
to hide away from predators. There have been
reports of some colonies using traffic lights and
other nearby devices to help stop predators. Unlike
nearby marsh frogs that produce thousands of eggs
during the breeding season, the vodyanoy spawn a
much smaller number of eggs. The largest batches
of eggs for this amphibian reach the low 200s.
The natural capabilities of the vodyanoy really
come down to hunting its primary prey—insects,
// SWAMPS
72 // VODYANOY //
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

primarily dragonflies. The critter has some minimal Bunyip

camouflage ability as well as a long, sticky tongue
with a mild natural poison. The poison doesn’t The bunyip (Crocodylus wergaia) is a legendary
seem to have much impact on metahumans unless creature that was originally considered part of
they’re already sickly. the folklore of Indigenous Australians. During
the Awakening, we discovered that many of these
> I have a contact in Bioenergetica Ukraine, who’s been working mythical creatures were actually real. The bunyip
on training vodyanoy. She says that while a tasty dragonfly is a relatively late discovery due to its native
works well, deep-fried chebureki from the local convenience environment and its elusive nature. This terrifying
store has proved to be much more effective. She reports that creature inhabits the swamps, rivers, and billabongs
her daily message from the creatures no longer is of insects and
of Australia. It is often described as an ambush
exclusively shows these fried treats.
predator, using its excellent camouflage to take
down unwary prey as they go for a drink of water.
> Red Anya
When traveling in Australasia, knowing more
about the habits of this furtive animal can be vital
vodyanoy to your survival. The last thing you want is to be
B A R S W L I C R ESS
staring at this sizable creature as it leaps from its
2 4 4 1 4 2 5 3 5 6 hiding spot because you happened into its hunting
ground. It is often better to use this to your
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE advantage by leading your opposition straight into
2 9/2 A1, I3 9 10/15/+1
a trap. No one will really bat an eye when someone
MATRIX DR MATRIX I/ID MATRIX AC MATRIX CM gets snatched and eaten near a watering hole. There
5 7/4 A1, I5 10 is also the question of how these animals survive in
Skills: Athletics 2, Close Combat 2, Cracking 3, Electronics 3, Outdoors 2,
the magically hostile Australian environment.
Perception 5, Stealth 4
Powers: Camouflage (Basic), Frog Tongue (p. 124, 6WC), Natural Venom > I’ve used this to my advantage before. I was tracking down a group
(Contact, Immediate, Power 4, Stun)
Complex Forms: Diffusion (Firewall), Editor, Pulse Storm
of human traffickers and had set myself as a bit of a target for them.
Weapons: I led them through a chase from Brisbane out to one of the wetlands
Digital Bite [Cybercombat, DV 2S, AR 8] where I knew a bunyip was. Needless to say that a lot of the scum
Unarmed Strike [Close Combat, DV 2S, 5/—/—/—/—]
were taken care of while I made sure the local wildlife was fed.
> Mihoshi Oni

SWAMPS //
 // BUNYIP //

73

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

While scientists have classified the creature as and hibernate, although most of the time they will
crocodilian, it has some attributes of other critters. migrate closer to rivers or other water sources.
The adult bunyip is roughly four meters long from The bunyip is a solitary hunter with a voracious
tail to snout. The creature stands one meter to the appetite, only traveling between waterways at
shoulder but often lies submerged in the water, night to search for new hunting locations. The
with only its eyes visible. The animal has powerful creature feeds on medium- to large-sized animals
and large back legs similar to those of a kangaroo. but will also eat small animals such as wallabies
The body is covered in fur that looks like algae and and possums, as well as fish and reptiles that live
seaweed, making it able to blend into its preferred in the waterways where it resides. It’s a fairly
hunting locations. The head of the bunyip is broad indiscriminate eater and uses its ability to mimic
with a shorter snout, sometimes looking bull-like, sounds to draw its prey closer to its hiding spots
other times resembling a platypus. Their coloration before lunging out with its sharp claws and teeth.
ranges from reddish brown to a brilliant green and The bunyip is even known to eat many venomous
matches the local environment. They can adjust creatures and is seemingly unaffected.
their coloration in less than two minutes.
Like many of the reptile and crocodile family,
the bunyip is an egg-laying animal. Of a normal bunyip
brood of one to two dozen eggs, there will be only B A R S W L I C ESS
two or three survivors that will live to adulthood. 11 4 4 10 4 2 4 2 6
Juvenile bunyip grow from six centimeters in
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
length to their adult size in about five years. And
17 8/2 A1, I3 14 10/15/+1
while we don’t know how long they live—the
oldest known specimen is thirty-two years old— Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 8, Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Stealth 4
it’s theorized they could live up to seventy or eighty Powers: Armor 6, Camouflage (Dynamic), Enhanced Senses (Thermo-
graphic Vision), Immunity (Toxins and Poisons), Mimicry, Natural Weapon
years, depending on the health of the specimen. (Teeth, Spiked Tail)
The bunyip is an excellent swimmer and is Weapons:
graceful when in its natural element, where it does Engulf [Close Combat, DV 6S (sets Wet and Fatigued I status),
9/—/—/—/—]
not need to carry its 700 kilograms of weight. The Bite [Close Combat, DV 6(S), 14/—/—/—/—]
bunyip has been spotted in major waterways and Tail Strike [Close Combat, DV 3P, 18/—/—/—/—]
even on the ocean as they migrate to new hunting
grounds or avoid the dry season. If there is an
exceptionally bad drought, the bunyip can burrow

// SWAMPS
 Afanc
With the Awakening, there was an explosion of
animals that have a tighter tie to the manasphere
74 of the planet. Sometimes that resulted in some
truly terrifying creatures. One of those is the afanc
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
(Crocodylus cymri), which is an Awakened form
of the American crocodile. This creature is mostly
found in the tropical wetlands and swamps of the
Carib League and Aztlan.
The afanc is slightly larger than its nearest
relative. Males can reach seven meters in length
and weigh 1,000 kilograms. Females tend to be
smaller with a maximum size reaching up to four
meters long and weighing up to 400 kilograms. The
afanc has an elongated snout, with its ears, eyes,
and nostrils located on top of its head. The upper
body has brown-grey scales, while its underbelly
is a light cream color. What sets this apart from
its cousin is that the ossified scutes on its back are
blue-grey.
The species as a whole is known to be extremely
aggressive and territorial, which peaks after the
breeding season in the spring. This apex predator
feeds on birds and fish primarily but will wait near
the shore to take down larger prey. Even sharks
in nearby waters aren’t safe from the appetite of
the afanc. The afanc will take down its prey using
either its strong bite or a tail slap. In addition to
these physical attacks, the afanc is able to use
magic to drown its next meal, engulfing them in
water.
After breeding, the parents will create a wide
hole to house the eggs, numbering between thirty
and fifty. Both parents will guard the nest during
the nearly three-month incubation period. Once the
eggs hatch, however, the parents go their separate
ways, and it is up to the hatchlings to survive.
afanc
B A R S W L I C M ESS
11 4 4 10 4 2 4 2 4 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
15 8/2 A1, I3 14 10/15/+1
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 4, Close Combat 8, Outdoors 4, Perception 5,
Stealth 4
Powers: Dual Natured, Engulf (Water), Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vi-
sion, Smell), Hardened Armor (4), Search
Weapons:
Engulf [Close Combat, DV 6S (sets Wet and Fatigued I status),
9/—/—/—/—]
Bite [Close Combat, DV 6P, 14/—/—/—/—]
Tail Strike [Close Combat, DV 2S, 14/—/—/—/—]
SWAMPS //
Behemoth
The behemoth (Alligator gigas) appears more
like the dinosaurs of old than even that of the
alligator or crocodile. These monstrous creatures
are related to the American alligator and can be
found in much the same environments, ranging
around the Caribbean Sea through the CAS,
Aztlan, and Carib League.
Behemoths are double the height of an African
hippopotamus, standing at three meters to its
shoulder, and are about as long as a hippo or about
five meters. Its weight tips the scales at two tons
for the largest specimens. Whereas most alligators
have splayed hips and move close to the ground,
the behemoth has its legs and joints more directly
underneath it. The skin of the behemoth has the
same hard scales of an alligator, with greens, grays,
and browns, but the thickness of the skin is more
akin to the hippo, at around six centimeters. Along
the spine of the creature are interlocking, hardened
ossified plates. Its head has massive upward-
pointing, fifty-centimeter-long tusks and two horns
sweeping back.
Like the American alligator, it will float in the
water waiting for prey to approach before lunging
out of the water. Its typical meal consists of birds,
amphibians, and reptiles. And while it may not
seem like much of a runner at two tons in weight,
it can move on land at forty-five kilometers per
hour at a full sprint, but only for a brief period
of time. The behemoth is extremely territorial and
will attack anything that it deems a threat to its
ability to hunt prey.
Behemoths are naturally solitary except during
the spring and mating season. Once mating is
complete, the male heads off while the female
guards the clutch of six to eight eggs for the next
three months until they hatch. After that, the
juvenile behemoths will stay with their mother
for the next nine months until she is ready to
breed again.
Behemoth
B A R S W L I C ESS
15 3 2 16 6 2 3 1 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
21 5/2 A1, I3 16 10/15/+3
Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 8, Outdoors 4, Perception 4, Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 6, Natural Weapon (Bite)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 5P, 18/—/—/—/—]
Kick[Close Combat, DV 2S, 18/—/—/—/—]
Boobrie
The boobrie (Grus carnivori) is a large wading
bird in the crane family. It carries a mutated form
of VITAS-III that appears to have been developed
due to the proximity of toxic waterways to its
natural habitat. The boobrie is native to North
America, and some of the largest nests can be
found along the waterways of the Mississippi, with
birds numbering in the thousands.
> One thing I’ve learned is that you need to be extra careful
dealing with any Awakened birds. Many of them are disease
carriers that can transmit some truly nasty infections. I always
wear tons of protective gear when we are taking care of birds.
> Juice Box
This bird stands nearly two meters tall with
a wingspan of three meters and can weigh up to
twelve kilograms. The plumage of the boobrie is
black, and it has a bright red beak and legs. The
beak is slightly hooked and optimized for catching
fish. It has a distinctive, raucous cry that locals
consider a nuisance, especially when dealing with
an entire flock of them.
The boobrie will catch fish in its beak and then
use its beak and sharp claws to rip the fish to
shreds, allowing the bird to eat the smaller pieces.
A typical flock size is usually 100 birds but can
get larger under the right conditions. The boobrie
isn’t known to be aggressive unless someone gets
too near to its nest, and its razor-sharp beak and
claws can do serious harm to any victim of the
attack. The bigger concern is the risk of infection,
which can come from any wound by the bird, or
by ingesting any boobrie meat. And anytime a
boobrie is attacked, its cry will bring the rest of the
flock to its defense.
boobrie
B A R S W L I C
3 6 5 3 3 1 6 2
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
3 11/2 A1, I3 10 10/15/+1
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 8, Outdoors 3, Perception 5, Stealth 4
Powers: Infection (VITAS-III), Natural Weapon (Beak)
Weapons:
Beak [Close Combat, DV 2P, 9/—/—/—/—]
Colo Colo
The colo colo (Myocastor digitalis) is an
Emerged rodent that is distantly related to the
nutria, a South American spiny rat. Whereas the
75
nutria can reach lengths of sixty centimeters,
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
the colo colo is about half the size, reaching an
adult length of thirty centimeters and a weight of
about four kilograms. This Emerged species has a
worldwide reach due to extensive fur-farms that
were set up on nearly every continent.
The rat-like creature has thick, coarse brown
fur. Young colo colo are all brown fur with iron-
grey colored teeth, while adults have a white fur
“beard” around their mouth with rust-colored
incisors. The high content of metal in their teeth has
enabled them to bite into hardlines. These nuisance
rodents are known to attack wireless networks as
well, stealing or corrupting data wherever possible.
The reason for the behavior is currently unknown,
but a recent article has pointed out that some
smaller towns on the edge of marshlands have
been abandoned due to continual data failure, so
there may be something to the theory that we are
being herded by these menaces.
The colo colo is an herbivore grazer. This sort
of behavior has extended into how it attacks
networks. The typical behavior goes after the less-
protected outer edge of networks, crunching on
the data before heading deeper into the network.
The animal isn’t aggressive, and at the first sense
of a predator, it will duck out of sight to protect
itself. But traveling in the swamp with a commlink
and no additional protection is asking to lose
your contact list or favorite trideos. Some of the
criminal elements have used this as a way to clean
up some evidence.
Scientists have recently classified a subtype
of the colo colo that shows adaptations to
toxic environments. Two specific varieties have
popped up in the wetlands northwest of Bogotá
ESS
(Myocastor cancrum) and near Cancer Alley in
6 the CAS (Myocastor discordia). Both variations
share the same size and coloration. The lesion
beaver in Colombia typically is slightly larger and
will be missing fur patches. The trojan rat near
New Orleans has a reddish cast to its fur, and its
powerful incisors are black instead of the more
traditional rust color.
> Just wanted to self-note here that I think some of the research
is full of drek. The Myocastor cancrum is not related to the colo
colo other than maybe through the base nutria species.
> G-Nome
// SWAMPS
 roughly thirty centimeters in diameter. On the
colo colo astral plane is a whole other story. It appears there
B A R S W L I C R ESS as a twenty-tentacled cephalopod that latches onto
76 2 4 4 1 4 2 5 3 5 6 its victims. While the ball is often described as
eerie, it doesn’t appear to be threatening, but make
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE no mistake—it is. The amount of light that is cast

2 9/2 A1, I3 9 10/15/+1
by the corpselight is generally equated to that of a
MATRIX DR MATRIX I/ID MATRIX AC MATRIX CM torch or around ten meters of low light.
6 7/4 A1, I5 10 The corpselight is a solitary hunter in most
cases. When they do operate in the same hunting
Skills: Athletics 2, Close Combat 2, Cracking 3, Electronics 3, Outdoors 3,
Perception 5, Stealth 4
space, it’s not as a team, but as independent entities.
Complex Forms: Diffusion (Firewall), Editor, Pulse Storm Some of the more science-focused have noted that
Weapons: the corpselight will continue to feed even though
Digital Bite [Cybercombat, DV 2S, AR 8] it has reached some measurement of full. Based
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 5/—/—/—/—]
on this information, it appears that the creature
is mindless. The will o’ wisp will typically either
draw its prey in with a comforting light or will
lesion beaver
chase its victim if especially hungry.
B A R S W L I C M ESS Once the creature touches its victim, it triggers
2 4 3 1 3 2 4 1 5 6 some sort of dopamine and serotonin response in
its prey. Their victims often describe it as one of the
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
2 7/2 A1, I3 9 10/15/+1
most wonderful feelings in the world. With its prey
immobilized with pleasure, it will feed upon their
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 2, Close Combat 2, Outdoors 2, Perception 4, essence until interrupted or the victim has died.
Stealth 5
Powers: Dual Natured, Energy Aura (Radiation), Immunity (Pathogens, Toxins)
While the astral being can feed on other creatures,
Weapons: it appears naturally drawn to sentient beings.
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 4/—/—/—/—] We still haven’t discovered how the corpselight
reproduces. There have been some pretty wild
theories out there, but the most plausible one we
trojan rat have is that the corpselight buds after consuming
sufficient amounts of life force. Nothing has
B A R S W L I C R ESS
2 4 3 1 3 2 4 1 5 6
confirmed this, but it does seem plausible.

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
2 7/2 A1, I3 9 10/15/+1 corpselight
B A R S W L I C M ESS
MATRIX DR MATRIX I/ID MATRIX AC MATRIX CM 3 8 8 1 5 2 5 3 6 2D6
5 6/4 A1, I5 10
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
Skills: Athletics 2, Close Combat 2, Cracking 4, Electronics 3, Outdoors 2,
3* 13/2 A1, I3 10 10/15/+1
Perception 4, Stealth 4
Echoes: Dissonant Scream, Skinlink
Complex Forms: Puppeteer, Resonance Spike, Static Bomb, Tattletale ASTRAL DR ASTRAL AC ASTRAL CM
Weapons: 6 11/3 A1, I4
Digital Bite [Cybercombat, DV 2S, AR 8]
Skills: Astral 6, Close Combat 6, Influence 2 (Intimidation +2), Perception
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 5/—/—/—/—]
6, Spellcasting 4 (Counterspelling +2), Stealth 6
Powers: Essence Drain, Euphoria, Materialization*, Movement (Self), Psy-
chokinesis, Regeneration
Weakness: Allergy (Salt), Essence Loss

Corpselight
Researchers will often talk about the millions
(if not billions) of different types of animals that
exist on Earth, but that is just a drop in the bucket
to what is out there in astral space. Some of the
astral beings can visit our plane or even feel at
home. One of those is the legends of ghostly lights
deep in wetlands. Before the Awakening, it was
thought to be swamp gas or hallucinogens, but
years of research by scientists have identified an
astral being called the corpselight or will o’ wisp.
When the corpselight appears on the physical
plane, it looks like a glowing ball of light that is
Weapons:
Strike [Close Combat, DV 2P(e), 9/—/—/—/—]
Note: A corpselight is considered to have Force equal to current Essence
for the purpose of Materialization.
Hell Hog
Wild pigs are a common sight around the world
in many wetlands and swamps. While the creatures
aren’t necessarily native to these environments,
their natural intelligence and adaptability have
led to their ability to flourish. The hell hog (Sus
ignis) is a toxic version that formed in many of

SWAMPS //
 // HELL HOG //
77

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

the polluted swamps and marshlands around the > Attempting to harvest reagents from hell hogs is possible, but
world. The creatures are very aggressive, especially it’s just not worth it. Because of the toxic environment, more
during mating season. often than not the materials are all corrupted.
The hog is identifiable based on its size, > Lyran
coloration, and the presence of many skin lesions.
These creatures are frequently a brilliant red in
hell hog
color with patches of black, short fur on parts of
its back. Due to the toxic environments in which B A R S W L I C M ESS
it lives, the skin is frequently covered in black skin 7 5 4 5 3 2 4 1 4 6

lesions. The face of the hog has two sets of tusks,
which are frequently charred as the animal has the
ability to be wreathed in flames. These hogs also
grow large and regularly reach 200 kilograms,
standing 140 centimeters tall at the shoulder.
The hell hog is extremely aggressive and territorial.
A group of these swine are called sounders and can
include up to thirty hogs, all within the same family
group. The sounder will travel, looking for anything
within its normal four-square-kilometer zone. The
adult hell hogs will attack with its tusks, but when
they feel threatened, they will often engulf their
attacker in radioactive flames.
Due to the amount of damage they can do to an
environment and their prolific breeding rate, some
environmental agencies offer a bounty for the animal
and are even willing to dispose of the corpse for you.
Most of the bounties range around ten to twenty
nuyen, depending on which agency you work with.
> Definitely let them dispose of the carcass. It’s toxic as hell, and
you’ll get sick if you try to make a barbecue from it.
> Juice Box
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
7 8/2 A1, I3 12 10/15/+1
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 4, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 2, Perception 4,
Stealth 3
Powers: Dual Natured, Energy Aura (Radiation), Engulf (Radiation), Im-
munity (Pathogens, Toxins), Natural Weapon (Tusk)
Weapons:
Engulf [Close Combat, DV 2P (sets Burning I status), 8/6/—/—/—]
Tusk [Close Combat, DV 4P, 13/—/—/—/—]
Unarmed Strike [Close Combat, DV 2S, 9/—/—/—/—]
Ghede Fly
Flying insects can be a nuisance in the best of
times, but the ghede fly (Culex pestilans) is special
in its ability to be legitimately dangerous. The
insect can be found in and around the wetlands of
Southern France and around the Mediterranean
Sea. The insect is part of the mosquito family and
breeds in the warm, stagnant waters of the coastline.
The size of the mosquito is one of the primary
ways to identify it. The females of the species can

// SWAMPS
 reach sixteen centimeters in length and weigh up Heqet
to three grams. The chitinous body is covered in
decorative scales across the broad thorax and Frogs are one of the most adaptable animals in the
classification of amphibians. The heqet (Hyperolius
78 multiple body segments. The males of the species
hqtyt) is really a great example of this flexibility.
also have a pair of serrated mandibles in addition
This creature is found in the wetlands near the Nile
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

to the long proboscis. The female’s scales are often

less colorful than the males and are most often River. It is believed that this frog is the source of
coffee colored. the biblical tale concerning one of the plagues of
The females and males exhibit different feeding Egypt due to its ability to rapidly reproduce. The
needs and behavior. Males will typically feed heqet frog is interesting in that in the tadpole stage
on nectar and fruit. They are often attracted to of their life cycle, they feed upon the manasphere
alcoholic drinks. The females feed exclusively before changing into their adult form.
on metahuman blood in order to supply the vast Like other types of reed frogs, the heqet has
amounts of eggs she produces. She will lay those patterned skin and vivid colors. The pattern of
eggs in the spring on the surface of the water, Hyperoliu hqtyt is striped with alternating colors
although this can be disrupted by drought or late of purple, bright green, and a light beige. They
rainy seasons. reach a maximum size of eight centimeters in length
The males often work in conjunction with and a weight of fifty grams. During breeding, the
females to draw their prey into the region, allowing purple stripes of the males fluoresce.
the females more opportunities to feed and the The heqet is a wonderful creature for monitoring
males better access to mating. the local manasphere. Observant magicians and
herpetologists have noted that these frogs gather
> The government has organized multiple efforts to deploy
for mating in the month preceding an increase in
the mana flow for a region. The reason behind this
pesticides in the area to keep the insects under control. This
behavior is that while the heqet is a tadpole, they feed
has led to an increase in the number of illnesses in animals and
primarily upon magic in the natural environment,
metahumans in the area. causing a mana ebb. The strength of this ebb is
> Sim-Efrenchon related to the prevalence of natural predators in
the environment. During the early stages of the
female ghede fly Awakening, when there were few predators, high
mana ebbs were detected during these breeding
B A R S W L I C M ESS frenzies. There are similar breeds of frogs located in
1 4 4 1 3 2 2 1 4 6
other marshlands around the world.
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE The adult heqet is generally shy and feeds
2 6/2 A1, I3 2 10/15/+1 exclusively on insects. The tadpoles will feed on
plants, insects, and on other tadpoles, but they
Skills: Astral 2, Athletics 4, Close Combat 4, Perception 2, Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 1, Dual Natured, Essence Drain, Immunity (Pathogens),
primarily feed on magic. Once the tadpole’s magic
Pestilence is full, it will no longer continue draining from the
Weaknesses: Fragile 7 environment or any unfortunate victim.
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 9/—/—/—/—]
> I know of one corporation that’s used this as a means to torture
Awakened people. They put them in a holding tank full of the
tadpoles and drain them of their magic.
male ghede fly
> Plan 9
B A R S W L I C M ESS
1 5 5 1 2 1 1 1 4 6
adult heqet
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
2 6/2 A1, I3 1 10/15/+1 B A R S W L I C M ESS
1 3 4 1 2 1 2 1 3 6
Skills: Astral 2, Athletics 4, Close Combat 4, Outdoors 2, Perception 2,
Stealth 4 DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
Powers: Armor 1, Confusion, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Smell, So- 1 6/2 A1, I3 9 10/15/+1
nar, Thermographic Vision), Immunity (Pathogens), Search
Weaknesses: Fragile 8 Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 4, Close Combat 1, Outdoors 3, Perception 4,
Weapons: Stealth 3
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 9/—/—/—/—] Powers: Concealment, Dual Natured, Energy Drain (Magic)
Weapons:
Sticky Tongue [Close Combat, DV 2P (sets Corrosive I status),
5/—/—/—/—]

Note: The natural maximum for Magic is 3.

SWAMPS //
 79

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

// HEQET //

with iridescent scales on top, and grayish scales

heqet tadpole along the belly. The shimmering scales provide
B A R S W L I C M ESS excellent camouflage, as it can reflect back some
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 of the colors nearby. The creature has a neck
that is nearly half of its total body length of
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
twenty-one meters and weighs upward of 300
1 2/2 A1, I3 1 10/15/+1
kilograms. Despite its long length, it only stands
Skills: Astral 1, Athletics 1, Close Combat 1, Outdoors 2, Perception 2, two meters at the shoulder. The head of the
Stealth 1 creature is quite breathtaking. While the head
Powers: Dual Natured, Energy Drain (Magic)
Weaknesses: Fragile 8 is small compared to the rest of the body, it is
completely surrounded by a frill that stands out
straight during its mating dances. The animal
also has long whiskers that hang down from its
Ninki Nanka snout.
Deep in the wetlands of West Africa, in
Mauritania and Gold and Ivory Coast Tribal > It’s absolutely not related to dragons.
Lands, there has been the rumor of some sort > Orange Queen
of large lizard or dragon. Many pre-Awakening
expeditions were launched to find the beast, but > But it looks a lot like a dragon.
the best that was found was some scales and a > Slamm-0!
shadowy glimpse at a face that looked like the
combination of a male lion and a dragon. A few The ninki nanka is an ambush predator. Its most
of these animals have been found in the wild common tactic is to remain completely still for long
over the last couple of years, but it is unclear periods of time before striking quickly with its long,
how large the population of this giant hunter is. sharp teeth. On dry land, it is an ungainly creature
The ninki nanka (Chlamydosaurus draco) is and has moves slowly. But in the wetlands, it can
a distant relative of the Chinese dragon family. move rapidly, pulling its belly along the waterways.
They have a long, sinuous body which is covered The creatures hunt in pairs, attempting to trap any

// SWAMPS
80
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

// NINKI NANKA //

potential prey between the two of them, driving in that vein continue to be told in the region. In
their food to their waiting partner. fact, there was a law on the books to protect
these creatures from being captured by locals
back in the 1970s.
ninki nanka The adult skunk ape stands about 150
B A R S W L I C M ESS centimeters tall. It has reddish-brown fur that
12 4 6 10 3 2 4 4 4 6 covers its body. The fur covers all but the bottom
of the paws and the area around the mouth. The
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
22 10/2 A1, I3 14 5/10/+1
critter has two rear limbs and four upper limbs.
While the ape is able to stand on two legs, it is
Skills: Athletics 2 (Swimming +2), Close Combat 7, Outdoors 6, Perception more often seen on all four limbs, leaving its
7, Stealth 5
Qualities: Biosonar, Dermal Alteration (Dragon), Underwater Vision
uppermost limbs free to manipulate items. At the
Powers: Adaptive Coloration, Armor 10, Confusion, Natural Weapon end of each limb, the paws have razor-sharp claws.
Weapons: The skunk ape’s main identifying factor is how it
Lunging Bite [Close Combat, DV 4P, 16/10/—/—/—] smells, which is particularly noxious.
The creature uses groves of cypress trees to
hide and does not venture out during daylight. The
animals live in family groups of between twenty and
Skunk Ape thirty. The skunk ape isn’t particularly aggressive
Native to the swamps of Florida, the skunk but will defend its grove. In those situations, all
ape (Dendropithecidae noxium) is believed to members of their tribe work together to take
be the closest relative of the sasquatch in the down the interloper. The creatures are omnivorous
animal kingdom. Legends tell of a human-sized and do their hunting and gathering at night. On
hairy ape who stalked the Everglade swamp. rare occasions, one will take a fascination with a
Stories were told by the indigenous population metahuman and stalk them, but it’s unclear if that
of a creature called the Esti Capcaki, and legends is for feeding or for some other purpose.

SWAMPS //

skunk ape
B A R S W L I C M ESS
4 5 5 3 3 1 3 2 3 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
4 8/2 A1, I3 11 5/10/+1
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 4 (Swimming +2), Close Combat 5, Outdoors 3,
Perception 5, Stealth 5
Qualities: Built Tough 1
Powers: Dual Natured, Mimicry, Movement (self), Natural Weapon
(Claws), Noxious Breath
Weapons:
Claws [Close Combat, DV 3P, 13/—/—/—/—]
Noxious Breath [Magic + Agility, DV *, 6/3/—/—/— (Inhalation,
Immediate, Power 6, Stun, Dazed, Nauseated)]
Snap Dragon
When out in the marshlands, one of the most
important things for many creatures is dry land.
Oftentimes, the best that can be had is a mat of
grass and plants that form tussocks or floating
islands. Unfortunately, not all mats of grass are safe
islands and are instead giant Awakened snapping
turtles that can bite a troll clean in two.
The snap dragon (Chelydra draco) is a gigantic
turtle that is twelve meters in diameter. It is well
protected and has a hardened shell. These things
can give a MacArthur MBT a run for its nuyen.
While it doesn’t have a main gun, its long neck
allows it to reach out five meters to snatch prey
in its crushing jaws. Their heads are roughly one
meter wide with hardened protrusions located
along the brow ridge. Its mouth forms into a hard,
bone beak. It has long, sharp claws, but these are
much more useful in burrowing than in striking
anyone down.
The coloration and vegetation located on the
shell is often part of its camouflage. Earthen tones
of browns, greys, and greens speckle the shell
where grass and trees have not taken root.
> Again, not a dragon. Why must metahumanity call everything a
dragon when it’s big and reptilian?
> Orange Queen
> Someone seems to be sensitive about this.
> Slamm-0!
> Don’t antagonize the dragon. Little Jack needs a father.
> Netcat
The snap dragon is carnivorous and will make
a meal out of anything nearby that will fit into its
giant maw. The beast will wait for unsuspecting
prey to come within reach of its neck before
shooting forward its head, clamping down on
its target. Another attack that they use is a water
attack, which can trap its prey in bonds of water.
The creature’s mating behavior has only been
documented a few times—it can at best be described
as the meeting of two tectonic plates. Afterward,
the female leaves to dig a nest one to two meters 81
deep in nearby soil. The newly hatched turtles are
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
roughly fifty centimeters in diameter. These baby
snap dragons won’t reach sexual maturity for
nearly five years.
snap dragon
B A R S W L I C M ESS
11 4 4 14 4 1 3 1 5 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
16 7/2 A1, I3 14 5/10/+1
Skills: Athletics 2, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 5, Perception 3, Stealth 7
Powers/Qualities: Binding (LOS, Water), Hardened Armor 5, Long Reach,
Natural Weapon (Crushing Jaws)
Weapons:
Engulf [Close Combat, DV 2S (sets Wet and Fatigued I status),
10/8/2/—/—]
Crushing Jaws [Close Combat, DV 6P, 19/—/—/—/—]
Stymphalian
The stymphalian (Ardea foedus) is a rare sight
in the marshes of Spain, southern France, Italy,
and Greece. Stymphalians are the Awakened
cousins of the purple heron (Ardeidae purpurea).
The stymphalian stands nearly three meters tall
and averages eight kilograms in weight. The
largest specimens have a wingspan measuring up
to 700 centimeters. The bird has black feathers on
its body and grey and red plumage on its wings,
with “arrow feathers” that are yellowish-brown
calcified contour feathers. The stymphalian’s
serrated, rust-colored beak reaches a length of
forty centimeters, and each of its four-toed feet has
retractable talons. The stymphalian packs a toxic
punch with its breath.
Like many others in the heron family, the
stymphalians are carnivorous hunters. They feed
on small- to medium-sized mammals and reptiles
living in the wetlands but can supplement their
diet with fish and frogs. The typical family unit size
for stymphalians is ten to twenty-five adults and
juveniles. They are very social and form hunting
groups with a minimum of three members. The
hunting groups work in concert by flying high
above the region searching for prey. Once spotted,
they spread out to surround the prey, cutting off all
possible avenues of escape.
The stymphalian has several ways to take down
its prey. The calcified yellowish-brown feathers are
colloquially called arrow feathers because they can
be fired from a distance, although it takes roughly
a week for the feathers to regrow. In addition to
the arrow feathers, they have vicious claws and a
heavy serrated beak to take down their prey. The
// SWAMPS
 noxious breath can also be used to stun animals. In
the end, the rabbits and fish don’t stand a chance
against a hungry flock of stymphalians.
82 Stymphalians are rarely known to attack
metahumans unless provoked by entering their
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
territory or coming too close to their nesting
location. However, a major worry is that the birds
are particularly aggressive once they start attacking
and will continue until they kill the victim. A
key defense for folks who live near their hunting
grounds is to use loud sounds to drive the birds
away. They are very sensitive to sound, having a
threshold of pain at around 100 decibels.
Stymphalian nests are made of sticks and after
mating season will typically contain two to four
pale red eggs. The typical incubation time for these
eggs is twenty-five days. Once the fledglings hatch,
both parents care for the young by regurgitating
partially digested fish and meat for them.
stymphalian
B A R S W L I C
3 4 4 2 4 1 4 2
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
3 8/2 A1, I3 10 20/40/+5
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 5, Exotic Weapons 5 (Feather), Outdoors
5, Perception 4
Powers: Enhanced Senses (Improved Hearing, Smell), Natural Weapon
(Beak), Natural Ranged Weapon (Arrow Feather: DV 3P, AP 0), Noxious
Breath
Weakness: Vulnerability (Sound)
Weapons:
Beak [Close Combat, DV 4P, 10/—/—/—/—]
Arrow Feathers [Exotic Weapon (Feathers), DV 3P, 8/8/4/—/—]
Titanoboa
In the coastal regions of Aztlan and Amazonia,
there lives a monstrous snake that was long thought
to be extinct. Many of the scientists originally
believed this relative of the boa constrictor could
only live in climates currently warmer than our
equatorial temperatures. Turns out they were
wrong. All they needed was a little magic.
The titanoboa (Titanoboa cerrejonensis) is
the largest known mundane snake, reaching a
maximum length of fourteen meters and weight
over one metric ton. This snake has scales that are
green and light brown forming patterns looking
like the rippling sands of the coastal regions that
are their home.
The creature is fairly lethargic and will typically
lie in wait for prey to come close to its enormous
body. Once it senses a creature nearby, it begins to
grasp their prey and crush it prior to consumption.
The titanoboas are viviparous, which means that
they perform a live birth of between eight and
twenty-five snakelets. These offspring will mature
over the next six years before reaching sexual
SWAMPS //
maturity. The key thing to remember is that when
you step over a log, it might just be a snake that
wants to squeeze all the blood out of you.
titanoboa
B A R S W L I C ESS
7 3 3 6 3 1 3 2 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
11 6/2 A1, I3 12 20/40/+5
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4, Perception 4
Powers: Armor (4), Enhanced Senses (Smell), Natural Weapon (Fangs,
Constrict)
Weakness: Vulnerability (Cold)
Weapons:
Unarmed Strike [Close Combat, DV 2S, 9/—/—/—/—]
Fangs [Close Combat, DV 2P, 10/—/—/—/—]
Note: The titanoboa does not use its bite unless it feels frightened. In-
stead, the titanoboa will attempt to grapple (p. 111, SR6) its opponent and
then begin constricting (damage the opponent). Once the target is uncon-
scious, it will begin to consume them.
Wangliang
M ESS
4 6
The wangliang (Mauremys mutica morbus) is
a turtle that can be found in Southeast Asia. It’s
named after the poisonous, three-legged turtle
that brings pestilence with it, although the term
wangliang is applied to a large set of demons,
ghosts, and specters in the local language. The
real-life turtle takes after its namesake as a carrier
of disease that goes far behind what a mundane
reptile is capable of. Due to visual similarities,
scientists believe that the turtle is related to the
yellow pond turtle (Mauremys mutica mutica) and
its Awakened cousin, the Lo Shu turtle (Mauremys
mutica chi).
> I know of some folks who have tried to breed the yellow pond
turtle hoping to get lucky and get a Lo Shu turtle in one of the
hatches. But set your expectations. It’s okay if you want to have
a lot of turtles to care for, but there has never been a Lo Shu
bred in captivity.
> Thorn
> I beg to disagree. Wuxing scientists have successfully done so.
But they have created a lot of wangliang as part of the learning
process.
> Lei Kung
The wangliang can reach a length of twenty
centimeters. All three of the species have the
characteristic yellow stripe that runs from their
eye and down the back of their neck. The carapace
of the yellow pond turtle is typically browns and
grey, but it has blotches of yellow, orange, and
black. Where the yellow pond turtle differs from
the Lo Shu and wangliang is the pattern of dots
and splotches on the carapace. The Lo Shu turtle
has a three-by-three grid of these dots where the
rows sum to fifteen. The wangliang is similar, Lo Shu Turtle
except that the rows do not add up to fifteen. B A R S W L I C M ESS
All three species are omnivorous and tend 2 2 2 2 4 1 2 3 6 6 83
to be more active at night. The Lo Shu turtle is

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

interesting in that it generates its own magical DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
4 4/1 A1, I2 9 1/2/+1
background. This turtle is considered to be good
luck, and when one passes away, people will often Skills: Astral 2, Athletics 2, Close Combat 1, Outdoors 1, Perception 2,
build around the shell, and attempt to align the Stealth 2
room to the defined feng shui of the turtle shell. Powers: Compulsion, Dual Natured, Guard, Hardened Armor 2, Mana Well
(Taoist)
Most people who have encountered these rare Weapons:
creatures have mentioned they have felt the urge Bite [Close Combat, DV 2S, 4/—/—/—/—]
to continue on and leave it alone.
The wangliang is considered an ill omen.
It’s known to carry diseases that are easily Wangliang
communicable to metahumanity. Those who
have encountered the wangliang have said they B A R S W L I C M ESS
2 2 2 2 4 1 2 2 5 6
experienced an irresistible urge to pick the turtle
up. And while many have attempted to breed DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
the Lo Shu turtles to create more, it appears the 4 4/1 A1, I2 9 1/2/+1
three varieties may be the result of any union of
Skills: Astral 2, Athletics 2, Close Combat 1, Outdoors 2, Perception 2,
turtles. Captive bred turtles are almost universally Stealth 2
mundane. Powers: Carrier, Compulsion, Dual Natured, Hardened Armor 2
Weapons:
Diseased Touch [Close Combat, DV 2S, 4/—/—/—/—]
yellow pond turtle
B A R S W L I C ESS
2 1 1 1 4 1 1 2 6

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
4 2/1 A1, I2 9 1/2/+1

Skills: Athletics 1, Close Combat 1, Outdoors 1, Perception 1, Stealth 1

Powers: Armor 2
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2S, 2/—/—/—/—]

// SWAMPS
 SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

84

SWAMPS //
 JUNGLES AND
RAINFORESTS
Posted by: G-Nome
There are few environments on the globe that
contain more mystery and mysticism than the jun-
gles and rainforests. Bursting with life, they thrill
the scientists of the world who delve into their
treacherous depths to discover new forms of life
and document the hidden wonders of Mother
Nature. Less poetic are the corporate-sponsored
endeavors that seek out new resources to exploit,
bringing the world both new cures and calamities.
The Amazon. The Congo. The Daintree. The
Sundaland. The Indo-Burma. These are the largest
and most well-known of the world’s rainforests,
but they are not the only ones. Rainforests now
cover sixteen percent of the land on Earth. This
growth from last century’s deforestation is thanks
to the return of magic and the efforts of ecologi-
cally friendly nations to protect, expand, and learn
to develop within rather than without the thick
vegetation. It’s spurred on by the metahuman shift
to massive metroplexes, leaving the suburban and
agricultural rural areas to be retaken by nature.
These new jungles cover secrets lost in the Crashes
as well as civilizations long ago lost to time.
Defined by precipitation, the rainforests of the
world receive in excess of three meters of rain per
year, and some even more. This deluge of water
brings about an environment teeming with abun-
dant life. The vegetation of the rainforest is pri-
marily evergreen plants, with trees that grow tall
to create a canopy that limits light reaching the
forest floor. This creates an immense variety of
lower-level plant life that is exceptionally hearty
and adapted to a life with less sun. Many Awak-
ened plants thrive here, especially those that have
increased their potential nutrient sources to in-
clude fauna as well as sunshine. Along with flora,
fauna here is abundant and well adapted to a va-
riety of niches. Each level of the rainforest is its
own private ecosystem, flowing and feeding into
the cycle of life.
// JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS
86
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
Mist Leopard
(Leopardus vaporus)
The discovery of new Awakened species is such
a thrill. The ties to legend, the chance to dive deep
into local cultures, and the sheer joy of watching,
learning, and guessing at the reason for behaviors
keeps you perpetually on your toes.
The mist leopard is no different and an incred-
ible example of how local cultures see an amaz-
ing animal versus how corporations see them. I
am often drawn to Amazonia by the abundance
of Awakened species to study, but during my most
recent time there, I was fixated on this deep-jun-
gle-dwelling feline. The efforts to reach their ter-
ritory, the deep jungle tribes we encountered, and
the sudden appearance of Aztechnology goons
made for quite the memorable journey. All stories
in good time.
First, their interesting physicality. Mist leopards
are considerably larger than their progenitor on-
cillas, which are rarely much larger than a house
cat. The mist leopard sits in size about halfway
between the oncilla and the common jaguar of
Amazonia. Their blue fur shades differ in color
from other jungle felines and make them easy to
differentiate—if you can manage to spot one. They
have wide and webbed paws, making them excel-
lent swimmers, which is perfect for their regular
hunting strategy.
JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS //
// MIST LEOPARD //
The mist leopard has a strong connection to the
elements of water and air. Rumors abound that
they have a connection to the metaplanes of water
and air. My research can’t totally confirm this, but
it can attest to the mist leopard’s ability to open
small metaplanar gateways. These gateways are
opened simultaneously while the leopard is swim-
ming. Metaplanar water and air flood into the sur-
rounding water, pushing fish and other aquatic life
up onto shore where the leopard can eat them at
leisure. Similar smaller gateways are also opened
to give the critter its name. Its body emits a thin
mist all the time, and when they want additional
cover, they open tiny gateways, blend the elements,
and fill an area with dense mist. Since mist is com-
mon at times in the jungles of Amazonia, this abili-
ty blends well with the natural environment.
My brush with death was not nearly as close as
others, but it could have been dire had the leopard
I encountered been hungrier. I was wading across a
small tributary river following a mist leopard when
I lost sight of it in a rising mist (turned out it was
using its powers). I came near the far shore when
the water around me erupted in a sudden wave. I
was launched with the water up onto the nearby
shore, and the mist leopard emerged from the water
to gather its bounty. It didn’t seem focused on me,
so I didn’t immediately seek to flee. I also know my
levitation trick isn’t that useful with a cat that can
climb as fast as the mist leopard. It sniffed around at
me and even made a low mewling sound but went
on chomping and tearing through the half-dozen
fish it had scored. Once I felt there was an under-
standing, I slowly got to my feet and slinked off.
After I looped back and checked out the foot-
age I had recorded, I noticed the teeth are not as
pronounced as other felines, and its tongue was al-
most prehensile. While it may have placed a paw
on larger fish to tear them apart, it snagged up the
smaller fish with its dexterous tongue and swal-
lowed them whole.
> Nice work, G, but you’re missing a few points. That gateway ability
originates from the leopard’s mouth and goes both ways. Those
fish it eats whole are actually being sent to the water metaplane.
> Ecotope
The local tribes revere the critter and call it
Kshoke Preowl, the spring leopard. Their legends
talk of a cat god that is responsible for filling the
springs and waterways. When the waters are low,
they make sacrifices to the god, and the waters once
again rise. The arrival of the mist leopard coincid-
ed with a particularly long low water season when
no one made any sacrifices. Witnessing the power
of the feline, they immediately began praying and
making sacrifices. The leopard was impressed or
happy or whatever emotion you want to put on
there, and the next day the waters increased. Each
day they go up until they’re back to high season
levels, and then the mist leopard returns. They of-
fer more sacrifices, and the water level hasn’t gone
down in almost two years.
Since that time, this tribe as well as several oth-
ers in the area have revered and protected the fe-
line. This is important, because while I was doing
my research, a capture team from Aztechnology
came into the territory of the mist leopard we were
studying to attempt to capture it and bring it back
to Aztlan for study and likely exploitation. They ap-
proached at night in a trio of stealth VTOLs, com-
ing near enough to the tribe’s village that we still
detected them. Word went out through spirit mes-
sengers, and suddenly hunting parties from four dif-
ferent tribes were on the way to intercept the Azzies.
It wasn’t an easy fight, and everyone faced losses,
but the mist leopard was protected, and thanks to
our rigger and decker being around, the tribes now
have a healthy bank account and some upgraded
equipment after we sold off the VTOLs.
mist leopard
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
4 4 3 4 3 2 6 2 2 6 6 Coramos at the tongues of her blood monkey
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
6 9/2 A1/I3 10 15/40/+3
Skills: Athletics 5 (Running +2, Swimming +3), Close Combat 5, Outdoors
4, Perception 5, Stealth 7
Powers: Armor 2, Engulf (Water), Enhanced Senses (Smell, Low-Light Vi-
sion), Metaplanar Gateway, Natural Weapon (Bite/Claws)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 7/—/—/—/—]
Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 10/—/—/—/—]
Blood Monkey
(Ateles sanguine)
I did some peripheral studies of the blood mon- 87
key while working a run down in the heart of Am-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
azonia. We were scoping out a black site R&D fa-
cility rumored to be pumping pollutants into the
river that actively affected the manasphere. Not a
passive astral pollution like the normal emotional
stuff but an active shift in the astral energies of a
space. That’s neither here nor there but could be
the reason that the monkeys were exceptionally
aggro and violent when we entered their territory.
Standard blood monkey behavior is quite simi-
lar to their progenitors, the brown spider monkey,
with the exception of their need for blood. The
easiest difference to spot is the crimson of their
fur, but this is only true in bright light. In dim-
mer light, shadows, or darkness, their fur can look
dark brown or black and leave little to differenti-
ate them from their mundane kin. Their need for
blood is non-vampiric (i.e., not a result of HM-
HVV) and not a life force thing but an actual di-
etary need and nutritional deficiency that requires
them to ingest fairly large amounts of blood rel-
ative to their body weight. This is made possible
by razor-sharp claws to make small incisions, a
straw-like section at the center of their tongue, and
an anticoagulant in their saliva. Their tongue also
allows them to slurp up blood that spills and not
just direct bleeding. Other than blood, the blood
monkey’s diet consists of fruits, vegetables, insects,
and small animals. Most of their blood intake oc-
curs with larger mammals such as sloths, cattle,
and the occasional jaguar.
They travel together in packs of up to forty in-
dividuals and usually attack with chaotic and over-
whelming numbers using hit-and-run tactics if the
target is a threat (like a jaguar), or they just leap and
hold on for less deadly prey (such as cattle). Early
reports on metahuman attacks were scarce, but as
the blood monkey has expanded its territory, so it
has begun coming into contact with more metahu-
mans. This includes a few packs that stalk the streets
of Metrópole and have pushed up those numbers.
Several cartel members were using blood mon-
keys for interrogations and intimidation, but that
trend has faded. The untimely demise of Callia
pack that turned on her has led many of the other
cartel lieutenants to get rid of their pets in hopes
of avoiding the same fate. While keeping packs
of blood monkeys is now looked at as too risky,
keeping a single blood monkey is the thing to do.
I’m looking forward to the next cartel slag getting
sucked dry to kill that trend, too.
Back to the jungle tale. We were doing recon and
keeping close enough for comms contact but far
enough that we each had to slowly blaze our own
trail to avoid creating a heavy sign of our presence.
// JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS
88
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

// BLOOD MONKEY //

The Amazon jungle grows back so fast

there were times I literally felt like it was
closing up and healing itself behind me. All
of this meant we couldn’t see each other, and
we didn’t look like a clustered threat to anything.
I probably looked like a little quick morsel, but I
wasn’t the only one to get attacked. The pack split
up, and several specimens attacked each of us, with
the exception of Niche, who is adept at stealth and blood monkey
tracking. About five monkeys came after me—they B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
moved fast, so I can’t be sure of the exact count. It 3 5 3 4 4 2 2 3 2 5 6
felt like even more, but I feel like eight could have
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
done me in and ten would have been an almost-cer- 5/10/+1 (10/20/+2
tain death sentence. 5 5/2 A1/I3 8
Brachiation)
I was attacked over two dozen times, and four of
Skills: Athletics 8, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 6, Perception 5, Stealth 3
them got past my defenses. They had numbers and Powers: Armor 2, Brachiation, Confusion, Enhanced Senses (Smell
stealth on their side as they would bound in, slash [Blood], Low-Light Vision), Natural Weapon (Bite), Paralyzing Touch, Se-
from my blindside, and be back in the foliage cov- cretion (Anticoagulant), Wall Walking
er before I could target them with anything. Niche Weaknesses: Dietary Requirement (Blood), Fragile 2
Weapons:
saved my hoop with some quick and creative think- Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 7/—/—/—/—]
ing. She slipped up close to me and dropped a big Fists [Close Combat, DV 2S, 7/—/—/—/—]
nasty ice spell right over the top of us but shaped
it to avoid hitting anyone she could sense. It end-
ed up doing a number on Clicker, our hacker, but Novaraptor
Niche and I worked together to patch him up after
(Iguana infernus)
we cleared out of the threatened territory.
We went back through to recon again but stuck There are times since the Awakening that I can-
close together. We spotted blood monkeys watch- not help but believe Mother Nature is simply out
ing us, but none attacked. to cleanse the world in fire and start over. The no-
varaptor coming into existence seems proof of that
concept and has several evolutionary scientists
wondering if the end of the dinosaurs was not an

JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS //


asteroid but instead the arrival and rise of a species
parallel to the novaraptor. That isn’t my area of
expertise, but I can definitely speak to the novarap-
tor being far more destructive and disruptive to its
ecosystem than anything else.
Having Awakened from the green iguana, no one
expected this to be a ferocious predator, but hiding
somewhere in there was the DNA of a fierce rap-
tor. The novaraptor looks very little like the igua-
na—in fact, it actually has more in common with
the extinct velociraptor. With bipedal movement as
their primary form of locomotion, the novaraptor
is a fast and agile runner. They have the same large
dewclaws on the hind legs and equally sharp and
deadly foreclaws. All of which can ignite in order
to attack prey with both razors and fire. They can
also produce a flame from their mouth. This isn’t
like dragon’s breath but more of an additional bit of
searing pain on top of the already excruciating pain
of their sharp teeth and powerful jaw.
Unlike many other critters that utilize fire in
their weaponry, the novaraptor has no fiery color-
ation, instead carrying over one of the few traits it
shares with the green iguana: green scales. Its hide
is thicker and tougher than one would expect and
the creature is immune to fire (no surprise there).
As any defender of the environment (usually
read as ecoterrorist) would tell you, humanity has
been a plague to the Amazon since the develop-
ment of agriculture. Burning and clearing massive
swaths of land for cattle and crops, they slaugh-
// NOVARAPTOR //
89
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
tered uncountable species before they were ever re-
corded. That was until Mother Nature awoke with
a vengeance. The Awakening brought a power to
nature most alive never imagined. The Amazon
took back territory with no concern for humani-
ty’s efforts to hold their ground.
Now the novaraptor is burning it all down
again. Along with using fire as a hunting weapon,
the novaraptor has been regularly burning massive
sections of the jungle. It isn’t for food or marking
its territory, it’s just burning things to burn them.
My limited research didn’t discover whether this
is a toxic behavior and the novaraptor is some-
how twisted or if it’s just Mother Nature balancing
things out. Maybe the arcane enhancement of the
jungle’s growth is too much.
No matter the answer, it doesn’t change the fact
that I got trapped in the middle of one of these burns.
I was keeping tabs on a mated pair of novaraptors
deep in the jungle when I caught the first hints of
smoke. It wasn’t my pair, but a third that had start-
ed its burn behind my ingress trail. I considered lev-
itating, but I didn’t know what would meet me in
the canopy. I should have risked the levitation. It
wasn’t more than a minute later that the whole jun-
gle around me was filled with smoke and I couldn’t
see anything. I worried it was a hunting tactic and
the novaraptor was coming into the smoke to hunt,
but I didn’t encounter the actual raptor until after I
found a ravine to duck into and follow out. It was
deep enough the smoke hadn’t filled it.
// JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS
 The smoke was thick everywhere above, and
as the ravine became shallower, I slowly lost more
and more visibility. I eventually came to where the
90 novaraptor had run its burn line across the ravine.
Their wasn’t much water, but the shallow ravine
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

still created a three-meter gap in the wall of fire.

Flames licked out all around, and the smoke made
it hard to tell if I was about to run out of the fire
and into the maw, but I did a quick roll in the shal-
low water, cast a hefty armor spell over myself,
and ran through.
Out the other side, it still smelled of smoke, but
the air was pushing the thick cloud downwind. I
could see the wall of burning jungle run out of sight
in both directions. I had to wait almost a week be-
fore going back on the search for my mated pair,
and when I found them they had settled down a
good distance from the other raptor burn area.
These burns occur all over and sometimes go
right over inhabited places. In the deep jungle
those are usually corporate black sites, and they
reach out to local and out-of-town runners with
hunting skills to go after novaraptors that appear
to be settling in an area or moving their burn zones
in a particular direction. Be wary of the jobs and
stay on the hunter side of things. If the novaraptor
figures out you’re after it, you can expect prob-
lems, usually of the mass arson variety.

novaraptor
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
5 4 4 4 2 1 4 2 1 6 6

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
9 8/2 A1/I3 11 15/30/+1

Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 6, Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Stealth 4

Powers: Armor 4, Elemental Attack (Fire), Energy Aura (Fire), Enhanced
Senses (Low-Light Vision), Natural Weapon (Bite/Claws)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 8/—/—/—/—]
Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 10/—/—/—/—]

Amazonian Angel
(Craspedacusta cumulus)
I’m not sure why Mother Nature hates land
animals, but the existence of this benevolently
named abhorrence is proof that she does. Jellyfish
are a biological wonder of the seas, but they are
also unpleasant to encounter, and during spawning
cycles, the waters they call home turn into little
skin-stinging circuses. When larger jellies are en-
countered, the mild pinprick skin irritations can
become painful welts, and in some cases they can-
// AMAZONIAN cause anaphylactic shock and death.
ANGEL // Now all of this can be found in the air in the
Amazon. Yay!
The Amazonian angel is an Awakened peach
blossom jellyfish, a rare freshwater cnidarian that

JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS //

seems to have arisen only from specimens in the
Amazonian jungle. The progenitor is original-
ly from Asia but expanded as an invasive species
to freshwater bodies around the globe thanks to
cargo vessels. Parazoologists speculate that this
species Awakened early in the Amazon due to the
heightened magical energy of the region and that
other areas will see parallel Awakenings as global
mana levels continue to rise. While the progeni-
tor is only about twenty millimeters in diameter,
the Amazonian angel regularly grows to a meter
in adulthood, with tentacles reaching twice that
in length. Unlike the progenitor, the stinging cells
of the angel are quite capable of paralyzing larger
prey, including metahumans, though metahumans
are not eaten. The Amazonian angel primarily eats
bird species and the occasional small lizard or
mammal when the clouds are low.
This aerial jellyfish is rarely seen clearly, as they
live within clouds and fog, gliding along and cap-
turing unsuspecting prey that fly through or pick-
ing up extra nourishment from within the canopy
on a hazy morning. They hunt by feel, awaiting
contact with a tentacle. When the tentacle is dis-
turbed, the stinging cells activate, along with an
arcane paralyzing touch ability. The tentacle wraps
around the prey and curls up toward the central
disk, where the food is slipped into the mouth for
slow digestion. Meals are slowly dissolved and nu-
trients gained before undigested bits such as bone,
hair, feathers, etc., are expelled. An angel with a
belly full of bones is a rather horrifying sight.
The biggest threat from this critter comes
during reproduction. Each angel will develop a
hundred or so polyps through budding. When they
are ready, all the polyps are released at once. This
mass exodus usually occurs during a low fog time,
and the polyps begin a massive feeding frenzy.
The polyps sting and envelop prey to digest and
provide nourishment for their transition into full
adults. Unlike larger angels, the polyps will attach
to a metahuman, dissolve a chunk from their body,
and go off to digest and grow. A dozen of these
things are enough to kill most metahumans, and
larger swarms have been seen picking a full-size
cow to pieces.
I got stuck in one of these breeding clouds and
lost several chunks of skin before I was able to cast
a Barrier spell to keep them all off me. I sat and
watched in horror as they devoured everything
around me.
Corporate security in R&D facilities through-
out the world’s jungles have captured and brought
angels in while also developing environmental
controls that provide a cloud around the perimeter
for them to live in. A few places have expanded
that to include some interior space, so be careful if
you walk into zero-zone facility and the entrance
foyer is foggy and hazy.
amazonian angel
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
2 5 5 2 3 2 4 1 2 6 6 91
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
2/5/+1 (10/25/+3
2 9/2 A1/I3 9
Flying)
Skills: Athletics 4 (Flying +3), Close Combat 3, Outdoors 4, Perception 5,
Stealth 4
Powers: Natural Weapon (Tentacles), Venom (Vector: Injection; Speed: 1 com-
bat round; Power: Magic; Effect: Dazed, Immobilized, Poisoned (Magic)P)
Weapons:
Tentacle [Close Combat, DV 2P, 7/—/—/—/—]
Arang-Utan
(Pongo arangus)
Mythology becoming reality is just something
we need to accept in the Sixth World. These tales
came from somewhere, and while Fifth World psy-
chologists and anthropologists would have had
you believing it was human’s simple mind trying
to explain what they do not understand, we now
have to accept that many of these stories were
real. Glimpses of a previous world passed down
through cultures that have not been coerced or
coopted by a purely scientific mindset during the
waning era of magic. The arang-utan is a piece of
that mythology. They are an Awakened orangutan
that has returned to the world to fulfill the myths
of Indonesia by punishing the bad. They are bo-
geyman of sorts, but they have not fully adjusted
to the world at large. The world at large (a.k.a.
megacorps), however, has certainly found a way to
make use of them.
First off, let me just point out that arang-utans
are even more intelligent than their progenitor
orangutans. Their ability to learn and communi-
cate is sapient, though not the same as ours. They
are all magically active but not spellcasters or sum-
moners. Instead, they infuse objects with power
and give them as boons or banes. Truly interest-
ing and relatively rare. Their truest power is one
of insight. They are excellent aura readers, and I
hypothesize that back in the era of myth, this is
how they identified “bad” people. Today, there is
some level of that, but a more rudimentary and
apparently primal sense has put them on the leash
of a few megacorps: a deep dislike for damaged
Essence. Any missing Essence, whether from en-
hancement, surgery, or damage from bodily abuse,
puts them off. Truly low Essence, like that of street
samurai or other heavily enhanced individuals,
makes them actively aggressive. Security uses them
at checkpoints to keep an eye out for runners or
other threats.
The appearance of an arang-utan is very close
to their mundane kin. The only exception is the
eyes. The arang-utan has entirely white eyes. They
// JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS
 aren’t blind, but as they spend more time perceiv-
ing the astral, their eyes develop a natural defense
against light damage that also provides them with
92 excellent night vision. Males and females display
the same gender variations as their mundane pro-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
genitors. Arang-utans live and still breed with
mundane orangutans.
Indonesian cultures that still honor and re-
vere the arang-utan will bring those suspected of
crimes or wrong-doing out to the apes’ territory.
From up in their arboreal domain, the arang-utan
will pass judgment and drop a piece of bark, a
leaf, or something else from their tree home. The
accused must pick up the object to receive their
fate or choose banishment and leave the object
where it lands. No one else would dare touch it
for fear of taking on the fate of the accused.
The object is obviously a preparation triggered
by contact with the accused, but what spell it ac-
tivates varies widely between arang-utans. Some
are more violent, triggering a combat spell, while
some are subtle and place an illusion or manipu-
lation spell marking the accused or making them
invisible and essentially shunned.
By the same effort, tribes perform rituals that
alert arang-utans of a coming event. After the rit-
ual, the tribe members will go to the arang-utans
and receive boons, tokens given to them that
grant them powers. As this critter is sapient, it
cannot be easily trained or tricked into creating
banes and boons on command.
While I was doing a study with some nagas of
Indonesia, I was introduced to the Sarang family.
They are a tribal family that has long held and
passed down the myth of the arang-utan and now
act as protectors of the returned species. They
were welcoming and happy to speak with me
about the majestic beings but would not bring me
to meet them. I couldn’t get a reason why, so I
took it on myself to sneak off and have a visit on
my own.
The orangutans and arang-utans did not like
that. I’m not positive why, but I have an idea that
since I was told to stay away, my aura would
give away that I was doing something wrong, so
I made sure to leave my masking up. Turns out
they can break through masking and likely don’t
appreciate the falsehood.
Rather than a great chance to research, I got
something tossed my way that exploded in a burst
of force that sent me flying and gave me quite the
hurting. After the locals found out, I was made
to go back before the arang-utan, masking down,
and apologize. It was humbling, but rewarding,
because it got me in back on their good side and
able to return when I have more time.
JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS //
arang-utan
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
6 3 3 6 6 3 6 5 1 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
9 9/2 A1/I3 11 10/20/+1
Skills: Astral 8, Athletics 3, Close Combat 4, Enchanting 6, Outdoors 4,
Perception 6, Stealth 2
Powers: Armor 3, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Natural Weapon
(Bite/Fists), Sapience
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 9/—/—/—/—]
Fists [Close Combat, DV 3S, 9/—/—/—/—]
Notes: The arang-utan can create preparations with any Combat, Illusion,
or Manipulation spell without drain.
Blink Sloth
(Bradypus hermes)
Speed and sloth are not linked in the minds
of most, but anyone who has ever encountered a
blink sloth in the wild surely has a different per-
spective on the creatures. Normally a toxic species
with drastically different abilities from their pro-
genitor looks different, but blink sloths are near-
ly identical to their normal relatives with the ex-
ceptions of sharp teeth and slightly longer claws.
Those two characteristics are usually only noticed
after it’s too late.
Let me clear up a quick misconception on sloths:
size. Sloths are small, even from my viewpoint. The
largest of the species are less than a meter and only
weigh eight kilos. The blink sloth actually Awak-
ened from the smaller three-toed variety and is usu-
ally only a half meter and three or four kilos. The
scary part about them is their speed, the sharpness
of their claws, and the damage the combination of
the two can do. Early researchers actually thought
studying the blink sloth would lead to the secret
of teleportation magic. It wasn’t to be, and they
instead found the blink sloth combining a momen-
tary adaptive coloration ability with an enhanced
movement ability and a lightning-fast attack. The
collection of powers allowed the blink sloth to ap-
pear as if it disappeared and reappeared at a new
location, usually with its claws buried in its prey.
It has also been known to strike and retreat in a
blink if trying to frighten a potential threat.
This predatory nature is new to this sloth spe-
cies, as their progenitors are primarily herbivores.
They are usually very specific herbivores as well,
but the blink sloth doesn’t eat any of the same
leaves. They live in the same trees and often hide
near their mundane kin, even though sloths in gen-
eral are not social creatures.

// BLINK SLOTH //
I got my blink sloth scar on my lower back,
and it cost me a kidney. I was trekking through
southern Aztlan gathering data on jaguar popula-
tions after the Az-Am war when I stopped for a
quick meal break. I was suffering through some-
thing claiming to be tuna casserole when I got a
shooting pain in my lower back. I spun and there
was nothing behind me or anywhere close to me. I
opened myself to the astral and scanned for some-
thing hiding or invisible, and a good ten meters
away was a sloth, dangling from a shaking branch
with one clawed hand off the tree and covered in
something dark and wet. I sensed the magic in it,
and as it flashed at me again, I managed to dive to
the side. Without something to catch on, the thing
goes tumbling into the underbrush. Birds flew out,
critters scattered, and then, flash, the thing zipped
back to where it started.
I realized what I was dealing with and gathered
up my stuff to move along. I barely tended to my
injury, and by the time I got to it I was already
pissing blood. A medkit hookup told me the kid-
ney was toast, and I called in my extraction way
outside of the expected parameters. Cost a pretty
nuyen, but I got patched, and now I have a good
story about a very interesting creature.
blink sloth
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
6 8 11 5 4 1 5 4 2 6 6 93
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
10 16/5 A1/I6 11 2(50*)/4/—
Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 8, Outdoors 2, Perception 6, Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 4, Brachiation, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Smell), Immu-
nity (Toxins), Natural Weapon (Claws)
Weaknesses: Reduced Senses (Sight)
Weapons:
Claws [Close Combat, DV 5P, 16/—/—/—/—]
Note: *The blink sloth is usually slow. The listed Movement is only when
it is attacking.
Gomatia
(Chamaeleo gomatus)
Sometimes it’s best to let an initial study stand
on its own rather than return for more research
and find out just how fast something can be cor-
rupted by the forces of this modern world. The
gomatia is a perfect example of this. These Awak-
ened chameleons went from obscurity to infamy in
about a year.
Shortly after my studies, corporate security corps
made a big push to bring the gomatia to the fore-
front of their security forces. Huge numbers were
pulled from the wild for both training and breeding
programs, decimating the wild population. Their
numbers dropped so significantly that the progeni-
tor chameleon species was able to make a comeback
after being nearly wiped out by its Awakened kin.
Their stealthy hunting habits translated nicely
to security work, as the gomatia would be trained
to stay out of sight and attack without warning.
In the wild, this would involve their sticky tongue
grabbing some unsuspecting prey and pulling it
into the maw of the gomatia to be crushed in its
insanely powerful jaws. As targets coming after
corporate facilities tend to be larger, the trainers
discovered they could teach the gomatia to lash
out with their tongue and then leap onto their prey
rather than pulling the target in. Gomatias were
also trained to strike at the head and neck while
leaping, often attempting to wrap their tongue
around the head of the intruder.
These training regimens were insane, but some-
one got it in their head that they would work—and
they have. This dog-sized lizard is replacing hell
hounds and bogeys as a regular sec pet.
On top of the training, some of the gomatias are
getting small modifications to their tongues. Early
efforts involved a sharp smart blade at the end, but
newer work has replaced this with a small shock
pad. This effort seemed to increase the survivabil-
ity of security gomatias, as it didn’t interfere with
their eating habits. The shock isn’t up to most tasers
// JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS
 on the market, but it’s enough to give a little edge
to the gomatia. Facilities that prefer to bring in-
truders in for questioning should talk to Petrovski
94 Security. They’ve kitted their gomatias with tongue
zappers and also designed pads for their feet that
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
shock a target when they hit, further increasing the
critter’s effectiveness. This isn’t perfect, as the go-
matia will still take a large chunk off with a bite,
but it shortens the conflict, decreasing the chance
of the gomatia being injured or killing the intruder
after multiple bites or strikes. The trained gomatia
will take a single bite from a downed target and
stop attacking as they eat their reward.
As many know from my early research, goma-
tias are not naturally aggressive unless defending
their young. Breeding programs have shifted this
and moved the gomatia further up the aggro in-
dex I have used for reference in the past. It’s a
sad shift, and it may also mean this species could
not be reintegrated into nature even if we tried.
Then again, if a stock of them escape into an ur-
ban environment in a city with suitable weather
conditions, they could rapidly become invasive
and quite problematic. I’d expect work coming in
from environmentally minded organizations and
potentially other corps that want to make a scene
involving breaking some gomatias free. If they can
get loose before they are totally security trained,
we will have a new urban predator on our hands.
My near-death run-in with a gomatia is what
triggered my return to the wild to check on them. I
wasn’t out in the jungle, but rather breaking into an
R&D black site in the Aurora Warrens. I was work-
ing with some earth-friendly folks, and they wanted
the test animals released in some classic protector
fashion. I took the easy gig to put a little extra nuy-
en in my pocket and maybe do a little good.
I was already past all the external security and
thought I was home free when I got slapped in the
back of the head with a sticky tongue. It leaped at
me while I fell to the floor, and it was on me in a
blink. The jaws were in the process of closing over
my shoulder when I let loose a bolt of lightning.
Scorched chameleon smells a lot like cooked chick-
en. Needless to say, I was a little more careful and
spotted four more before I managed to get to the
subject holding cells.
I let a couple hundred test animals go, and I’m
sure not all of them made it, but at least I was able
to use their scattered fleeing to keep my own head
out of a gomatia’s mouth.
> Wasn’t there talk of these things as pets?
> Netcat
> Yup. Still a market for them. They’re loyal to a fault with the
family and make great protection animals for young potential
kidnapping victims.
> Balladeer
JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS //
gomatia
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
6 3 1 6 3 2 6 1 1 3 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
9 7/1 A1/I2 11 5/15/+1
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 2, Perception 4, Stealth 6
Powers: Adaptive Coloration, Armor 3, Binding, Enhanced Senses (Touch,
360-Degree Vision), Immunity (Toxins), Natural Weapon (Bite)
Weaknesses: Reduced Senses (Hearing, Smell)
Weapons:
Tongue [Close Combat, DV 3S, 7/—/—/—/—]
Bite [Close Combat, DV 4P, 7/—/—/—/—]
Nartaki Gorilla
(Gorilla nartakus)
I really wish my fellow parazoological pioneers
would put a little more effort into the common
naming of new species. I feel like they cross their
cultural wires a bit too often and lead the layman
to be confused. Take the nartaki gorilla. It’s indig-
enous to Africa but has an Asian cultural reference
slapped on it because metahumans used it to name
a group of humans with one similar trait: four
arms.
Now, anyone hearing it might expect this gorilla
to sport some other variations, but they don’t. This
species sports a second pair of arms just below
their original set, but their physical appearance is
identical across all other characteristics. Even with
that being the case, those two extra arms make the
nartaki gorilla terrifying in hand-to-hand combat.
They aren’t usually conflict-oriented, though. Most
of their encounters and altercations are based on
a misperception or a need for them to seriously
defend their kin.
That’s how a quiet little gnome ran afoul of
them. I wasn’t foolishly violent, but I was tired and
defended myself with an overly boisterous Clout
spell that flattened a juvenile gorilla that was try-
ing to assert his dominance over me while I was
trying to study the multiple Awakened species of
gorilla in the region. I was actually focused on the
arcana gorilla but wasn’t having luck yet. I wasn’t
looking for trouble, but one of the males got the
feeling I was a threat. I settled that fight but found
myself hoisted up by my armpits and my head held
firmly by another pair of hands.
I tried to stay calm, but again, exhaustion wasn’t
letting me think straight. I managed to flash up a
quick fire around me, and the gorilla dropped me.
I ran to get distance, woke up my bunkmate on my
return to camp, and then got ignored by everyone
until they saw it for themselves.
critter corner: gomatia
Welcome to the jungle—it’s time for Critter Corner! I’m Gamemaster Tips
Mr. Johnson, here with the tips that might just help you live
In the jungle, gomatias are a deadly hazard. They blend
95
to enjoy retirement. Whether you’re headed into Amazonia

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

in perfectly with their environment, and their bite is deadly.
or a corp facility protected by Petrovsky, you might just have
They aren’t likely to be a serious threat to a group of people,
a run-in with a gomatia—an aggressive Awakened chame-
but they aren’t shy about grabbing an individual as they pass
leon that’s big enough to eat people. Due to their adaptive
by. Gomatias tend to be solitary, though. A gomatia attack
coloration, unless you’re exceptionally observant you’re not
against one of the PCs is likely to be a memorable encounter.
likely to see one of these critters before they strike. Goma-
Gomatias are often used for security, and guard goma-
tias are incredibly patient, capable of lying still for hours at
tias are usually augmented to make them more effective.
a time with no motion to give away their position. They have
For locations that prefer to capture intruders, Gomatias are
also taken very well to training as security animals and have
equipped with shock pads on their tongue and limbs—these
become nearly as common as hell hounds. Gomatias also
deal the same damage as a shock glove [Close Combat,
develop an attachment to their handlers or owners and are
4S(e), 5/—/—/—/—]. Deadly security gomatias are equipped
fiercely loyal and protective of them. They are sometimes
with lockjaw and natural weapon sheathing augmentations
used as bodyguard critters, most commonly as a kidnapping
(p. 139, Body Shop), along with wired reflexes to provide the
deterrent, protecting the children of wealthy and powerful
critter with enough actions to make an extra attack.
individuals.
A tongue attack with the binding power is usually what
In the wild, gomatias use their tongue to strike and bind
a gomatia uses to strike first, as their bite is their most dan-
their prey. They then draw it to their waiting mouth. Security
gerous weapon. With a base damage of 4P, even the tough-
gomatias are usually trained to strike with the tongue then
est PCs will be wary of those jaws.
leap at their prey. While the sticky tongue is dangerous, the
bite of a gomatia is deadly.
Plot Hook
How to Deal The PCs are hired to extract the teenage son of a
high-ranking executive and politician. Petrovski Security
Unfortunately you can’t just avoid gomatia by staying out
has the security contract to safeguard the extraction target,
of the jungle. Running the shadows in modern times means
and they employ a number of augmented gomatia that have
you’ll eventually have to deal with them as security critters.
been raised to be bodyguard critters. The target never goes
Easily trained, very loyal, and far less prone to arson than
anywhere without at least one gomatia, though normally
hell hounds, they’ve become downright common—especially
several more are present in hiding nearby as well. In addi-
with Petrovski security.
tion to the gomatia, the target is watched over by a small
The cardinal rule when dealing with a gomatia is “don’t
security team of two bodyguards with remote Matrix and
get bitten.” Their jaws are incredibly strong, capable of sev-
drone support.
ering a limb—or killing a metahuman outright with a single
bite, as they love to go for the head. Not getting bitten by
Milk Run
a gomatia might be tricky, though, as they’re incredibly
stealthy and aren’t likely to give away their position before The target is going on a school trip, which will take them
they strike. The key is to spot them, which is difficult but outside of their more highly secured environment. On the
more easily achieved using thermographic vision or astral trip, the target is permitted to have only one gomatia with
perception. If you do your legwork, you should be able to as- them, and their security team will be trailing nearby.
certain whether or not your target is protected by gomatia.
Taking out a gomatia is best done at range, out of the Pushing the Envelope
reach of their tongue and jaws. Don’t bother putting Nar-
The target is very resistant to being extracted and is also
coject in their food, because gomatia are immune to tox-
newly Awakened. They have no magical skills yet but are ca-
ins. If you need to take one down without killing it, use gel
pable of astral projection—and a spirit that takes the form
rounds instead of tranq darts. Gomatia have no particular
of a gomatia has taken a liking to them. One of the goma-
vulnerabilities or resistances. Just remember the rule, and
tias that watches over the target is a powerful free spirit of
stay away from those jaws.
beasts.

// JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS


Nartaki Gorilla
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
96 8 3 4 9 2 2 4 2 1 6 6 fact, when I first crossed over, I thought I was
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
8 8/1 A1/I2 12 10/20/+1
Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 8, Outdoors 3, Perception 5, Stealth 3
Powers: Armor 4, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Natural Weapon
(Bite/Fists)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 5P, 13/—/—/—/—]
Fists [Close Combat, DV 5S 13/—/—/—/—]
Note: The nartaki gorilla does not split its dice pool when making multiple
melee attacks.
Planar Dart Frog
(Ameerega metaplanus)
I don’t know who originally discovered the
powers of this critter, but they were one very des-
perate individual. Either desperate for a strange
escape from the world they live in or a total es-
cape from life. The planar dart frog is an Awak-
ened version of the poison dart frog. I haven’t
been able to analyze exactly which species it
arose from due to its powers, but I was able to
study it for a short while and interview a handful
of local tribes on what it can do and why.
No singular consensus came about on the
“why.” Most believe it is some form of spiritual
gift for the local tribes as a way for them to es-
cape if the world turns to darkness again. These
were their words. They spoke a lot about their
old myths and legends, and how the world of
magic is only the beginning. They feel it will be-
come more and more magically infused (similar
to the hypotheses of many arcanologists), but at
a certain point, the magic will be so great that
other planes will touch ours and bring great de-
struction and corruption.
Back to the planar dart frog. These small
amphibians are primarily black with several
brightly colored stripes that shift with an irides-
cent sheen. They are similar in stature to their
relatives, meaning they’re tiny. Also like their
relatives, their skin contains quite a concoction.
Unlike their mundane kin, this substance is not
toxic, but instead is arcanely imbued. When the
frog comes in contact with a vibrant aura, such
as that of a metahuman and especially an Awak-
ened, it fuels itself from that aura and opens a
metaplanar gateway.
I’m not one hundred percent proud to say I
know where it goes, but I made my second and
third journeys with the intention of exploration,
not just because I accidentally bumped into a frog.
The gateway opens to a jungle plane. The
place is old and at its center sits ruins similar to
JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS //
those of early mesoamerican cultures. I didn’t
run across any current residents, but the flora
and fauna of the region are quite spectacular. In
hallucinating.
Everything on this plane grows in a shade of
neon, and the day/night cycle is a mix of light
similar to our own during the day. At night, the
purple light of the moon is like a blacklight. The
entire place is like some weird trippy dream.
The first time I crossed over, it was an acci-
dent. I simply brushed a leaf and knocked loose
a frog that was hiding under it. It landed on my
arm, and without thinking, I made an effort to
shoo it from my sleeve. It was quite the strange
shift to have my surroundings go from the rich,
dark greens and blacks of the nighttime jungle to
a glowing jungle-themed rave. I was just glad I
am well-versed in metaplanar travel and assens-
ing, or else I might have freaked out. Instead, I
used the chance to do a little exploring before
discovering the return comes with the rising or
setting sun. Their “days” are exactly twelve hours
long, as are their nights, and we cannot stay past
a single cycle from a single dose.
Yes, if you have a supply of the planar dart
frogs, you can keep popping back and forth. I
was afraid to do this, as it wasn’t very scientifi-
cally proven. Several of the tribesmen mentioned
doing it just to get a more thorough exploration
of the other side. They didn’t report much more
than I was able to find out on my own, but they
discovered that this metaplane is finite. Altogeth-
er the plane spans less than a day’s walk across.
I have plans to return and do some more re-
search, but the frogs are not in high supply.
planar dart frog
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
1 3 3 1 4 1 3 1 1 8 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
1 6/1 A1/I2 3 5/10/+1
Skills: Athletics 2, Outdoors 2, Perception 3
Powers: Metaplanar Gateway, Wall Walking
Weakness: Fragile 6
Spider Beast
(Nephila gigantus)
I think the most terrifying part of the spider
beast for me personally is the fact that it’s bigger
than me. Its body is only a half meter or so, but its
legs exceed that, and overall they can sprawl almost
two meters from hooked claw to hooked claw. Even
though they are quite large, they are also rather
light for their volume, weighing in under 1.5 kilos.
Most of their body and legs are hollow chitin with
thin, powerful muscle fibers and a closed rather
than open vascular system.
They aren’t aggressive hunters, falling instead
into the web hunter category. They spin large webs
across any fairway they can and then lie in wait
nearby to pounce on anything they sense entering
their food catcher. They are adept at telling the dif-
ference between live prey and inanimate junk that
lands in the web, but a large portion of that is due to
the panic response most creatures (including meta-
humans) have when they get stuck in or contact a
web.
Once in contact, the spider beast flashes into
motion. They go in for a quick bite to inject their
venom, and depending on the prey’s response, they
either back off and let the paralytic properties of
their venom take hold or they start the binding pro-
cess right away. So much fun to get wrapped up in
a cocoon to eventually be eaten. The really twisted
part of that is that their venom isn’t toxic enough to
kill you outright. You just get paralyzed and bound
up before they bite you several more times so that
their venom can dissolve you from the inside out.
The luckiest you can be is for the poison to turn
your heart or brain to mush first so you can stop
sensing your own slow demise.
I appreciate my luck when it comes to surviving
deadly encounters, especially when it’s solely due to
the fact that I can use magic to protect myself and
get out of jams. In the case of the spider beast, I lev-
itated right into a web as I was moving up into the
jungle canopy to get a better point of view.
I stuck immediately and spotted the spider beast
coming. I put all my faith in my armor spell and was
rewarded with a bite but no venom. I held still any-
way and played dead. As the critter started to wrap
me, I flared up a little flame fingers spell I designed,
burned the web and most of my binding while also
scorching the spider and getting it to back off. I kept
up the levitation and moved away to watch the spi-
der beast come back out and go about rebuilding its
web. The burns didn’t seem to bother it much, and
it had a new web done in less than thirty minutes.
spider beast
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
2 4 3 2 3 1 3 1 1 6 6 was borderline painful but plenty uncomfortable,
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
6 6/3 A1/I4 5 5/15/+1
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 3, Outdoors 2, Perception 3, Stealth 6
Powers: Armor 4, Enhanced Senses (Tactile), Natural Weapon (Bite/
Claws), Substance Extrusion (Spider Silk), Venom (Vector: Injection;
Speed: 1 combat round; Power: Magic; Effect: Dazed, Immobilized, Nause-
ated, Poisoned (Magic)P), Wall Walking
Weakness: Fragile 4
Weapons:
Bite/Claws [Close Combat, DV 1P (plus venom), 5/—/—/—/—]
Talis Cat
(Acinonyx lycos)
I haven’t done a lot of research work in south- 97
ern Asia, but one species I put some time into was
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
the talis cat. I have been intrigued by this unique
shapeshifter since my early days of studying para-
zoology even though early research thought it
was a cheetah shifter rather than the Awakened
critter that it is. What makes the talis cat special
is its dual forms. It can shift between a great cat
form and a size more akin to a large domestic
cat. Both forms have the same swirling black fur
pattern with the distinctive “M” marking on their
forehead.
Talis cats are social beings. They live in small
prides with about a half-dozen members, all led
by a dominant female. This family group is key to
their success, as they can breed all year round and
have litters of up to three kittens. Encountering
a lone talis cat usually means it is a male or an
adolescent female that has not formed or fit into
a pride yet. When breeding, the males tend to be
more aggressive, while the females are more ag-
gressive during rearing.
Along with their shifting ability, the talis cat
has a remarkably wide range of vocalizations,
including the typical purrs, yaps, and yowls, but
also adding whistles, chattering sounds, and a
bird-like chirp. All of the sounds are used to com-
municate with other talis cats and as threat dis-
plays for rival predators.
They also make a great way to chase off a nosy
gnome when he gets a little too close to their den
when there is a litter of kittens around. I was trying
to get close enough to get a count on them and get
a rare chance to see which form they maintain as
kittens, if they only maintain one. I thought I was
doing a great job of astral and physical stealth
when I got impolitely reminded that I’m not an
expert in sneaking around the jungle. A small-
form talis cat was hiding in the branches above
me, an angle I wasn’t covering in my stealthiness.
I heard a couple quick chirps, and then a trio of
large forms slipped up out of the ground foliage
ahead of me. All three started this series of disso-
nant sounds, and my ears just couldn’t take it. It
so I started to back off. All four stalked and in-
timidated me until I was almost a kilometer from
their den before they turned back. It was a strange
experience to say the least, and I eventually spoke
with some locals about it. They said I was lucky
and blessed by the gods, as most people who get
that display end up a meal.
// JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS
 read memories. The critter was all black, though the
talis cat (cheetah form) hint of the jaguar’s color pattern was there.
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS I stayed out too long. The tunche got wind of me
98 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 3 1 6 6 and turned its powers and attentions toward me.
While I should have known better, as it couldn’t be
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE the voice of Dr. Patterson calling for help, the call
8 5/2 A1/I3 11 15/80/+4
also has a compulsion within it. I walk right to-
Skills: Athletics 2, Close Combat 3, Outdoors 2, Perception 2, Stealth 2 ward the voice, and suddenly I’m engulfed in water
Powers: Armor 3, Astral Mask, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), as my summoned spirit materializes and basically
Movement (Self), Natural Weapon (Bite/Claws), Shift slaps me back to my senses. Came out of it in a
Weapons:
Bite/Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 8/—/—/—/—]
staring contest with the tunche—and thanks to the
spirit being around, I won.
Notes: *The talis cat has two forms—cheetah and domestic cat. The tunche slipped back into the brush, and it
stayed clear of me and all my efforts after that.

talis cat (domestic form)

tunche
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
2 6 4 1 3 3 2 3 1 6 6
4 4 5 4 3 2 6 2 2 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
5 6/2 A1/I3 5 10/40/+2
6 11/2 A1/I3 10 15/30/+1
Skills: Athletics 2, Close Combat 3, Outdoors 2, Perception 2, Stealth 2
Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Stealth 6
Powers: Armor 3, Astral Mask, Desire Reflection, Enhanced Senses (Low-
Powers: Armor 2, Compulsion, Enhanced Senses (Smell, Low-light Vision),
Light Vision), Movement (Self), Shift
Fear, Mimicry, Natural Weapon (Bite/Claws)
Weakness: Fragile 4
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 9/—/—/—/—]
Notes: *The talis cat has two forms—cheetah and domestic cat.
Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 12/—/—/—/—]

Tunche Void Wasp

(Panthera tunche)
This was probably the best-known myth of the
Peruvian jungle. Tunche, which was an indigenous
expression meaning “fear,” is the name given to
this critter that stalks the Peruvian jungle at night.
Legend says it can take the form of anyone the
victim knows, thus making it easier to approach
them. Its methods aren’t unique, as many oth-
er critters create illusions to draw in prey. What
makes the tunche special is its ability to read the
sensory memories of its victims and use those to
form their trap.
The parazoological nature of the tunche was in
question, as many thought it was a hungry spirit,
and I decided to head into the Peruvian jungle and
do some of my own research. It wasn’t easy, but
getting in with some local tribes helped me get a
line on where to start. Most of the locals didn’t
care about the critter’s origins, only that it was
dangerous, but they were fine with me potentially
upsetting the spirit as long as I didn’t bring its tor-
ment back to them.
Little did they know that in order to hunt and
track the tunche, I needed to use them as bait. I set up
my fake hunting camp about a half kilometer from
a village and then snuck back, used invisibility, and
tracked villagers who left. I discovered the tunche
was actually an Awakened jaguar with abilities sim-
ilar to the incubus but with the additional ability to
(Apoica arcavoidus)
With magic flowing through the Amazon like
the waters of the great river, the presence of a spe-
cies that creates gaps in that flow wasn’t a surprise.
Especially considering the number of these species
that have been rising up around the globe. As the
average ambient level of mana seems to keep ris-
ing, so too does the number of critters and entities
that possess the power to vacate small patches of
the manasphere.
The void wasp is a slightly bulkier example of
the wasp family. Its body is primarily black but
contains iridescent stripes along the head and ab-
domen. The wing color varies, with black veins
running through the translucent skin when the
wasp is not actively jamming the astral, and an
opalescent glow within the veins when it is.
Like other wasps, they are social and hive based,
with their hives usually built into the dead trunks
of Awakened trees, especially the sangre del dia-
blo. The abundance of these trees along the bor-
ders during the Az-Am War has now diminished,
but they have been replaced by an abundance of
void wasp nests. That’s like trading bad news for
worse, because at least the trees weren’t mobile.
Their nests are identified by the tough black chitin
from which they are built and the regular mana
void that surrounds them. This void is provided by
a small group of the wasps that each cycle through

JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS //


// VOID WASP //
their power in order to keep it up. If the hive is
threatened, more of the wasps will activate and ex-
pand the magical dead zone before others fly out
and make it even bigger. During my studies, I once
spotted a mana void that was close to a half kilo-
meter across created by a threatened hive.
While seeing that was scary, it wasn’t my fault,
and it wasn’t what nearly got me killed. To pull off
that trick, I had to be far more alone, as I was ac-
tually taking an extended vacation (lying low) and
visiting a tribe of gnomes I had run across during a
job. They were friendly and welcoming, and I truly
felt at home during my two days with them in the
course the run, and I promised them I’d come back.
Something about a group of your own people
when you’ve lived in a world not built for you just
draws you back. It feels like you’re part of some-
thing bigger, like a little nation of my own. It didn’t
hurt that many of the tribeswomen were quite
smitten with me.
While I was there, the tribal hunters had crossed
paths with a void wasp nest while out on a hunt.
An errant arrow punctured the hive and drew their
attention to the gnomes. The nest began to spread
99
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
their void, pushing out in ever-larger rings search-
ing for the source of the attack on their nest. A
second hunting party was nearly killed by them,
but in their escape they led the wasps directly back
to where the village was.
The wasps came en masse to attack the village,
trailing and pushing the size of their void ever larg-
er and larger. The gnomes were mostly mundane
hunters, and old-fashioned ingenuity and pure vio-
lence held them back and saved most of the village.
After they were pushed out, though, I was asked
to go and chase them down. I knew it wasn’t an
easy task, especially for me with how much I rely
on magic, but I felt honored to be asked. Turned
out it wasn’t really an honor, but more on that in
a minute.
Luckily for me, part of lying low meant a lot
of the extra arms and explosives were left at my
disposal. Loading up on big ordnance, I started the
slow trek through the jungle. I couldn’t levitate my
way in for fear of losing the spell to a void.
Luckily, the hive was not too far. Unluckily, it
also seemed to pop out of nowhere, since so many
maps of the region weren’t reliable. I was partial-
// JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS
 ly lost when I came across several wasps flying in
the vicinity of the trail I was following. I wasn’t
alone at that moment, but my hunting companions
100 weren’t savvy in the gear I had, so they were still
relying on bows and spears. One of them seemed a
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
where near as fast or maneuverable. They got close
enough to void me.
Spell dropped, and so did I. Luckily, I was over
water and went splash instead of splat. A quick
Oxygenate spell before I hit and a couple meters

bit overzealous and started attacking the trio I was of diving kept me out of void range, and I swam
trying to trail. The others joined in, and the wasps to safety.
turned on us. The tribals fled, but one of them got Got back to the tribe and I was a hero! Spent
jabbed. In their delirium, they confessed everything the next few weeks being idolized before I had to
while begging me to save them. Turns out the trib- head home. It was probably for the best, as I’m
al leader who “honored” me was actually ticked I pretty sure some of the tribesmen were plotting my
was getting along so well with the ladies and sent accidental demise.
me out on what he considered a suicide mission.
All that did was make me want to be successful
even more! void wasp
I cleared out my CI’s system and sent him pack- B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
ing. Letting him know I would keep his delirious 1 8 11 1 1 1 5 5 2 6 6
confession in confidence. Flying solo wasn’t the
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
best plan, but it was better than having unreliable 2/5/+1 (10/25/+3
backup. It also let me change up my tactics. 1 16/2 A1/I3 1
Flying)
I summoned a spirit to help me locate the hive,
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 5 (Flying +3), Close Combat 6, Outdoors 4, Per-
basically just telling them to find the void. It wasn’t ception 5, Stealth 4
hard for them, and I ditched my worry about los- Powers: Arcane Dampening, Dual Natured, Energy Drain (Magic), En-
ing a Levitate spell. Once I had the spot, I floated hanced Senses (Motion Detection, Smell, Thermographic Vision), Fear,
my way up out of the canopy and used a rather Natural Weapon (Stinger), Venom (Vector: Injection; Speed: 1 combat
round; Power: 10; Effect: Dazed, Poisoned (Magic)S)
amusing grenade launcher to blast the hive from Weakness: Fragile 8
above. I felt like I was an attack chopper raining Weapons:
down fire on the enemy. Stinger [Close Combat, DV 1S (plus venom), 12/—/—/—/—]
Until some of the survivors spotted me. They
zipped up at my hoop, and I was hosed. I tried to
book it and fight them off in the air, but I was no-

JUNGLES AND RAINFORESTS //

 SAVANNAS
Posted by: G-Nome
The beauty of tall grasses as far as the eye can
see … which is all of about a meter for someone
my height. Personally, I find the savannah to be
somewhat terrifying. It’s a mix of a maze where ev-
erything looks the same and a horror movie where
something can jump out at you at any moment.
Now, this is on foot. Toss me in a buggy or a rover,
and it’s a different story.
A savanna is a mixed woodland-grassland
ecosystem characterized by the trees being suffi-
ciently widely spaced so that the canopy does not
close. The open canopy allows light to reach the
ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer
consisting primarily of grasses. These grasses sup-
port large herds of animals, which in turn support
strong populations of predatory species. Weather
in the savanna is generally warm all year round,
with a slight cooling during the dry season and a
hot and humid wet season.
These regions are covered in grassland with
sporadic copses of trees that provide great hiding
spots for hunters, the occasional watering hole that
can be great places to catch prey stopping by for a
drink, and small rivers and streams that appear and
disappear based on the whims of Mother Nature.
They are an expansive mix of what makes a forest,
a grasslands, a riverland, and a desert all interesting
with species uniquely adapted to this life.
The greatest effect the Sixth World has had on
the savannahs is legend. The legends of the peo-
ple reflect the variety of life in these lands, which
reflects the variety of mana in this land, which re-
flects the variety of paranormal critters that call
this place home. This close tie to legends and
myths leads to some highly localized species. These
species are then spread around the area by their
own dietary needs or by the efforts of corporations
or governments that find some value in a species
being relocated or expanded, usually for security
purposes, whether that is the security of their facil-
ities from getting wrecked or being captured and
trained to act as security for their facilities.
// SAVANNAS
102 // CONWAY’S CHEETAH //
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
Conway’s Cheetah
(Acinonyx conway)
Let me start by thanking Clockwork for his
suggestion to check on the “six-legged leopard”
in Asamando, as it turned fruitful in many ways
with my extended survey and study of Conway’s
Cheetah.
As mentioned in previous files, this specimen is
hexipedal, can straight-line sprint 160kph, hunts
with unmatched agility thanks to the extra legs
and radial alignment of their paws, is highly intel-
ligent and social, and is far more widespread than
was initially thought.
This spread was the focus to my research. I was
making an effort to determine where the addition-
al specimens discovered by Conway had ended up
and how. I was expecting to find a lot of metahu-
man intervention, but rather I discovered a style of
expansion not unlike an invasive species.
Initial investigations located several specimens
that had been captured and trained. A few by war-
lords as power-display pets. A dozen by a band of
Azanian ecoterrorists using them as attack animals.
A total of 37 in the hands of various megacorpo-
rations in research, security, and private pets. The
largest total quantity were still wild specimens
which now number nearly 15,000 by my estimates
courtesy of a massive breeding spike.
SAVANNAS //
Let me start with Asamando. I have decent
enough relations with the ghoul nation that they
don’t make me jump through as many hoops as
long as I’m honest with them. As my trip was
purely scientific, it was easy honesty. I told them I
was put on the trail of a six-legged leopard. They
chuckled a bit, gave me some rough GPS coordi-
nates, and asked if I had any questions. I asked
about the chuckle and they were very clear the
creature was not a leopard, it was not native to
their nation, it was not Infected, and its numbers
were growing.
It was a great start. As it turned out, that coa-
lition was started by a trio of matriarchs from the
Serowe mine group who departed Azania early in
their pregnancy and ran north. They hunted along
the way but moved as quickly as they could and
finally settled where the first litter was born.
This is the pattern for all of their expansions
and why now, after just half a decade or so, spec-
imens can be found across the temperate latitudes
of Africa, Europe, and Asia. I would not be sur-
prised if an escape in North or South America does
not lead to a similar expansion. In studying the As-
amando coalition, I discovered a hierarchy in their
social structure, which also played a part in their
expansion. Once a coalition reached 50 members,
the three healthiest females would be impregnated
and sent off to the next place. The locations ar-
en’t selected, it’s simply a factor of good traveling
weather and speed.
 Local adaptations have sprung up, with a few
of the Asamando cheetahs demonstrating more
black in their fur. Due to their origins, most coali-
tions do finally settle down in locations with some
level of background count or radiation.
After my great luck with the coalition in Se-
rowe, I was ready for more. The problem is, none
of these creatures wanted anything to do with me.
I tried to ingratiate myself to them with food and
they ignored it. I spent a few daylight hours adding
some large canvas husks to give them more space
outside the sunlight. Not one cared.
Then I spotted her. The scarring in her fur was
distinct and I knew right away this was the cheetah
I had saved. I am positive she recognized me, as she
pounced on me the moment she spotted me. The
moment of identification was punctuated by two
other Conway’s leaping at me as well. She got me
down, I did not get back up, and the others circled
a little snapping at her.
I used a homemade mind link to get a lot of what
I know and a little of what was she was thinking
in that moment. They all carry some slight bit of
genetic memory and know what happened to their
progenitors. They also know that their line only
exists because of a rather twisted Cheetah shaman
from the Serowe area. It was an interesting experi-
ence to say the least.
Mojo to bring back dead species, even if a little
twisted, would be good money to the right market.
conway’s cheetah
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
7 8 6 6 5 2 6 4 3 6 6 air intake systems. The same move with the drones
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
13 12/3 A1/I4 12 20/60/+5
Skills: Astral 5, Athletics 8 (Running +2), Close Combat 8, Outdoors 5, Per-
ception 7, Stealth 5
Powers: Armor 6, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Smell, Motion
Detection), Immunity (Radiation, Toxins), Movement (Self), Natural Weap-
on, Pounce (must Run, successful attack causes Knockdown)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, 8P, 10/—/—/—/—]
Firelion
(Panthera Leo infernus)
A modern legend of the Zulu tribe speaks of the
flame-hearted lion that rises up to bring a power
and unity to the tribe not known for hundreds of
years, since the imperialists brought war to their
tribal lands. I headed off to Azania and began
looking into this species with serious precautions
in place after hearing what had happened to sever-
al other research groups.
The firelion is physically dangerous. Besides
their fire traits, they are a quarter larger than their
mundane counterparts. The male variety of this
Awakened lion has a flame orange mane and black
tuft of hair at the end of its tail that can ignite. The
rest of its fur is a charred black color but often
appears grayish white from smudges of ash created 103
by their fires. They are obviously extremely resis-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
tant to fire. The female lacks the mane, but the tail
tuft is still there and in place of a mane they bear
thick tufts of fur over their paws.
The paws and mane of female and male create
an extremely flammable oil that burns at an ex-
treme heat but is quickly consumed. A portion of
this is arcane and related to the firelion’s resistance.
These oils will be spread in a pattern to corral prey
or create traps once ignited.
It was a challenging study. We needed to maintain
observation distance with successful tracking, full
stealth protocols, and a full 360-degree security field.
Thanks to a rather generous grant by Evo and the use
of some of their latest and greatest experimental tech,
we were able to silently glide high above the territo-
ries of several separate prides and keep tabs.
That key word right there is the big hint for how I
ended up trapped in a blaze, surrounded by a hunting
pride that was expert at thwarting my every move.
It started so innocuously, with a few minor ship
alarms and some platitudes by the Evo techs about
nothing wrong. Then four of the drones went out
in rapid succession followed by more platitudes. It
was just one day. It was just a short stint. Didn’t
lead to anything, but it was certainly something
intentional. We snagged some footage from the
node and spotted the actions of the lions. Three
young males released large quantities of their oil,
the vapors rising and initializing some error in the
caused them to flame out and crash.
Give it a few days, we see some excellent hunts,
including a hunt that brings down an earthshaker,
and we’re all calmed down a bit about the glitches
but living on cloud nine from the research. As we
are evaluating patterns in the burn corralling, the
air system alarms go off again. One moment the
ARO is chirping, the next we see a fireflash and the
whole rig is filled with smoke, lurching, then plum-
meting. Several pops in the distance have the rigger
screaming, and then BOOM! We are dirtside.
Exterior footage shows the pride members
oiling and popping the doors they can reach.
A moment later they’re inside the craft and it’s
close quarters combat with massive feline preda-
tors flashing fires on walls and along floors. Troll
sec guards go hand-to-hand. One moment it’s all
tooth, claws, tusks, horns, and spurs; the next it’s
a flash and a flame-up, and the troll is down after
being smeared in oil.
I’m stuck on the troll sec train wreck and Kast-
lana slaps the back of my head and starts dragging
me back down the corridor. She’s been the expert
on their hunting patterns and styles and was the
only way I got dragged back out of that crashed
// SAVANNAS
104 // FIRELION //
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

Evo piece of experimental crap. It was a nightmare from its mundane kin. Bulkier than even the largest
escape and only Kastlana and I made it. bull African elephant, its sheer size is enough to sepa-
rate it visually from the mundane herd. Add in thick
armored plates protecting its head, shoulders, chest,
firelion spine, and joints, and you get a beast that looks more
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS like a dinosaur than an elephant. This Awakened vari-
12 4 4 10 3 2 6 4 2 6 6 ant has four tusks rather than the standard two, with
the lower pair ending in heavy spherical bludgeons.
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
18 10/2 A1/I3 14 10/20/+2
General coloration is similar to the deep grey of the
African elephant with some lighter and darker patch-
Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 8, Outdoors 6, Perception 6, Stealth 5 es near the plates. This color pattern should not be
Powers: Armor 6, Elemental Attack (Fire), Energy Aura (Fire), Engulf, En-
hanced Senses (Low-Light Vision, Scent), Immunity (Fire), Natural Weapon
considered standard, as I only studied three individual
Weapons: specimens, and one of them had no color variation.
Claws [Close Combat, 10P, 14/—/—/—/—] The most important and the truly distinctive
feature of the bullyphant is social rather than
physical. The protective instincts of the bullyphant
Bullyphant are key in its socialization among other elephant
herds. The bullyphant is a keen protector, spotting
(Loxodonta africana bulleus)
and chasing poachers and predators in the wild,
Studying a creature that has individual bones in but also coming into urbanized areas and freeing
its body that outmass me is an intimidating pros- elephants from captivity. This behavior is easily
pect, but after several successful projects in Africa, explained in the wilds, but a bullyphant’s innate
I was hired by one of the Big Ten to study this in- ability to detect a distressed elephant is wholly pa-
teresting pachyderm, and the money was right for ranatural. While not gifted with any powers that
the risk. It was during this research that I nearly increase its speed, the bullyphant has an exception-
died, but before we get to that story, I feel a primer al constitution, and it can go for days without rest.
of information on the bullyphant is necessary. In fact, during my entire two-month study, I never
Physically, this paracritter is easy to distinguish saw any of the specimens sleep.

SAVANNAS //
// BULLYPHANT //
With this unique protective behavior, most can
quickly see why Evo, the Big Ten member fund-
ing the research, wanted this new paraspecies doc-
umented. They had issues with a specimen that
wrecked an R&D facility after an elephant walked
into the electrified fence. The fence didn’t have
enough voltage to really do much more than star-
tle the elephant, but it was enough to draw the ire
of a bullyphant.
I avoided the same ire in my studies but fell into
the same category and came to the same fate as
that R&D facility. I became collateral damage. The
bullyphant is only concerned about the wellbeing
of the elephants it protects. It doesn’t care about
anything or anyone else.
I was simply in the wrong spot at the wrong time.
I was watching the herd from a small hide. The hide
was in a tree, and that tree happened to fall in the
path between a calf that had been hit by a tranquil-
izer dart and a bullyphant that had been watching
over this particular herd from a distance. I spotted
the calf stumbling, and the thunderous pounding of
the bullyphant at a dead run started only a second
later. I turned my attention back to the subject of
my study only to see “Bertha,” my nickname for this
specimen, running straight at me.
I wasn’t sure if I was the target, possibly being
spotted and blamed simply by my presence, but I
knew my only escape was up. I stepped from the
hide and cast my signature levitation spell and
man, have I never felt like I was moving so slow! I
also got a full grasp of how large bullyphants are
as I cleared the treetop and barely cleared its head
as it swung those hefty lower tusks and shattered
the tree I had been in. I was suddenly surround-
ed by leaves, splinters, and branches shooting past
me. Several managed to hit me, and I barely held
my focus on my spell. 105
Once the bullyphant was clear of me, I got my
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
wits about me, wrapped myself in a nice invisibil-
ity spell, and followed behind. The massive beast
ran straight into a small camp covered in camou-
flage netting. Along with smashing everything in
the camp, it killed all the poachers there, including
chasing several down and stomping through four
hides that I hadn’t the slightest clue were there.
Along with my close encounter with the after-
life, this was the closest I got to a specimen and the
only eyewitness encounter I had of an attack.
bullyphant
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
18 3 3 30 4 2 8 6 2 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
32 11/1 A1, I2 17 10/20/+1
Skills: Athletics 7 (Running +2), Close Combat 8, Influence 6 (Intimidation
+2), Outdoors 7, Perception 8
Powers: Armor 8, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Hardened Armor
6, Natural Weapon
Weapons:
Tusks [Close Combat, DV 18P, 16/—/—/—/—]
Aerial Ostrich
(Struthio camelus aerius)
Whether seen from close or far, these odd avi-
ans don’t look like they should be capable of flight
until they are in the air. On the ground, it is slightly
shorter than a standard ostrich but with a more
bulbous body that conceals its neatly folded wings
against its actually narrow frame. Its ability to
fly is actually arcane in nature, similar to that of
dragons. The coloration is also a bit bolder, with
blacks and browns replaced with vibrant purples
and reds. In flight, they are a beautiful sight, as the
wings appear reflective.
While they are included in this biome, they
appear in places besides savannas. It is, however,
the only place they come back to for breeding, as
they still interbreed with their mundane kin. Their
ability to fly makes them a common sight in loca-
tions around the world, generally along the same
latitude as the breeding flock they return to. From
what I have seen, they follow the trade winds and
complete one full circumnavigation every two
years, at which time they land among their breed-
ing flock, complete a breeding cycle, and take off
for another two years, often with any new aerial
ostriches born from the breeding.
The importance of these birds to the shadows
lies in the value of their feathers. They are used as
reagents and in enchantments as well as being very
// SAVANNAS
 desirable in the fashion world as hat accessories.
High fashion lines will often pay more than arcane
manufacturing for intact feathers. A single aerial
106 ostrich can be worth upward of 100k if the feath- // AERIAL OSTRICH //
ers can be protected during capture.
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

Occasionally, I need to make my own money in

order to fund personal research so I’m not always
stuck schlepping around the world being lied to
by one corp or another about why they want in-
formation on a paranormal species. That is how I
got in with a small runner team that had plans to
make a big score collecting on a flock. They had
done the research and been in their planning phase
for almost two years, since the last time the flock
passed through the Carib League, and they hired
me at go-time for my parazoological expertise.
I looked into this species and found notes on
their existence but very little actual information on
them, as no one had done much scientific research.
That’s how we ended up going after the flock, and
rather than successfully netting a handful of these
beauties, we ended up getting unceremoniously
lifted into the air with them and then dropped into
the Caribbean Sea. I obviously protected myself
from the fall, but to be levitated unwillingly was
an unpleasant, unusual sensation. It also had me
nervous they possessed more powers I needed to
worry about.
That was not the case, and I discovered anoth-
er difference between the common ostrich, which
usually eats vegetation but will gobble the occa-
sional insect, and this Awakened kin, which of-
ten eats the meat of creatures it lifts and drops to
their doom. Even though they are not large, they
can “lift” 50-kilogram prey on their own. Flocks
working together have been seen lifting a 500-kilo-
gram horse to its gravity-induced demise.

aerial ostrich
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
2 4 2 1 1 1 4 2 1 6 6

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
5/10/+2
2 6/1 A1/I2 5
(20/30/+3 Flying)

Skills: Athletics 4 (Flying +2), Close Combat 3, Outdoors 3, Perception 4

Powers: Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Innate Spell (Levitate), Nat-
ural Weapon
Weaknesses: Fragile 4
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 6/—/—/—/—]

All-Seeing Leopard
(Panthera planarus)
These solitary creatures are reclusive to a point
unmatched by other species I have studied. They
prefer solitude, and if they feel they are being im-
pinged upon, they will step across to either anoth-

SAVANNAS //
er metaplane or the astral plane, as if they were
a spirit. No other biological entities have similar
spiritual abilities.
Let me diverge to a description. Picture a leop-
ard, but instead of the standard spots, the spaces
are filled with eyes. Not in such a way to make it
look like some form of horrific creature, but rather
small gem-like “eyeballs” surrounded by various
shapes and patterns of the fur to represent the va-
riety of eye types around our world and other sim-
ilarly populated metaplanes.
Each orb is different, and at times each offers
a small window of access to another metaplane,
into the astral plane, or even into a dark void.
Some doctors, with Dr. Colbie Leach leading the
pack, are proving over and over that this species
is a living, breathing, eating metaplanar gateway,
a pseudo-physical counterpoint to the Dweller
on the Threshold. According to Dr. Leach, each
eye can open to create a gateway to wherever it
sees. Access and connection with specimens allow
crossovers similar to the early work of Dr. Dyno
Myte.
It’s a valuable tool for the corporate upper ech-
elon that could manage to create ultrasecure meet-
ings by opening access to distant planes or even
those void points—if they are survivable. Capture
and training are at the top of the corporate want list
for them. It’s also at the top of the list for Dr. Leach.
I was working with Colbie, a skilled parabiolo-
gist and artist, when the subject we were patiently
surveilling became the target for a corporate kid-
napping.
While we had thought our presence well-cov-
ered, the leopard was fully aware of us (all those
eyes, you kind of should expect it). When the team
came for it, out of some sense of either benevo-
lence or need to have food on this other plane, Dr.
Colbie and I were shifted through one of the eyes
and taken with the gateway leopard to a separate
metaplane. At first, I had thought he simply shifted
us to the precipice of the Dweller’s domain, as it
was simply a bridge and precipice, but as I gazed
around, I noticed huts along the precipice and a
wooded vale behind us.
I expected the leopard to head for the woods, but
instead it prowled toward a cabin. Torn between pro-
tecting the locals and risking what could be our only
way back, I could not strike out against the leopard
and instead charged ahead to warn the family.
As I thrust open the door, I should have seen
my first clue, the handles were paw-shaped and set
low, but to me it was just like home (minus the
paw thing). In an instant, a black form was landing
hard on my chest, claws digging in and full body
weight slamming me to the hard rocky ground.
Teeth bared, the beast growled and snapped until a
deep gravelly voice boomed, “Leave it be, Ghork.”
It was the leopard that had brought us.
He introduced himself as Seweshk, and he, Dr.
Colbie, Ishka (his mate), and I chatted a bit to
learn more about their kind. They were not the
most loquacious, and at times it felt like having
a conversation with Many-Names. They are a 107
paranormal species. All of them can trace their
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
line back to a mundane leopard before they were
touched by the planes. For most, it occurred near
major historical mana spikes. Their numbers are
few, but they know as the mana well rises they
will once again come back and act as protectors
of the world.
During the last age, many of them were hunt-
ed due to the misguided notion that they were the
monsters.
As demonstrated with us, these beings can make
a metaplanar journey far easier.
all-seeing leopard
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
5 6 6 4 6 4 5 4 4 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
8 11/3 A1/I4 11 15/30/+2
Skills: Astral 5, Athletics 4, Close Combat 5, Exotic Weapon 5, Outdoors
5, Perception 6
Powers: Armor 3, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-Light Vision,
Smell), Metaplanar Gateway, Movement (Self), Natural Weapon, Sapience
Weapons:
Claws [Close Combat, DV 5P, 9/—/—/—/—]
Apocalypse Rhino
(Diceros apocalyptus)
With every bit of good that comes in the Awak-
ening, there always seems to be some dark equiv-
alent. The return of the black rhino population
marked another significant victory for Mother Na-
ture until one by one, the eyes of the black rhinos
turned a sickly orange, and the species became in-
creasingly nocturnal. Their movements and activi-
ties became less trackable and horror stories about
them became commonplace.
Herds slowly strolling through a town and every-
one getting sick behind them. Single rhinos stalking
individual members of a family until none were left.
Herds trampling through a town leaving the struc-
tures and people in shambles. Single rhinos or herds
that are seen around a village just before their crops
die off or their water source dries up.
If you’re following the pattern, you’ll notice
these toxic rhinos follow the legends of the biblical
four horsemen. Once they are spotted in a region,
you can be sure runners are going to start getting
big game hunting calls. The question becomes
whether they are willing to step into the events
that always just seem inevitable.
Money is money, but survival and success are
nice sometimes. If you get a toxic black rhino gig,
make sure to get cash up front.
// SAVANNAS
 I didn’t take a job against them, as I had already
done a two-month study of a herd in Azania that
managed to carve out their own little corner of the
108 merged kingdoms, and I knew better. This doesn’t
mean my frequent work in Africa didn’t involve a
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
chance encounter.
I was on the move from Joburg over to Cape
Town in one of the regular hamster balls I use
down there when I felt the earth start to shake.
I scanned the rear view, and there they were, a
good dozen of these orange-eyed, twisted creatures
running me down. They were spread wide, and it
looked more like they were on the way to pass me,
but I couldn’t be sure. I slipped off-road and let
them all jog by.
As they passed, the fields of grass around me start
to rot and die, turning to sludgy fibers in seconds.
I look control of the hamster ball in the slick soup
and rolled right back toward the running herd. I got
into the middle of them, and suddenly I’m a gnome-
filled pinball getting bounced between broad ar-
mored shoulders and the occasional header, where I
am waiting to be impaled on a horn.
One of them was a little wild with a header
and sent me careening out of their path and into
a nearby stream, where my problem shifted from
toxic black rhinos to river crocs.
Doing what little digging I could personal-
ly manage time for, I found all the toxics arose
around a decommissioned radium mine in Azania.
The mine was supposedly into more than radium,
as it extended several kilometers around the main
entrance. Some rumors say there’s a corporate lab
down in the depths that covers everything from
bioengineering to bioweapons alongside mining
rare earth metals and radioactive substances from
radium to weapons-grade plutonium.
apocalypse rhino
B A R S W L I C
10 3 3 10 1 1 3 1
DR I/ID AC CM
18 6/1 A1/I2 13
Skills: Athletics 5 (Running +2), Close Combat 6, Outdoors 4, Perception 5
Powers: Armor 6, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Fear, Hardened
Armor 2, Carrier, Natural Weapon, Petrification, Quake, Storm
Weapons:
Horns [Close Combat, DV 8P, 12/—/—/—/—]
Bone Termites
(Macrotermes calcius)
First discovered in an elephant graveyard, this
species hitched a ride with researchers and found
other bone-rich sites to develop nests. They devel-
oped tunnels and nests from the dissolved and re-
formed bones of the dead (and sometimes the liv-
ing). They don’t really know the difference. They
SAVANNAS //
will burrow through living flesh as well as dead
and can produce a compound to dissolve bone,
ingest a significant quantity, and take it back to
the nest for construction.
Other members of the nest will do the same
with meat, living or dead. The bone collectors are
hard to squish, as the compound within them is
fairly dense. The meat collectors get squished in a
disgusting mess. They also potentially carry other
viruses—a nest of related termites in Asamando
actively carry HMHVV.
Local tribesman find meat dissolvers to be a
delicacy and full of extra nutrients. Due to the
risks of infection, they normally cook them a bit
before popping them like DragonPuffs.
Bone termites’ nests rise up from the ground in
graveyards and boneyards as well as above mas-
sacre sites. Something about their presence tends
to bring any taint on the mana down. Several ur-
ban and wild dumpsites have been discovered due
to bone termite activity. A lot of unsavory people
are happy to hire shadowrunners to do a little
exterminator work, and it’s much nicer when the
insects aren’t two meters tall!
I had a close encounter while doing research on
a graveyard gargoyle variant. I had to spend sev-
eral nights keeping a lookout and would usually
sleep during the day, but I stayed on site in the
graveyard. I woke up around noon one day to ex-
cruciating pain and found my tent was filling with
bone termites, and two had already gotten into my
leg. Their initial bites don’t cause much damage
and they don’t hurt thanks to some kind of an-
esthetic gland, but the pain relief isn’t enough to
erase the effect of bone gnawing. I shot out of that
cot and set the world aflame. I had to summon sev-
eral spirits of water to put it out afterward—it was
all I could think to do in that nightmare situation.
Now, corps are trying to get these things con-
trolled enough to do mana shaping, but they have
EDG M ESS proven tough to train. They easily expand their
1 6 6 nests with the proper supplies but can also gen-
der adjust to produce new queens far too easily
MOVE
10/20/+2
and expand at a rate no one should be comfortable
with. Check out Qonce in Azania. They got an in-
festation, and now the place is a ghost town.
bone termites
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
1 3/1 A1/I2 1 1/2/+1
Skills: Close Combat 2, Outdoors 2, Perception 2
Powers: Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Natural Weapon
Weaknesses: Fragile 8
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 2/—/—/—/—]
Earthshaker
(Ceratotherium gigantus)
It was so nice to see mother nature come back
hardcore and give the remaining white rhinos a
chance at success. Even better was the birth of the
earthshaker, an Awakened kin of the white rhino
that comes in at about twice the mass. It has mas-
sive clawed feet like hard stone, a quartet of horns,
and a social demeanor that has allowed several Af-
rican tribes to “domesticate” them. They are em-
ployed for heavy work when not being used to ride
into war with neighboring tribes, local go-gangs
who take the wrong dirt road, corporate forces
who don’t realize that no means no, and govern-
ment forces who think stating a claim to a place
makes it automatically theirs.
The earthshaker is not limited to just the sa-
vannas where it originated. Several warlike tribes
around the globe have bought and bred them in
order to have fierce mounts that require only the
fuel of the land. Since they are native to areas of
limited water they can go for long periods without,
and they have generated an omnivorous appetite
to expand the food sources they can take in.
This new dietary plan is how I ended up as a po-
tential snack for an earthshaker while studying with
an ork tribe in northern Africa. I was being brought
to the earthshaker as a potential rider, but I was so
small, the beast assumed I was its dinner. It kept
nudging me toward a trough, and I was clueless.
Then it gently bit into the harness at my shoulder
and I assumed it was going to place me on its back.
Instead, it hoisted me up and unceremoniously
dropped me into the trough that was still filled with
bits from previous meals that had yet to be eaten.
Luckily, the handler spotted this and with a
great laugh came over and gently tapped the earth-
shaker on the snout. He then helped me out and up
onto the animal’s back without so much as a hand-
kerchief to clean off the carrion I was covered in.
Riding an earthshaker was quite the experi-
ence, as their name is well-earned. Their mass, the
size of their feet, and the speeds they can achieve
make one earthshaker by itself fit the name, while
a group is like massive thunder.
earthshaker
B A R S W L I C
12 2 3 12 1 1 3 1
DR I/ID AC CM
24 6/1 A1/I2 14
Skills: Athletics 4 (Running +2), Close Combat 4, Outdoors 4, Perception 4
Powers: Armor 8, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Hardened Armor
4, Natural Weapon
Weapons:
Horns [Close Combat, DV 10P, 13/—/—/—/—]
Fireball Ants
(Dorylus arcanus)
Fire ants hurt. Fireball ants kill. They have two 109
ways of using their namesake ability: externally
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
and internally. To recognize a fireball ant, all you
need to do is spot their bright orange gaster (back
end). The rest of the ant is a deep red, almost black.
They vary in size from two to ten millimeters, with
larger subjects packing a bit more oomph.
The external attack is quite simple, pretty ob-
vious, and does not regularly lead to death, but it
often inflicts serious injuries. A swarm of the ants
climbs all over a target and then a single ant releas-
es a chemical signal. At that point a chain reaction
of miniature fireballs erupt all over the target as
the ants explode. This is often inside armor, cloth-
ing, and the occasional orifice if a few ants can get
into a nose, ear, or mouth.
The internal assault is a bit more insidious. A
swarm of ants will cover a target, but this time,
rather than erupting into flame, they each inject a
tiny amount of a mana-based explosive. Different
ants will inject different quantities of chemicals. As
soon as the chemicals reach a critical point, they
initiate a chain reaction of internal explosions,
rupturing surface tissue, veins, arteries, and occa-
sionally deeper points. In this unlucky event, the
flashpoint is reached when the buildup is deeper
into the bloodstream and the explosion is initiated
somewhere truly detrimental like the heart, brain,
spine, or another major organ. The most common
eruption events occur in the liver and kidneys.
Fireball ants rarely use these abilities for any-
thing other than defending their nest—from an at-
tack by an anteater, for example, or by a local tribe
trying to clear or reclaim farmland. Or someone
who damaged the nest by accident through sheer
bad luck.
During my own fireball ant misadventure, they
cralwed all over me and, well … boom boom. But
the fireballs are still arcane in nature and a decent
amount of counterspelling kept me from getting
crisped. I still earned several burn scars but noth-
ing out of the ordinary in my line of work.
fireball ants
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
EDG M ESS 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 6
1 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
MOVE 1 3/1 A1/I2 1 1/2/+1
15/30/+2
Skills: Close Combat 2, Outdoors 2, Perception 2
Powers: Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Innate Spell (Fireball), In-
nate Spell (Ignite)
Weaknesses: Fragile 8
// SAVANNAS
 Great Weaver Bird
(unclassified)
110 Due to the wings, beaks, and general body
structure of these creatures, we call them birds,
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
but they are actually extraplanar colonizers. They
appear similar to the typical weaver bird of Af-
rica but a bit more golden than yellow. They are
slightly larger but not much, and they build sim-
ilar nests. The difference with the great weaver
is inside that nest. Their nests provide portal ac-
cesses to a separate metaplane. On this plane, the
great weavers are hunted but have managed to
hide and settle on our plane. The only problem
is they have yet to find a nourishing prey on our
plane. Instead, they need to cross through the
portals within their nests to hunt and then return
to our plane for safety.
Their metaplanar doorway usually stays open
when they are off hunting and is guarded by oth-
er great weavers, but sometimes other things slip
through.
The great weaver is sapient and will often of-
fer valuable trinkets or minerals from their own
plane as payment to assist them and keep un-
wanted guests out or hunt them down if they’ve
slipped through.
My near-death experience didn’t specifically
come from a great weaver but from an accident
near one of their nests. I was levitating over the
area when a void croc shifted its power to me. My
spell dropped and so did I, but I fell right into a
nest. I crashed through the walls and fell across
the metaplanar gate. Apparently, the weaver was
on the other side, hunting.
Because I knew my only hope of returning
was to wait for the weaver, I stayed close and
fended off several potential crossovers. It wasn’t
easy and left me with several injuries I needed to
treat upon my return. Fortunately, that happened
quickly, as the weaver knew I had crossed though
and came back to send me home. They have no
interest in us coming to their metaplane—which
makes me want to more!
great weaver bird
B A R S W L I C
1 5 4 1 3 3 4 3
DR I/ID AC CM
1 8/1 A1/I2 1 (10/30/+2
Skills: Astral 6, Athletics 5 (Flying +2), Outdoors 4, Perception 4
Powers: Dual Natured, Metaplanar Gateway
Weaknesses: Fragile 8
SAVANNAS //
Grimm’s Elephant
(Loxodonta malleus)
While the bullyphant seems more the white
knight, Grimm’s elephant is the anti-hero at best if
not the occasional villain.
While the bullyphant targets those who wrong
elephants directly, Grimm’s elephant is a toxic
metahuman hunter through and through. They
operate individually but tend to blend into larger
herds when they are not off on a murder spree.
They don’t look much different at first glance.
Closer inspection demonstrates a drastically differ-
ent dental structure, with retractable claws on the
fore and hind limbs, and sharp ridges along their
trunk. Their dental adjustment is more predatory,
with a dental array similar to a sabertooth tiger but
longer lower tusks. All of the teeth are well-hidden
within the head, much like a hippopotamus.
The ridges along the trunk are like a chainsaw
and can hack through a tree, or a metahuman tor-
so, easily. The retractable claws are the interest-
ing part, as they serve mixed purposes. They can
be used to attack, but hind claws are for grip or
locking in to absorb an impact. Eyewitnesses have
claimed a Grimm’s elephant can take a hit from a
GMC Rhino dead in the face and not even budge.
The foreclaws are for climbing when they need to
work their way up a tree after prey, though the tree
usually breaks under their weight.
They are a regular nuisance to hunting camps,
research parties, exploratory expeditions, and any
other group or individual out in the wilds and
somehow on their list. They don’t kill everything
they come across and have some strange and nar-
row sense of self-control, but that self-control
evaporates completely when they come into con-
tact with anyone who uses elephant tusk or bone
in any way. This includes shamans who think it’s
something sacred, Grimm’s elephants don’t care.
They kill and take all of the elephant’s remains
back to an elephant graveyard.
> Rumor has it everyone’s bones go back, and the bone termite
mounds are quite impressive.
> Ecotope
EDG M ESS
3 6 6 grimm’s elephant
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
MOVE
16 3 3 24 4 2 4 4 2 6 6
1/2/+1
Flying) DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
26 7/1 A1, I2 16 10/20/+1
Skills: Athletics 4 (Running +2), Close Combat 8, Outdoors 4, Perception 6
Powers: Armor 6, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Hardened Armor
4, Natural Weapon
Weapons:
Tusks [Close Combat, DV 18P, 18/—/—/—/—]
Critter Corner: Elephants
Welcome back to Critter Corner. I’m your host, Mr. Johnson, here to talk about elephants. Not just any elephants, but the
powerful Awakened varieties that you’re likely to encounter in the savannas of the Sixth World. 111
First up is the bullyphant, a large, tough, and aggressive elephant with a vengeful and protective streak. These critters

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

are a powerful deterrent against poachers, and their presence is a significant factor in the resurgence of the world’s elephant
population. That might sound good, but keep in mind that these elephants are not friendly—much like a Lone Star patrol,
they aren’t likely to ask questions before they put the hurt on you. If you’re anywhere near a herd of elephants that is under
the protection of a bullyphant, they will very likely consider you a potential threat. As for their capabilities, these critters are
fairly straightforward. They’re extremely perceptive, immensely strong, they can run fast enough to run down almost any
metahuman, and their hardened armor is resistant to almost any physical attacks. Once they decide to wreck something, it
either gets away or gets wrecked.
The other elephant paracritter on our list is the Grimm’s elephant. Much like the bullyphant, the Grimm’s elephant often
coexists with a herd of mundane elephants and lashes out against those who threaten them. Somewhat smaller and less
heavily armored than a bullyphant, these critters can blend in more easily with a herd, but close observation reveals a more
predatory appearance. Grimm’s elephants are beyond vengeful—they are toxic critters who seek out and kill any people they
encounter. Where the bullyphant is dangerous and protective, the Grimm’s elephant is malevolent, often going out of their
way to wipe out people who are no danger their herd.

How to Deal
If you are going to be working in an area with a herd of elephants, take extra precautions to avoid them if you can. Most
elephants will avoid you, and even bullyphants aren’t likely to be a problem unless you get within rifle range of the herd.
A Grimm’s elephant might represent a bigger problem, but if you do your legwork, you’ll at least be aware that one’s out
there—they always leave a trail of destruction. If you find yourself under attack by a bullyphant or Grimm’s elephant, your
best (and likely only) chance of survival is to get in a vehicle and leave.
If you need to take a bullyphant or Grimm’s elephant down, be aware that even a direct hit from a Panther cannon is not
likely to do much—if anything. Your best bet to get around their hardened armor is mana-based direct combat spells, though
it will still take quite a few mana bolts to drop one.
Between the two, the bullyphant is much more dangerous. Not only do they have more armor and a higher Body attri-
bute, but they are very difficult to sneak around. If you need to sneak past a bullyphant, make sure to have an extra advan-
tage such as concealment from a spirit or an invisibility spell. Neither Grimm’s elephants or bullyphants are dual natured, so
they won’t detect any astral activity.
By comparison to the bullyphant, what the Grimm’s lacks in armor and enhanced perception, they make up for in atti-
tude, and their close combat attack deals incredible damage. When dealing with either of these critters, avoid close combat
at all costs—it takes only one hit from one of these to kill even the toughest individuals.

Gamemaster Tips
Bullyphants are a hazard, while Grimm’s elephants are a threat. If the PCs are working in a savanna, a herd of elephants
is not something they can safely ignore. The bullyphant is unlikely to attack or interfere with the PCs unless they get close to
the herd, but the Grimm’s elephant will come after them looking for blood.
These elephants could make for an interesting complication on a run—perhaps a herd is nearby when the runners need
to go after their target. The PCs could use their presence as an advantage or a distraction, but it’s equally likely that they’ll
be in danger as well.

Plot Hook
The PCs are hired to deal with a problem—a herd of elephants includes both a bullyphant and a Grimm’s elephant. Mr.
Johnson wants the team to capture or kill the Grimm’s elephant.

Milk Run
The Grimm’s elephant attacks a nearby camp, allowing the PCs to take it on directly without having to deal with the
bullyphant or the rest of the herd.

Pushing the Envelope

Mr. Johnson insists that the PCs do not harm any of the other elephants—including the bullyphant. They must find a way
to isolate the Grimm’s elephant with no collateral damage.

// SAVANNAS
 // METAPLANAR
Metaplanar Meerkat MEERKAT //

(Suricata suricatta planarus)

112 These adorable little guys are Trouble. Yes,
that’s a capital T. Their Awakened ability ranges
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

from a nuisance to straight-up deadly depending

on how it’s used. They have the ability to open
metaplanar gateways but do not appear to have
any control over their destination. Instead of
leading somewhere specific, they instead open to
completely random metaplanar locations. Along
with that, the larger the number of them that are
gathered together, the larger the gateway. The fact
that they are extremely similar in appearance and
they live among their mundane kin makes this a
wildly erratic danger. The two physical discrepan-
cies between them are their ears and their belly fur.
The ears of the metaplanar meerkat are larger, and
their belly fur has a blend of iridescence within it.
A particularly large mob of meerkats north of
Joburg has a large pod of their Awakened kin and
has been wreaking havoc on the roads and rail
lines with opened portals displacing dirt. The tru-
ly unlucky are present when the event occurs and
find themselves slipped between metaplanes along
with several tons of displaced earth.
In some misplaced thinking on the working of
magic, I was hired by a small eco-protection racket
in Azania. They had a herd of elephants, with a pair
of bullyphants in the mix, that they knew would
be passing through the territory of this particular
mob, and they wanted them protected. I was able
to do some good by detecting the presence of the
metaplanar meerkats and using an illusion to redi-
rect most of the elephant herd. A single cow at the
outskirts was unlucky, as was I. A gate opened and
created a crater into which my Land Rover fell,
followed by several tons of elephant on top of me.
That tonnage evaporated quickly as the meer-
kats and their Awakened kin poured out and began
to devour the cow. The sounds of her pain haunt
my dreams to this day. Between the agony of the
broken body parts and the death by a thousand
bites, it was not a day I recall fondly.

metaplanar meerkat
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
1 5 4 1 2 2 5 2 1 4 6

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
1 9/1 A1/I2 5 5/10/+1

Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 2, Outdoors 3, Perception 4

Powers: Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Metaplanar Gateway, Nat-
ural Weapon
Weaknesses: Fragile 4
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 4/—/—/—/—]

SAVANNAS //
 // OZIAN BABOON //

113

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

Ozian Baboon sound, the shots scared off the troop, and I limped
my way back to my transport, all the while waiting
(Papio aerobaum) for the leopard that started it all to pounce.
I’ve written on this Awakened chacma baboon
before and have since had a few more encounters,
ozian baboon
one of which happened while studying the bul-
lyphant. Lyran had mentioned an elephant being B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
lifted with the aid of some kind of manipulation 5 5 4 4 2 2 5 4 2 4 6

spell, and while tracking a small herd of elephants DR I/ID AC CM MOVE

that I thought had a bullyphant protector, I saw
a flight of ozian baboons snag a calf elephant.
Thanks to my familiarity with the spell, I was able
to identify the ability as an innate Levitation spell
that they can all use and even combine efforts.
I have not found any variations in appearance
from standard chacma except the membranous
wings but have seen some of greater size than in
the past. My hypothesis is age, but I have not had
time to put in an extended study on this topic.
My struggle against the ozian baboon troop
I was studying started with a too-close encounter
with a leopard that had me levitating to escape, only
to be swarmed by a troop of a dozen baboons. I
was in the air when the first one hit me from be-
hind and sent me spinning. A second clutched me
by the shoulders, and I felt the spell flow around me.
I countered it, which put my actual weight (while
not much) against his batlike wings, and he (and I)
dropped like a stone with a paper-towel parachute
attached. As we hit dirt, I rolled and had to actually
resort to a gun! Whether it was the impact or the
5/15/+1
7 9/2 A1/I3 9 (20/30/+3
Flying)
Skills: Athletics 6 (Flying +2), Close Combat 4, Influence 4 (Intimidation
+2), Outdoors 5, Perception 6, Sorcery 4
Powers: Armor 2, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision, Smell), Innate Spell
(Levitate), Natural Weapon
Weaknesses: Fragile 2
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 5P, 10/—/—/—/—]
ResonAnts
(Dorylus technus)
They really should be called noiseants but
their regular name is a better play on words. This
Emerged ant species creates a larger and larger
area of noise the greater their numbers that are in
contact with one another. If you’ve ever seen an
ant line or ant ball on a food source you can un-
derstand how large these numbers can become. To
add to the threat, near a hive you get a constant

// SAVANNAS
 fluctuation in the noise level. One moment it’s all
scrubbed easily and the next your entire AR feed is
a pixelated mess and suddenly you feel like you’re
114 living in a video game.
This particular species is high on the want list
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
for megacorp black sites that want some well-hid-
den electronic countermeasures. They’ve also
been included in studies (a.k.a. torture) of techno-
mancers and found the resonants can do one hell
of a job of fragging with a TM’s connection. Not
to mention how creepy it is to have thousands of
ants crawling all over you.
The standard resonant looks similar to a driv-
er ant but has several additional antenna—four
on each of its individual body segments. These
are obviously part of the ability, and I have done
tests with samples where the antenna have been
removed. Data showed a significant decrease in the
potency of the noise. These less-effective members
were also turned on by their kin, separated into
their individual body segments, and brought down
into the nest to be food for future generations.
Their nests are built unlike most other ant spe-
cies. Rather than completely tunnel underground,
they also burrow up through trees within the sa-
vanna and construct small tunnels along the walls
of structures in urban areas within their domain.
This is what brought them to the attention of re-
searchers as they covered walls and several trees
around an Evo compound, and the facility kept
losing contact except through their satellite uplink.
resonants
B A R S W L I C
1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1
DR I/ID AC CM
1 3/1 A1/I2 1 1/2/+1
Skills: Close Combat 1, Outdoors 2, Perception 4
Powers: Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision)
Weaknesses: Fragile 8
Void Croc
(Crocodylus antearcanus)
While most people are used to seeing crocodiles
along the Nile and riverways, the Awakened cous-
in has abandoned the water for a life stalking the
tall grasses of the savanna.
They specialize in hunting Awakened species, as
they project a narrow mana void around them that
weakens Awakened prey. Regularly stalking aeri-
al ostriches, ozian baboons, fire lions, and other
breeds that rely on their Awakened abilities, the
void croc has done very well for itself.
SAVANNAS //
They aren’t completely at the top of the food
web, though. Dragons regularly hunt void crocs
to deal with their dangerous abilities. Sheer gross
power is enough for the void croc to be over-
whelmed by any dragon, but their battles are of-
ten the starting point for other attacks, especially
attacks against the dragon. While the dragon may
have little problem dealing with the croc, forces
arrayed against it use this momentary lull in the
dragon’s defenses to strike. This cunning maneuver
once got me stuck in the crossfire as I lost my mojo
and was no match for either of these titans, even if
they were not at their full powers.
This ability has the void croc in the sights of
several corpsec firms, along with many corrupt Af-
rican governments and tribal go-gangs. If they can
have a trained croc that shuts down magic, they
have one less avenue of security to worry about.
Not to mention certain groups opposed to magic
are looking to use this creature’s arcane ability to
bring down some very powerful foes and targets.
> There is an assassin known only as Void. One of his moves is
to place a trained void croc in the vicinity of an entryway and
negate any arcane protection as he takes down a target.
> Balladeer
> Confirmed. I was offering protection to an unsavory fellow in
order to get access to some texts I wanted. I felt my protections
blink out, warned him over comms, then listened to him dismiss
me and my “lack of talent.” When he took a bullet, I wasn’t even
terribly upset except for the back-end payment and the tiny hit
to my rep. I had already collected on text access. Wasn’t getting
EDG R ESS
screwed out of that.
1 3 6 > Ire
MOVE > Is it ever a good idea to screw you over, Ire?
> Bull
> I forgive or forget more often than you’d think.
> Ire
void croc
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
8 3 4 5 2 1 3 2 1 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
10/20/+1 (5/10/+2
14 7/2 A1/I3 12
Swimming)
Skills: Athletics 4 (Swimming +2), Close Combat 4, Outdoors 2, Perception 4
Powers: Arcane Dampening, Armor 4, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vi-
sion), Hardened Armor 2, Natural Weapon
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 6P, 10/—/—/—/—]
 DESERTS
Posted by: G-Nome
Hot, hot, and then fragging frigid! Well, not exact-
ly, but anyone who tries to prepare you for the des-
ert and only focuses on the heat of the midday sun is
setting you up to die from exhaustion as you get no
sleep in the cold nights. While it may not be freezing,
or even cold by the standards of anyone who lives
somewhere with a real winter, the temperature range
is what truly does you in. As your body becomes par-
tially accustomed to the fifty degrees Celsius during
the day, it’s tough to handle the forty-degree shift as it
drops to ten throughout the night, before rising rap-
idly again once the sun breaches the horizon. Even
though one truly wants to pack light while moving
through the desert, you have to allow for necessities
like water, a tent, and a thermal blanket.
Focusing on the environment, deserts are defined
by their lack of precipitation and limited access to wa-
ter. When I talk about it here I’m focusing on the hot
deserts—the Sahara, Gobi, Painted, and Atacama, just
to name a few. There are arctic desert environments,
but they are so different, they can’t be covered in the
same section. These places get less than twenty-five
centimeters of precipitation each year. This precipita-
tion quickly disappears into the earth and air as the
sands suck it up, the hard pack runs it off, and the
hot air evaporates it, sometimes just as quickly as it is
dropped. Most rains in the deserts are storms. Small
rains evaporate in the hot air before hitting the sur-
face, so rain in the desert usually comes with an awe-
some light show from the lightning and a constant
risk of flash floods as the water flows quickly over
hard pack to gulches and gulleys.
This lack of water also means a lack of humidity,
which means even methods of pulling water from the
air are inefficient here. Bringing water in is the only
guaranteed way to survive dehydration, one of a doz-
en ways the sun will try to kill you in the deserts of
the world. On that note, cover your skin in the desert.
Between the loss of water through sweat and the lit-
eral burning of your flesh, you need coverings. And
beware trying to use sunscreens and other lotions or
oily products. They clog pores and hinder the body’s
ability to regulate through sweating. Not that sweat-
ing works all that great in the desert, but if you are
wearing coverings, they absorb some of the water and
help keep excess water loss due to sweat low.
Everything living in the desert is adapted to survive
on less water and long stretches without any. There
are small mammals that never drink water—they get
it all through their food. Flora and fauna of the desert
are few and far between, but when they are found in
abundance, you can guarantee there is a good source
of water nearby. The flora are hardy breeds, and
many Awakened variety have become predatory in
order to enhance their survival chances.
Transiting the desert is a more complex process
than one would think. Sand dunes, gulches created by
flash floods, and a hard pack and rocky terrain leave
you watching every step and making sure you have
spare tires and maybe even a spare set of shocks for
all the bumps your ride is going to take. Flying isn’t
any better, as sand is lightweight and not good inside
any form of engine.
Hire a guide. Stay frosty. And remember, every-
thing in the desert is trying to survive at the expense
of everything else.
// DESERTS
 // COMBAT
WOMBAT //
116
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
Combat Wombat
(Vombatus combatus)
I initially began my research on this species as
an amusement. It seemed an odd Awakening that
many in my field speculated had a connection not
to old myth or legend but modern misconceptions
of the mundane wombat and the rhyming scheme
of its name in English.
Sure, it sounds strange, but as we have learned
over the years, metahumanity and their beliefs of-
ten shape the mana and magic around them. The
combat wombat is a six-legged marsupial that
looks like a wombat and an armadillo got together
and fed their offspring steroids. If the next gener-
ation of main battle tanks doesn’t have a combat
wombat in it, that’s a tragedy of the modern age.
Slightly larger than the average wombat, it has
hairs around its neck, shoulders, joints, and head
that are laced tightly together and hardened to
form these dense armor plates.
After it originated, it migrated to the desert re-
gions of Australia rather than competing with its
mundane progenitor. Here it has flourished as a
rather unexpected predator with an omnivorous
appetite that includes the ability to eat cacti and
other hardy desert flora thanks to its large inci-
sors and apparent lack of taste buds or nerve end-
ings in its mouth. As a predator, it also has large
canines and a second set of incisors before getting
DESERTS //
to the crushing molars. Quite the modified dental
structure for a variety of feeding options.
Including an attempted feeding on a certain
gnome! I was doing research on the stingwing,
moving between some colonies at night, when
I needed to free up some bladder space. I have a
rig in my hamster ball for pissing on the go, but I
wanted a little fresh air and a leg stretch as well, so
I stopped and popped out.
Let me tell you, there is nothing like the fresh
night air of the desert. That’s especially true after
a few hours cramped in the hamster ball. It’s crisp,
clean, dry, and you can catch the subtle hints of
anything nearby. I had stopped near a small stand
of large rocks, and among them was a patch of
blooming desert lilies. The scent was spectacu-
lar. So clear and definitive. It wasn’t blended with
other flowers or even other local scents. It was
pure perfume de lily.
What I didn’t notice, thanks to the angle of the
wind and my choice of parking spots, was the pair of
combat wombats that had taken up residence among
a tight patch of the rocks that was slightly down-
wind. They caught my scent immediately and came
to check out the potential for a meal. I was standing
there, sprinkler in hand, when … BLAM … they hit
me from behind like a ton of bricks. I was flattened!
I suddenly had four legs pinning me down and
two holding my head and arm to set me up for a
chomp on the shoulder. I managed to get an Armor
spell off just as I felt one snap its maw down on
me. Let me tell you, that armor spell would need
a lot more oomph to stop a bite from this thing,
but it slowed it enough that it didn’t take my arm
off. The central and hind legs started to scratch
and scrape, looking for a soft spot, then the sec-
ond bugger came over and clamped its jaws on my
wrist.
I was so surprised and out of it I forgot I had an
escort. I had summoned up a pair of earth spirits to
have around just in case, and one of them popped
into my head while I was being chewed on and
asked if I wanted some help!
I’ve got a solid rep with the spirit world and
usually I can get away with asking for a little help.
My spirit pals know I’ll release a service or two
for the help. These earth spirits were serious cur-
mudgeons (I’ll drop a comment on their reasons
later). I asked for help, they materialized, and po-
litely hoisted the wombats off me and held them
while I stumbled back to my ball and plugged into
a medkit. It was actually a pretty cute scene seeing
this pair of six-legged fur and armor balls flailing
their legs in the air as the spirits held them.
I moved off a little ways and parked again, then
went over to check on the spirits and the wombats
in the astral. I gave another command to let them
go, and the wombats tucked back into their rocks.
I followed and found four young there. Glad I
asked the spirits to be gentle. I have since done the
basic research to snag the info above but still need
to return to learn more about these fascinating
marsupials.
> The spirits of the Australian outback have been treated
extremely poorly by corporate teams out researching the
dreamland. They hold the actions of those hoopwads against all
of metahumanity. Unless you are an Aborigine, don’t expect any
kindness from spirits here.
> Traveler Jones
combat wombat
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
6 4 3 4 3 2 4 2 2 6 6 ship. Some of those offspring do not come up but
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
16 7/2 A1/I3 11 10/20/+1
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 3, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4, Perception 5,
Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 8, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Smell, Low-Light Vi-
sion), Hardened Armor 2, Natural Weapon, Pounce (must Run, successful
attack causes Knockdown)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 7/—/—/—/—]
Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 9/—/—/—/—]
Juggernaut
(Dasypus praegrandis)
I truly love these giant, misunderstood, mon- 117
strous armadillos. I’ve put in a lot of effort defend-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
ing them from the misunderstandings created by
their interactions with metahumanity. If you were
a twenty-meter-long armored animal and had no
concept of “buildings,” you would probably knock
down a few in your daily life. It’s easiest for some
of my older troll friends to relate to. When they
first came into this world, it wasn’t built for them.
Many a chair fell beneath their weight. We have
done some adjusting to that, but no one is ever
going to adjust for the juggernaut, and the jugger-
naut is never going to understand our adjustments
to the world.
Before I go on with more social-reform com-
mentary, let’s talk parabiology. As I’ve said before,
the juggernaut has a symbiotic relationship with
its own internal bacteria that allow it to operate
with and without oxygen. It provides extra heat
for the bacteria, and the bacteria return oxygen
and nutrients. After that discovery, I sought out an
answer as to why it has this ability. It lives primar-
ily above ground with the occasional burrow dug
into a cliffside or wandering into a tunnel dug out
for cars or trains. None of these are places where
oxygen levels would be a concern. In order to find
the answer, I had to delve into juggernaut breed-
ing, which is a rare event. It is also devastating to
the environment where it occurs. If one juggernaut
seems clumsy and destructive, imagine two. One
event I recorded occurred in Bright Springs, a min-
ing-era ghost town in the PCC. Well, it was. Now
there is nothing but splintered wood, devastated
earth, and a fairly large hole where the female dug
in for the entire gestation period, which was short-
er than I would have expected. As it turns out,
young juggernauts are born at the size of a grown
German shepherd. They each then dig a small tun-
nel for themselves until they are large enough to
exit the “nest” and go out on their own.
This is another reason for the bacterial relation-
rather sit in hibernation. This strange phenomenon
makes me wonder how many young juggernauts
are just waiting to rise up—and what are they
waiting for. I’m guessing it’s a population-control
issue, but unless I’m going to get into the business
of juggernaut hunting in order to test this hypoth-
esis, I need to simply wait and watch. I have man-
aged to tag most of the currently active members of
the population, and I’ve got monitors on the three
nests I know of, so for now it’s a waiting game.
My near-death experience with the juggernaut
is not a direct attack but instead an accident while
studying a nest. Well, it was actually while looking
for the nest and finding it by falling in, but it’s all
the same result.
// DESERTS
118 // JUGGERNAUT //
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

I almost died.
I was checking out a report on a breeding event juggernaut
and carefully exploring the area for the den. I was B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
so focused on finding a hole I didn’t even consider 20 6 5 42 9 1 3 1 2 6 6
that some specimens might try to hide their gesta-
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
tion spot. It doesn’t help that hiding a hole that large 40 8/1 A1/I2 30 15/30/+3
isn’t easy either. The first thing I should have noticed
Skills: Athletics 5 (Running +3), Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4,
was the smell. It was wretched, but I assumed I was Perception 4, Stealth 2
just downwind of a defecation site. I actually moved Powers: Armor 8, Durable 12, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Smell, Motion
toward the scent in order to maybe check a sample Detection), Fear, Hardened Armor 12, Immunity (Cold, Fire, Pathogens,
Toxins), Natural Weapon (Bite/Claws)
or get a better track on the female. Turns out they Weakness: Reduced Senses (Sight)
were using a mix of dirt, fecal matter, and partial- Weapons:
ly digested food to create a cover for their hole. I Bite [Close Combat, DV 21P, 27/—/—/—/—]
Claws [Close Combat, DV 12P, 31/—/—/—/—]
should have seen it, but I may have been tearing a
bit too much inside my respirator mask.
The moment I hit the edge of it, I broke through
and slid down into the hole, right into the face of Stingwing
the female juggernaut. Luckily she was sleeping, or (Hadrurus Aerialus)
I would have been a snack. I used the inopportune I’m pretty sure this is the first time anyone’s
encounter to check out the den. She had not given dropped a brief on these things, so I think I’ll give
birth yet but had already dug out six holes for the a bio rundown before I slip in to my tale of woe.
young to start their caves. It was a terrifying and The stingwing is an Awakened giant hairy scorpi-
awe-inspiring sight all in one. on. They are easily distinguished from their progen-
itor species as they have wings and therefore exhibit

DESERTS //

// STINGWING //
drastically different resting behaviors. While their
progenitor is a burrowing scorpion, the stingwing
has adapted to live in small clusters that rest on the
underside of cacti and other large flora. They stack
up during daylight hours and disperse at nightfall
to hunt, like hard carapace bats. The only time this
stacking behavior does not occur is when a female
has young. As these live born young ride on her, a
mother will seek out her own separate branch on
which to rest. A flight of stingwings dispersing at
sundown is both beautiful and terrifying, as these
large insects have developed into group predators. I
choose “group” over “pack” because there is no hi-
erarchy or group mentality other than sticking near
one another to take down larger prey.
A typical stingwing victim will not be consumed
in a single night and often becomes food for oth-
er carrion eaters, who occasionally become more
food for the stingwings. Several locations I have
studied had a series of victims I was easily able
to identify, which in turn let me identify the cycle
that occurred following the initial stingwing attack.
Attacks on metahumans are not unknown, but it
takes a considerable number of stingwings to kill an
average metahuman. Most metahumans are smart
enough to run, hide, or fight back, though I per-
sonally recommend doing those in a different order.
Stingwings are not particularly active hunters, but
if they have begun attacking a target, they will pur-
119
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
sue it if it flees. They aren’t the fastest flyers in the
world, but they don’t have to watch their step or
run around anything. An important point in dealing
with them is to remember they are still an arachnid
and not highly evolved thinkers. For a stingwing,
food is food, whether it’s the coyote they stung to
death or the stingwing that you splattered with a
baseball bat. If it’s edible, it’s on the menu.
That’s a personal lesson being handed over for
good use, as it’s how I kept from ending up in a
stingwing carrion pile. I was checking out a pop-
ulation in the Mojave when the wind shifted, and
they sensed me. A flight of six came my way, and
two managed to get close and sting me before I
could mount a good offense. I couldn’t fry them
since there were too many, so I had to resort to
the slivergun. They’re not easy to hit (and I’m not
a crack shot), but I got a good-enough armor spell
on myself that I could let them land on me and
then blast them point blank. After I shredded two
of them, the other four went for their bodies and
stopped trying to kill me. Their stings hurt like
hell, but at least they aren’t super lethal. Much
like their mundane kin, the stingwings’ toxin is
only fatal to larger creatures in multiple doses
or if the target is allergic. Stingwings are slightly
more toxic than their mundane kin, don’t get me
wrong, but a single sting is still not a threat even
to an adult gnome.
// DESERTS

stingwing
B A R S W L I C
120 2 5 5 2 3 2 4 1
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
DR I/ID AC CM
6 9/2 A1/I3 9
(10/25/+3 Flying)
Skills: Athletics 5 (Flying +3), Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4, Perception 5,
Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 4, Enhanced Senses (Smell, Low-Light Vision), Natural
Weapon (Tail/Claws), Venom (Vector: Injection; Speed: 1 combat round;
Power: Magic; Effect: Dazed, Poisoned (Magic)P)
Weapons:
Tail [Close Combat, DV 1P, 10/—/—/—/—]
Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 9/—/—/—/—]
Aardwolf
(Proteles novalis)
These things are dumb, but that doesn’t make
them any less dangerous. They are also invasive
and successful, so brains are not necessarily what
you need to take over a high niche in a food web.
The Awakened aardwolf is usually referred to as the
common North American aardwolf to differentiate
it from its mundane kin that are native to Africa.
This breed has only come about in North America
and seems to have arisen from escaped populations
of their African progenitors. The early hypothesis
that they stemmed from a family group that escaped
the San Diego zoo has been supported with some
DNA evidence gathered by yours truly, but it is
thus far insufficient to make a decisive conclusion.
What we know is that the southwestern portion of
North America, particularly the PCC, Cal Free, and
Aztlan, has a large population of aardwolves that
grows with each passing year.
Physically, the North American aardwolf is larg-
er than its African progenitor, standing just shy of
a meter at the shoulder and weighing in at about
thirty-five to forty kilograms. Coloration is similar,
with a dusty tan forming the base of the fur color
and dark patches on the sides with a thick black
stripe along the spine. Most of the fur is short and
bristly, though a longer portion around the neck
can be raised in a threat display. One of the larg-
est changes in the NA aardwolf is the teeth. They’re
longer and sharper than the African variety, reflect-
ing the difference in their dietary habits. The pro-
genitor species is an insectivore, living primarily
off termites and their larvae. The NA aardwolf is a
carnivore. While they primarily prefer scavenging,
they are also skilled hunters, typically going after
rabbits and other small mammals. Usually operat-
ing in packs, they are also able to take down larger
prey when necessary. They are fast and aggressive,
focusing on ambush attacks followed by quick hit-
and-run maneuvers. The ambushes are made easier
by the critter’s concealment power. A large group of
DESERTS //
aardwolves will stand perfectly still (and be nearly
impossible to detect) while a smaller group herds
EDG M ESS their prey toward them. Individuals will also stand
2 6 6 outside a rabbit warren, waiting for a rabbit to
emerge and then strike.
MOVE Rumors of attacks on metahumans are common-
2/5/+1
place, and while I was attacked, I don’t think this
behavior is the norm for two reasons. First off, I’m
small. Parabiology and arcane research have not giv-
en me a lot of time to hit the gym and bulk up. I’ve
met human kids who are bigger than me, and I’m sure
metahuman children would be common prey for the
aardwolf if they were off wandering the desert. Sec-
ond, the NA aardwolf is usually a highly aggressive
coward. This may sound like an oxymoron, but after
some study it makes sense. The aardwolf will attack
without provocation, but if they sense resistance or
a pack takes losses, they usually retreat. This doesn’t
mean they’re done hunting; it just means they aren’t
going to go toe-to-toe with a strong opponent. They
will use their stealth and herding skills to stalk prey
until a good opportunity arises to attack.
In order for any attack to occur, you’re going to
need to be out in the wilds. Aardwolves don’t come
near settlements or just about any kind of civilization.
This seems to be due to an aversion to pollution of
any kind. This distaste saved my life when I was out
studying the aardwolf and gathering DNA samples. I
took a wrong turn and ended up smack in the middle
of a pack’s den. They seemed as surprised as I was, and
that gave me a head start. I ran for dear life. I knew I
didn’t have a chance, so rather than trying to maintain
distance, I chose instead to run for my camp. It was a
regularly used location, and at some point someone
had brought an old multifuel generator to provide
some creature comforts. I hadn’t tried it before, but I
figured if it didn’t work, at least I had a nice spot to put
my back on a wall and go down blasting.
The pack poured into the gully where I was just as
I finally got the old engine to crank over. Several got
some teeth into my arms and legs a moment before
the generator coughed a thick cloud of dark smoke.
The aardwolves coughed and wheezed and ran out
as fast as they’d come in. I called up an earth spirit to
help me move by pulling the generator until I got to
my hamster ball and headed off to safety. I had the
spirit bring the generator back after I shut it down,
though I haven’t been back to that location to see if
it made it.
aardwolf
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
3 4 5 3 2 2 4 2 2 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
5 9/2 A1/I3 10 10/20/+1
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 3, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4, Perception 5,
Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 2, Concealment (Self Only), Dual Natured, Enhanced Sens-
es (Smell, Low-Light Vision), Natural Weapon (Bite)
Weakness: Allergy (Pollutants, Mild)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 8/—/—/—/—]
Boom Cactus
(Echinocactus boomboni)
Murderous flora are on the rise. In a place like
the desert, where life is precious and survival tee-
ters on a razor’s edge, every advantage or varia-
tion counts. In the case of the boom cactus, they
use something already abundant in the desert:
heat. Through cells adapted to have extra-thick
cell walls, this cactus species, Awakened from the
golden barrel cactus, builds up pressure behind ex-
tra-dense needles through the heat of the day. Ad-
ditional pressure is built up in a central chamber
that releases small bursts when it senses movement
nearby or on a region of the plant. This sends a
burst of needles containing a paralytic toxin that
immobilizes fauna, leaving them to either die in the
sun or land close enough for the cactus’ shallow
root system to reach them and begin to feed.
As an Awakened cactus, boom cacti are not
hard to differentiate from their mundane kin. Their
green is far darker, and the sections they produce
are far more abundant. Up close, the root system is
easily spotted but also adds a dangerous angle of
attack, as the roots possess needles as well, though
they are less abundant.
This additional threat was a discovery I made
while studying this species. I thought I had myself
well protected with a thick modified SWAT shield,
so I moved in close and was checking out the nee-
dle density and spread pattern with a foam pad on
the shield, when all of a sudden, I was hit in the
hoop with a couple needles. My legs went numb,
but luckily my magic does not require me to move
much. Levitated my way to safety (as usual) but
then had to wait to regain feeling before I could
drive out in my trusty hamster ball.
boom cactus
B A R S W L I C
6 1 4 3 1 1 4 1
DR I/ID AC CM
17 8/1 A1/I2 21
Skills: Astral 3, Exotic Weapon (Needles) 4, Perception 5
Powers: Armor 8, Dual Natured, Durable 10, Hardened Armor 3, Natural
Weapon (Needles), Venom (Vector: Injection; Speed: 1 combat round; Pow-
er: Magic; Effect: Dazed, Immobilized, Poisoned (Magic)P)
Weapons:
Needles [Exotic Weapon, DV 2P (plus venom), 12/8/4/—/—]
Chimera
(Iguana chimera)
Many others have studied this rather large
desert lizard. Its similarities to a wingless western
dragon have made it an interesting subject. Many
want to be the first to make a connection despite
the direct statements of the great dragons that they
are not related. I can understand the conspiracy
theory aspect, but I’m not one to buck a dragon.
Even if someone finds a connection, they’re dragon 121
chow!
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
I went out to study the chimera, looking into
its ability to hide. I just wasn’t settled on the stud-
ies done by some of my peers. I came to the same
conclusions in the end, but I also picked up a great
story about how a chimera almost killed me. As
with several other desert lizards, I didn’t have the
best experience studying with these 3.5-meter-long
beasts. For those unsure which determination it
was, I have settled into the concealment school of
thought, as their ability to hide went beyond adap-
tive coloration. They do not just change color but
instead wrap themselves in concealing mana that
hides them from all perception, not just the simple
vision.
The beast I studied was a classic specimen. Its
brown hide was bland, but its neck ruff had strong
flares of red. While it was smaller than other sub-
jects I’ve studied, its horns were slightly larger and
more pronounced. As with other subjects, it was
fast and powerful, even with its bulk. The speed of
these creatures is amazing—when combined with
their ability to conceal themselves, their apex pred-
ator status is clear. While their usual diet is focused
on small mammals and snakes, they can easily take
down larger prey. The chimera is immune to most
toxins and has little to no reaction after ingesting
any form of poisonous or venomous meal.
Chimeras have a rather well-adapted social be-
havior for this. When encountering any larger in-
dividual, the chimera puts on a convincing threat
display. This intimidation sets up their next move.
If the creature stands their ground, the chimera will
usually back off. If they run, the chase is on, and as
mentioned earlier, the chimera is fast. To clear this
up now, yes, I held my ground, but I don’t think it
cared about little old me. Their aversion to scuf-
EDG M ESS
fling with larger creatures does not include their
2 6 6 fellow chimera during mating season. Threat dis-
plays are skipped, and males fight each other for
MOVE dominance. The victor will impregnate the females
0/0/—
and then chase them off violently. During this time,
don’t expect a threat display. Expect to just get at-
tacked. While the males chasing off the females is
harsh, the females are not any more pleasant. They
find a nice spot to lay their clutch, bury the eggs in
dirt, sand, or stones, and then leave them. These
egg nests stink, and even my basic olfactory senses
were able to locate them by smell.
This makes them susceptible to predators but
serves a very important purpose.
Bait.
The females leave but maintain territory near
and around the clutch. They don’t care for or nur-
ture the eggs, but they feed on potential predators
and scavengers that come after them. They also
// DESERTS
 attack researchers who try to study the clutch.
Anyone attempting to engage with a chime-
ra should note two other biological points. First,
122 they’re venomous. Even though something so large
does not need the venom, it makes the hunt easier.
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
Second, they’re allergic to iron. It’s a serious issue,
and it messes them up something fierce.
I wanted info on everything, so I set myself up
to check out a breeding location. The male battles
were loud and violent. Copulation was rough and
brief, followed by some violent snapping and the
females heading off. None of it was something one
couldn’t see on an Evo “This is the World” pro-
duction. Trailing a female, I observed her efforts
to dig and set up her clutch nest. She laid six eggs,
buried them with a thin layer of sand, and then
piled rocks on. The smell was immediately evident
as I was downwind, and it was rough. I had a good
spot, but I couldn’t keep it due to the fear of losing
it when I started to gag. I thought maybe I could
tolerate it, but it was too much.
I wanted a sample of the air and possibly an
egg for study, but it was not to be. I approached
and had no idea the mother had returned to con-
ceal herself nearby. As I began carefully taking the
rocks off the pile, gently setting them aside, plan-
ning to rebuild all of it later, I didn’t have a clue
what was coming until jaws clamped down over
my midsection. The ballistic weave in my clothes
kept me from getting a hole punched in me, but the
crushing started immediately, stealing my breath.
I was hoisted up and tossed in the air to get a
different biting grip. The teeth shifted lower and
found the space below my armor jacket. Several of
them punctured flesh and gave the pressure being
exerted on my chest a place to go. Blood gushed,
and my abdomen screamed in pain.
I couldn’t focus past the pain to get a spell off,
and then the venom hit me, and I was too nauseated
and lightheaded to manage even an attempt to call
up a spirit. The chimera tossed me aside, wounded
and poisoned, to await my demise. It would nor-
mally have been a great moment to blast the critter,
but I had nothing. I was fading fast when I heard
the crack of the gunshot and saw the chimera jerk
suddenly before collapsing to the ground. I passed
out only a moment later.
I woke with my gut bandaged and some hid-
eous-smelling goop on my wounds. A local hunter
by the name of Jessup had saved me and told me
the goop kept the venom in check. Once I had the
focus for it, I detoxed myself and then healed my
injuries. The efforts left me tired, and I dozed off
again. The next time I woke, Jessup was gone, but
he had left several teeth and a large patch of chi-
mera hide for me. It was a touching gesture and
reminded me there are good people in the world.
DESERTS //
chimera
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
5 6 5 5 4 2 3 4 3 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
11 8/2 A1/I3 11 10/20/+1
Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 3, Close Combat 4, Outdoors 4, Perception 5,
Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 6, Concealment (Self Only). Dual Natured, Immunity (Poi-
sons, Toxins), Natural Weapon (Bite/Claws), Venom [Vector: Injection;
Speed: 1 combat round; Power: Magic; Effect: Confused (Magic), Dazed,
Poisoned (Magic)P]
Optional Power: Elemental Attack (Fire)
Weakness: Vulnerability (Ferrous Metals)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P (plus venom), 10/—/—/—/—]
Claws [Close Combat, DV 3P, 12/—/—/—/—]
Deathrattle
(Crotalus nex)
I got bit. That’s the basics of nearly getting
killed by a deathrattle. How I survived was actu-
ally a story someone else had to tell me, because
my tiny hoop was not built to endure the venom
of these things. I was continuing my studies on this
species when a subject got loose in the lab. I heard
my lab assistant scream in pain, turned around,
and it was on me in a blink. As soon as it sank its
fangs into me, I unloaded a bolt of lightning into
it. Crispy-fried the subject, but I only managed to
make it the “two steps” they say you have when a
viper gets you.
It was a gods-awful two steps at that. The pain
from the venom is indescribable. While my sci-
entific brain was almost giddy at the experience,
my real-world body was screaming! Waves of fire,
acid, chills, and pure pain crashed one after anoth-
er in random order.
For those who aren’t familiar with the death-
rattle, they are an Awakened diamondback rat-
tlesnake. They managed to Awaken from both
eastern and western varieties and are primarily
distinguished by the crown of heavier scales they
develop around their head. Other than that, they
look like a large diamondback specimen. Besides
the crown, the only way to determine if you are
dealing with a deathrattle or just a regular old
deadly diamondback is if you attack it and the bul-
let doesn’t just make it explode, or it attacks you
by spitting its horrendous venom at you before try-
ing to inject it into your veins.
That spit is what got my lab assistant. As I saw
when I reviewed the security footage, she placed
the specimen back into its glass cage but didn’t
wait to see the maglock properly engage. The
deathrattle pushed the cage open, spit at her, and
then bit me. It was hard to watch, but at least I
survived it. That was thanks to Talus, a snake sha-
man and experienced runner who happened to be
dropping off another test subject for the labs and
was coming in to see me. He’s been dealing with
deathrattles for a while and in fact used their toxin deathrattle
as part of his arsenal until I convinced him how B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS 123
cruel it was. 3 6 8 4 2 1 5 2 2 6 6

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

As he’s dealt with them for decades, he’s also
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
developed a very specific detox spell that focuses 9 13/3 A1/I4 10 5/15/+1
solely on deathrattle venom. It’s the only way I sur-
vived, as we don’t have am antivenin for them and Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 5, Exotic Weapon (Spit) 5, Influence 4
(Intimidation +2), Outdoors 4, Perception 4, Stealth 3
their bite is almost one hundred percent lethal. He Powers: Armor 6, Enhanced Senses (Thermographic Vision), Immunity
was not happy I had scorched Cindy (he names (Pain, Toxins), Natural Weapon (Bite), Venom (Vector: Injection; Speed: 1
the snakes he drops off) and gave me a healthy combat round; Power: Magic; Effect: Dazed, Poisoned (Magic)P)
tongue-lashing for it, but I was happy to just be Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P (plus venom), 12/—/—/—/—]
around for the reprimand.

Ethereal Centipede
(Scolopendra etherus)
Awakened from the common desert centipede
or tiger centipede, this is one of those parabiologi-
cals that does not need to stick around long on the
earth. They carry a centipede’s standard level of
venom but with something a little extra in the mix.
The bite of the ethereal centipede enters the vic-
tim’s system, and prior to attacking the organs, it
goes after the brain with a collection of chemicals
that will set it spinning. Full-spectrum halluci-
nations, including access to the astral plane.
Tripping and suddenly seeing auras all at
the same time. It’s a total mind-bender that
leaves you bumbling and stumbling until
the standard venom hits your organs
and you’re dead.

// DEATHRATTLE //

// DESERTS
 While slightly larger than their progenitor by
about ten percent, they have similar markings. The
oranges and browns of the carapace are replaced
124 with deeper reds and darker blacks. The biggest
difference is on the astral plane. The ethereal centi-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
pede is dual-natured, and its aura looks even larger
than its natural form.
I was working deep in the PCC when I got bit. I
recognized my attacker immediately and managed
to hit myself with a solid Detox spell before the
deadly side of the venom got to me. The problem
is, the hallucinogen effect was already there, and
it forced me into astral perception and turned the
desert around me into a pink-and-purple zone of
madness. I was so out of it I just sat down and
kept trying to push another Detox through myself.
Problem was, I wasn’t able to weave a damn spell
to save my life. Everything came out as something
else. All spells I already knew by rote, but I was
hallucinating so much I was mixing and matching
the memories of the spells. Detox turned to light-
ning bolt. Levitate turned to armor. I went on and
on, laughing and casting myself right into uncon-
sciousness.
When I woke up, I was being dragged by a com-
bat wombat. It wasn’t a highlight moment. I gave
the wombat a little zap, and luckily the spell worked.
Then I levitated up out of reach and tried to get my
bearings. The hamster ball was in sight quite a bit
off. It wasn’t until I got back and got a look at my-
self that I realized how far the CW had dragged me
and how much skin I had lost off my face.
Ethereal Centipede
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
1 2 2 1 1 1 3 1 1 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
1 5/1 A1/I2 1 1/5/+1
Skills: Astral 2, Close Combat 2, Outdoors 2, Perception 2, Stealth 4
Powers: Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Smell), Natural Weapon (Bite),
Venom (Vector: Injection; Speed: 1 combat round; Power: Magic; Effect:
Confused (Magic), Dazed, Poisoned (Magic)P, Forced Astral Perception)
Weakness: Fragile 8
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P (pluse venom), 5/—/—/—/—]
Gila Demon
(Heloderma diabolis)
These Awakened lizards deserve their hell-
spawn moniker. With a potential length of almost
two meters, these aggressive lizards are the Awak-
ened and extremely unpleasant versions of the
gila monster. It has a similar surface appearance
to its mundane kin, with its studded and beadlike
skin bearing the same yellow, orange, and black
colors. Its mouth regularly glistens with its poi-
sonous saliva, and much like its kin, the bite does
DESERTS //
not inject a venom but rather leaves a poisonous
concoction to seep into the wounds and infect the
local area as well as the bloodstream.
Though large, the gila demon is deceptive-
ly fast and an excellent digger. They are easily
able to clear a half-meter-deep hole in a matter
of seconds, usually to rapidly excavate the bur-
rows of small desert mammals. They are diurnal,
and while they may spend their days sprawled in
the sun gathering heat for their bodies, they will
strike out at passing prey that makes the mistake
of thinking they are docile in the daytime. This
prey is generally smaller than the gila demon, but
occasional attacks on larger prey are known to
happen. These attacks are usually rapid strikes
followed by evasion tactics, as their poisonous
saliva slows their prey. As a point of reference, no
one has been able to make an antivenin for their
saliva, as it contains such an odd mix of bacterial
poisons.
Lucky for us, the gila demon is a solitary crea-
ture. They only come together in larger groups
for breeding. When this occurs, you want to be
nowhere nearby. Especially not trying to observe.
Hint for how I fragged up later! Usually this is a
single male approaching a single female, but larg-
er groups coming together have been observed.
These group meetings tend to be a bit more of
a battle royale. Their solitary nature extends to
a territoriality when outside the breeding season,
and challenges for territory are often quite deadly.
One final point of information leading to my
unpleasant encounter is the exceptional acuteness
of the gila demon’s visual and olfactory senses.
My invisibility spell didn’t even come close to
holding up once they caught a whiff of me.
I was observing my third breeding gathering,
which is less a singular meet and greet and more a
collection of smaller encounters that kind of flow
across an area as different lizards interact. I was
closer than the previous two, but felt I still had a
good distance, and I was solidly downwind. The
group moved suddenly after a scuffle ensued be-
tween some females seeking the same male and
rolled right over me. I was safe one moment and
surrounded the next. I felt it was a great chance
to get up-close footage, but rather than levitating
first and then recording, I did it backward. Or
should I say, I activated the recording in time to
catch several of the gila demons scenting the air
and then turning on me. My only saving grace
was that they came at me en masse, and they
aren’t pack hunters. Bumping and bouncing off
each other as they snapped, I got enough time to
levitate up a few meters and get a good display
of their leaping ability. With a spinal bend and
a tail push they managed to get their full length
vertical. Two got some extra height by climbing
off others, but since it wasn’t a coordinated effort
it was not very accurate.
 125

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

// GILA DEMON //

Be warned, if you go out to collect reagents or dillo falls into the latter category. They just ar-
bounties on these lizards, don’t roll into a breed- en’t bright enough to tell the difference between
ing gathering and think it’s going to be a walk in simple things and will have the most completely
the park. They are keen-sensed and wily when it inappropriate response to the stimulus.
matters. They came about from the same Texas armadillo
that spawned the juggernaut, offering an interest-
ing study as to why this particular species had three
gila demon
Awakened expressions. Relationships between the
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS three don’t really exist, and some of the differenc-
4 4 3 4 3 2 6 2 2 6 6
es are obvious, such as the size of the juggernaut
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE and the social behavior for the greater armadillo.
8 9/2 A1/I3 10 10/20/+1 (Though based on how bright the greater arma-
dillo is, I could certainly see it trying to go after a
Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 4, Enhanced Senses (Smell, Low-Light Vision), Natural
juggernaut during mating season.) The greater ar-
Weapon (Bite/Claws), Venom (Vector: Injection; Speed: 1 combat round; madillo looks very similar to its mundane progen-
Power: Magic; Effect: Dazed, Nauseated, Poisoned (Magic)P) itor, the Texas armadillo, except for being slightly
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P (plus venom), 10/—/—/—/—]
larger, growing up to about 1.2 meters long. Be-
Claws [Close Combat, DV 3P, 8/—/—/—/—] haviors are similar to a normal armadillo, feeding
mostly on insects, especially termite colonies. It is
nocturnal and has poor eyesight, thus relying on
its senses of smell and taste. Its great variation is
Greater Armadillo social, where this particularly stupid mammal can-
not determine the appropriate response to threats.
(Dasypus major)
They’ve been spotted curling into a defensive ball
There are stupid animals in the world, and when presented with a harmless puppy as well
then there are stupid animals. The greater arma- as going into a berserk rage, slashing and biting

// DESERTS
 against a random unmoving semi-truck. This level
of stupidity makes this critter very unpredictable
and thus extremely dangerous.
126 This is how a world-renowned parabiologist
can get pummeled by the greater armadillo, even
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
though he knew perfectly well that they were
about as stable as a bag of cats in the heat. I was
following a specimen for the fourth day straight,
trying to get it to lead me back to the nesting area
it had chosen. I kept my distance and had spirits
keeping closer tabs, but the bugger just kept slow-
ing enough to draw my tail in closer and then it
would scamper off. I felt like it was playing a game
with me. Problem with that is, I know they aren’t
that bright.
Suddenly, everyone was yelling and talking
about getting heavy gear on, with some kind of
earthquake about to happen. I turned and looked
back up the hills, and I could see it. I could see the
cause of the low rumbling. There were dozens if
not hundreds of the greater armadillos, each rolled
into a ball shape and rolling hard and loud into
town. This particular batch was not terribly dense,
and rather than bowling into all sorts of people
and buildings, they instead ended up rolling right
on down the road.
They slowed to a halt and then suddenly started
rolling back the other way. This time, they didn’t
miss. Several struck buildings and began tearing
into them. Several found metahumans and struck
out at the staring fools before running them off. It
was madness.
Tangenting again. I just want to make sure I’m
crediting and acknowledging everyone. The roll
of the greater armadillos kicked up sand and dust
and grew to mask the interior of the rolling ball.
At this point, no one knew what was inside and
people start shooting. Occasionally a metahuman
scream erupted, but most of the hits were the loud
pings of hard hits on the shells.
Several of the balls cleared out of the pack, and
all three slammed into me, sprawling me out across
the hard pack. The trio then unrolled and rose up
as if to attack something. I hit one with a quick
lightning bolt, the second one fled at the sound and
smell, and the third leaped on me and started to
slash and rip at me. I was fully goosed on mojo as
I realized I was sitting in a flow of mana. It was so
smooth and easy to manipulate. I pushed the last
armadillo off of me and then used the mana flow
to fuel my efforts in slowing and stopping the wild
ball of greater armadillos from further terror and
destruction down the road.
While dumb, they are trainable, and there are a
few sec corps that use them as additional security
on sites. They’re mostly a deterrent, but when they
get unleashed, they can be a terrifying sight.
DESERTS //
greater armadillo
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
6 4 3 4 3 2 4 2 2 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
16 7/2 A1/I3 11 5/20/+1
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 3, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4, Perception 5,
Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 8, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Smell, Low-Light Vi-
sion), Hardened Armor 2, Natural Weapon (Claws), Pounce (must Run,
successful attack causes Knockdown)
Weapons:
Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 7/—/—/—/—]
Greater Dancing
White Lady
(Carparachne aureograndi)
Traipsing through any desert is dangerous, but
the dunes of the Namib hide a deadly secret. Hid-
ing in holes up to a half-meter wide, reinforced and
covered with sand woven into spidersilk, the great-
er dancing white lady waits to leap forth and bring
down prey. An Awakened trap door spider that
uses paralyzing touch before injecting its venom
to kill and start digesting its prey. Ranging from
twelve to thirty centimeters in diameter, leg tip to
leg tip, they aren’t large enough to bring down a
metahuman on their own, even one as small as me,
but they live in a somewhat communal fashion,
with up to two dozen subjects building hunting
holes on a dune face to work together to kill larger
prey. These group strikes are not entirely polite so-
cial endeavors and frequently result in fights over
prey that pit spiders against one another.
This is not the only time these arachnids are
cannibalistic. The females prey on the males after
copulation, and the hatchlings feed off the mother
after they are born. This is similar to their mundane
progenitors, with the only difference being hatch-
ling quantities. The greater dancing white lady has
smaller broods, which is great, because having re-
productive numbers matching the trapdoor spider
could lead to overpopulation and the rapid spread
of this species out of their desert home.
My encounter with them wasn’t exactly near-
death for me, but I did lose my ride. I was travel-
ing via camel and my ride stepped into a pit where
a particularly large female specimen had birthed
a healthy brood. Stepping in the hole agitated the
young and they struck out at the poor beast. While
they were small in size and raw power, numbers
were on their side and the little spiders managed to
paralyze the camel. The camel fell, I fell, and the
young spiders poured out to finish off my trusty
dromedary.
I didn’t even try to save the camel, instead loft-
ing my own hoop up and finishing the rest of the
trek from several meters off the sand. From above,
I was able to spot an abundance of the large trap-
doors and was surprised it had taken us as long as
it had to step into one.
greater dancing white lady
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
1 4 4 1 3 1 3 1 1 6 6 stalking the same target. It came across me first,
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
1 7/2 A1/I3 4 2/10/+1
Skills: Athletics 3 (Climbing +2), Close Combat 2, Outdoors 2,
Perception 2, Stealth 4
Powers: Enhanced Senses (Tremor Sense), Movement (Self), Natural
Weapon (Bite), Paralyzing Touch, Venom (Vector: Injection; Speed: 1 com-
bat round; Power: Magic; Effect: Bleeding, Dazed, Immobilized, Poisoned
(Magic)P), Wall Walking
Weakness: Fragile 5
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P (plus venom), 5/—/—/—/—]
Nova Scorpion
(Scorpionida novalis)
Why must I always find a way to taste shoe
leather? I’m talking about my ever-cautious tales
on scorpions and how bigger is better because they
aren’t as venomous, but I always remind students
of the nova scorpion and its progenitor, the Indian
red scorpion, a tiny and sometimes lethal accident.
Then I go and spend some time doing research on
the gamma spider, the nova scorpion’s primary re-
source competitor, and end up getting jabbed by
one of these beasts.
At over a meter, these scorpions are one of the
largest arachnids on the planet. Their golden car-
apace and massive size make them both beautiful
and deadly. Though their deadliness usually re-
quires a foolish mistake or unfortunate misstep,
as a nova scorpion in the wild will usually retreat
rather than attack. This tactic sometimes works to
their advantage, as they often live in small social
groups of two to ten individuals and will share
the same burrow, which is where they retreat to in
most cases. Their venom is lethal, so a single sting
can be deadly, while a half-dozen could kill an el-
ephant. Anyone foolish enough to pursue down
into that den is going to end up as scorpion chow.
I reported before that this species was not suit-
ed for security work unless the facility has min-
imal metahuman workers. Drone-based factories
or remote facilities with controlled entrances are
fine, and since the nova scorpion is a bit timid, they
are easily chased back to their burrows by security
forces that control access to them.
Runners come across the nova scorpion most
often when hired for live captures, as the crea-
ture’s venom is often milked. These instances are
the times where you would learn how unpleas-
ant getting in a scuffle with one of these monsters
is. Stinger or claws both fall firmly into the “bad
touch” category.
I was lucky. The scorpion that jabbed me was
off its game and didn’t manage to punch through 127
my armor, but the hit still flattened me. It was like
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
getting hit with a baseball bat. Better than getting
poisoned but not pleasant. I was so focused on
a gamma spider I missed the nova scorpion also
and I was quite lucky that it knocked me out of the
way and then went after the spider.
I booked it, but I was reminded of an important
lesson: No matter how focused you are on a sub-
ject, you still have to remember you’re out in the
wild, and nature in the Sixth World doesn’t play
nice.
nova scorpion
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
4 4 4 3 3 2 5 1 2 4 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
16 7/2 A1/I3 11 2/5/+1
Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 4, Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Stealth 6
Powers: Armor 4, Concealment (Self), Dual Natured, Natural Weapon
(Claws/Tail), Venom (Vector: Injection; Speed: 1 combat round; Power:
Magic; Effect: Dazed, Poisoned (Magic)P)
Weapons:
Tail [Close Combat, DV 2P, 7/—/—/—/—]
Claws [Close Combat, DV 3P, 10/—/—/—/—]
Rock Lizard
(Phrynosoma caliburni)
Sometimes people ask me how I manage to get
nearly killed by things that normally don’t attack
large prey. Rock lizards are one of my best exam-
ples, and it’s all because scientific knowledge some-
times requires risks.
The rock lizard looks similar to a horned toad
in its rough textured features but has a typical
quadrupedal lizard form. The largest specimens
can grow up to 1.5 meters, nose to tail, but they
average closer to a meter. They are thinly framed,
similar to smaller lizards, with camouflaging skin
that can range from light tan through the range of
browns all the way to a greyish-black for nighttime
hiding. It is an expert climber with sharp claws on
its feet, and it hunts with a prehensile tongue that
is forked, similar to a snake.
As a hunter, the rock lizard uses camouflage and
surprise to acquire prey, adjusting its color and
sitting still while waiting for prey to come close.
Once the target is near, the rock lizard attacks
with its tongue, which is both sticky and covered
in poisonous saliva. This poison incapacitates or
kills the prey, and the rock lizard then swallows
its food whole. This feeding style is the primary
reason they don’t bother attacking anything larg-
// DESERTS
 er than they can swallow—there’s no point. They
don’t have teeth or a jaw designed to take apart a
larger body, so why would they make an effort to
128 bring them down?
This is even true of the rare times groups of
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
periphery of their area when their behaviors soft-
ened, and I felt I was being invited to approach.
What was actually occurring was them sensing I
was not one of them. I slipped in among them try-
ing to observe as much as possible when one of

rock lizards hunt together. These are usually fami- them snapped at me.
ly groups, with a mix of older and younger lizards. Mask spells might help you blend in, but they
They work together by herding prey toward the don’t offer any kind of protection. Their ghost-
hiding spot of their allies. From their well-hid- damned venom slipped in, and I start convulsing.
den vantage point, the hunters can strike out and I drop the spell, but I’m still too big to eat. They
bring down prey in larger numbers. The herding leave me to die, but hopefully you all realize I’m
and hunting groups are a mix of sizes and ages not sending this from the grave. It was painful and
in order for the hunters to bring down a range of mildly terrifying, but I managed to survive the poi-
different-size targets rather than bringing down soning and the rest of the desert’s horrors by sum-
one large target that only the largest among them moning a spirit to help protect and move me.
could eat.
They are daytime hunters and find their way
rock lizard
into burrows and dugouts during the cooler night.
Their hunting method allows them to sit on rocks B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
or the hot ground to absorb warmth. In my stud- 3 3 3 4 3 1 3 1 2 6 6
ies I have determined the rock lizard is immune to
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
most toxins—not because of the extreme toxicity 5/15/+1
of their saliva, but rather due to an arcane internal 3 6/1 A1/I2 10 (5/15/+2
resistance. This makes their blood and organs ex- Climbing)
cellent reagents for health-based spells. Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Stealth 4
My near death came as a direct result of my own Powers: Immunity (Poisons), Natural Weapon (Bite), Wall-walking, Venom
poor precautions when doing close-observation re- (Vector: Injection; Speed: 1 combat round; Power: Magic; Effect: Immobi-
search. The risks we endure for science are generally lized, Nauseated, Poisoned (Magic)P)
Weapons:
mitigated by good planning, but I did not foresee Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P (plus venom), 7/—/—/—/—]
rock lizards turning on another of their kind.
I was using a shapechange spell to integrate
and get closer to the group. I was keeping to the

DESERTS //
 POLAR REGIONS
Posted by: Traveler Jones
Locating these regions is easy—it’s in the name.
While most of what we focus on here is whether
the critters are friend or foe, these parts of the world
deserve a special mention about the environment
trying to kill you, too. Between the cold, the mas-
sive variations in solar exposure, and the unstable
glaciology of the icepack, just walking around is a
potential death sentence.
Travelers beware. And look at the Shoot Straight
download for more specific advice.
Now, let’s talk in a more scientific fashion. The
polar regions are located around the North and
South Poles of the planet. The northern polar re-
gion consists mainly of pack ice, two to ten meters
thick, floating on the Arctic Ocean and surrounded
by the land masses of northern Asia, Europe, and
North America. The ice cap of the southern polar
region averages about 2,000 meters in thickness,
lying atop the continental landmass of Antarctica
and then surrounded by oceans.
Polar regions are characterized by extremely
cold winter temperatures, short and just as cold
summers, and extreme variations in daylight hours,
with twenty-four hours of daylight in the peak of
summer and complete darkness at mid-winter.
The northern polar region is on average “warm-
er” (–30° C in winter, 10° C in summer) than the
southern polar region (–60° C in winter, +2° C in
summer) because of the Arctic Ocean versus the
Antarctic continent. Needless to say, this means
anything that calls this place home is a hardy frag-
ging breed.
How is the ice trying to kill you? Well, besides
being cold and a ridiculous heat sink that pulls en-
ergy from everything around it, it is also often un-
stable and unpredictable. In the northern region, the
icepack can range in thickness, meaning it can be
anywhere between, “this drek is so thick it will rip a
hole in the hull of your boat if you hit it” to “oops,
my gengineered microhusky broke through.” Add
in the fact that those thick packs could have gaps
and holes in them, and you can never be quite sure
where it’s safe to tread. Down south, tbecause of the
thickness, it means potential crevasses are deep and
cold, and there are massive sheets of ice along the
sea edges that occasionally just fall into the water.
Even a relatively shallow crevasse, say three me-
ters, could be deadly if you aren’t equipped for the
haul out. Ice doesn’t offer a lot of grip for climbing.
Deeper than that, and you risk injury from the fall
and a huge expenditure of energy to climb out—an
expenditure you likely did not plan for.
My best advice for heading into these areas is to
get a great guide, listen to that guide like a fanatic
to a god, and make the trip as short as possible. If
the trip is a typical “for-hire” gig like we usually
do, make sure to negotiate the environmental dan-
ger in before you even worry about the wildlife
and corporate security forces.
// POLAR REGIONS
130
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
// GHOST BEAR //
Ghost Bear
(Ursus arctos mal)
Sounds like the name for a tribe that wants
to be both scary and sweet. As a name for this
nightmare come to life, it’s fairly soft and middle-
of-the-road. I personally would have gone with
“Holy Frag Bear” or “Fraggin’ Run Bear,” but for
an Awakened subspecies of polar bear that can be
invisible like the moniker, I’ll accept it.
Now, why do I want a terrifying name on this
wonder of paranature? Because it has a good chance
of becoming the biggest mammalian threat to meta-
human life on the planet (if we exclude ourselves and
dogs). With 490 deaths attributed to the ghost bear
last year (just behind the hippopotamus at 507) and
already on track to break 700 by this year’s end, the
ghost bear’s attraction to and particular dislike of
Matrix signals draws it into contact with metahu-
manity on a regular basis. Add metahumanity’s in-
ability to detach from their commlinks and you can
see how so many get killed. If there is one positive to
take from this, it’s that the ghost bears actually eat
people they kill. Some may find that dark, but to my
biologist brain it’s a better natural flow.
Since I’m having fun focusing on my tales of
near-death experiences, let me expound on how
POLAR REGIONS //
a ghost bear hunt gone wrong nearly made me
bear scat.
We’d been hired to hunt down a ghost bear
that had been terrorizing a corp town about eighty
klicks from Anchorage. They were having trouble
keeping their signal up to keep calling for help be-
cause of the bear, and when no one heard from
them for four days straight, a team got hired to
bring in some spare comms equipment and, for a
bonus, take down the ghost bear. I got tagged as
an add-on for my biological and environmental
expertise.
First day, no one wants to listen to me on the
planning. They rely completely on their rigger,
a complete and total city boy who read Matrix
articles on how to mod vehicles for cold and ice,
and he eats about a quarter of their ops budget
adding doodads and gadgets to his copter and
collection of six Evo Ballers (yup, the hamster
ball again). I try to remind them of the data
package we have on the ghost bear and its tech
aversion, which I clarify for them is a complete
and utter fragging hatred, but I get ignored.
They basically tell me I’m there to ID the corpse
so they can get paid.
We head out day two with city rigger’s bird
loaded down with the modded Ballers and a tri-
ple supply of fuel and food, just in case. For that,
I’ll give them credit. I may have suggested it a few
dozen times, but eventually their face made a com-
ment, and suddenly it was a priority. Takes us no
time to hop the eighty klicks but then, rather than
do a nice flyover of the whole area, rigger yutz
gets suddenly worried about fuel and says we can
do the recon on the ground in the Ballers because
they’re electric and we can recharge them with so-
larcells.
Did I mention the date yet? Oh yeah, this was
December 16. Yup. About six hours of daylight,
most of it relatively worthless for solar charging.
We land just at the edge of town, only because
city rigger couldn’t find a good patch to land in the
center of town, and our combat ops slip out and
get to securing our surrounds.
They do a great job but fail to mention to the
rest of us the complete and utter lack of life near-
by. No locals peeking out at the copter. No corp
security coming out to chew our asses for landing
where we did.
Nothing.
Rigger rolls the Ballers out and gets his anthro-
drone to unload the comm equipment and fuel.
Mr. Face takes point on the ground recon with no
plan better than “We’ll just cruise through quick
and get the lay of the land.”
I’m getting to the point soon, don’t worry.
We all start our little hamster-ball exploration
with full sensor suites feeding data to the hacker,
a nice technomancer named Glitz, and back to the
rigger. Town’s vacant. Not a soul around. A fresh
snow has the place looking pristine until my Baller
hits a juicy bump, and I start leaving red splotches
in my tracks.
Full team halt, and we go check it out to find
our first ghost bear victim. Chest bruising, but
no major lacerations to release blood. Dude was
suffocated by a polar bear on his chest. I give the
body an astral once-over just in case, and watching
us from about twenty meters away is the fragging
ghost bear. Camouflaged as a large snow drift, the
thing realizes the gig is up and comes barreling for
me. As is my first instinct almost all the time, I lev-
itate my hoop up about six meters and still nearly
get swiped out of the sky.
Team opens fire like a bad action flick, and the
bear slaps a Baller before it bolts. Fries the thing’s
systems like a data spike from hell and then dips
between some buildings. Face tries to order every-
one to chase it, and they chuckle at him like they
did at me day one.
We all pull back, short one Baller, and regroup.
Took us six days, cost us almost every piece of tech
we owned. Face and city rigger didn’t make it, and
in the end it was Glitz who figured out the ghost
bear had mated and had cubs nearby. It used the
town as a grocery store and then moved in. We
ended up snagging a cub to sell to recoup our tech
losses and using all that extra fuel for the copter to
burn that place to the ground.
I’m usually more eco-friendly, but that fragging
bear was a serious slitch. Those things don’t need 131
to exist.
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
ghost bear
B A R S W L I C EDG ESS M
10 4 4 16 3 2 6 8 3 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
13 10/3 A1/I4 13 20/60/+5
Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 8, Outdoors 5, Perception 7, Stealth 6
Powers: Armor 3, Emergent, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-Light vision,
Smell), Immunity (Cold), Natural Weapon (Bite)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 8P, 20/—/—/—/—]
Reigndeer
(Rangifer tarandus tyrranus)
Frag that Rudolph song. I see a red-nosed rein-
deer, a.k.a. a reigndeer, I ain’t asking it to guide
my sleigh. In fact, I might just guide it to being
slayed. This twisted predator plays on its cultural
reputation and the naiveté of children in order to
acquire its food.
Let me start by pointing out this Awakened
Svalbard reindeer has wings, a red nose, teeth like
a canine, and is bulkier than its progenitor species.
Its coloration varies by season, with a summer coat
of browns, tans, and the occasional near-black. In
the winter months, it maintains a white coat, but
as the daylight hours dwindle, the coloration dark-
ens, with the height of winter featuring a jet-black
coat with silvery patches at the shoulders like a dis-
tinguished gentleman going grey. The same pattern
marks their head. They don’t have the feathers of a
pegasus or bird, but instead their wings are mem-
branous. Not in a creepy way of a bat, though—
more like taut flesh across the muscle-laden bones
of a deer with thin fur.
Okay, it’s still a little creepy.
Now, let’s talk hunting tactics and how this
amazing little gnome got himself into deep drek. A
certain major shipping magnate hired a small team
of runners, with myself included as a consultant
and researcher. As of that date, not much research
had been done on this paranormal critter. It wasn’t
flashy enough. Back on track—according to Mr.
Johnson, the reigndeer population had started tar-
geting corporate employees, and he wanted their
population brought under control so it would go
back to its standard prey.
Funny thing about that. No one knew yet what
that was. They would soon!
We took the gig and headed for Svalbard in the
deep north of the Scand Union. I’m focused on the
science, while the rest of the team is loading up
// POLAR REGIONS
132
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
// REIGNDEER //
for a hunt, unable to decide whether it should be
a deer hunt or a duck hunt. While they’re doing all
this, I grab a local guide and take a trip to reign-
deer territory.
Doesn’t take much chatting with a local to get
a different story than Johnson gave. Reigndeers ar-
en’t abundant at all—in fact, the locals don’t think
there are more than 100 across all the islands of
the region. According to Olaf, my guide, the reign-
deer have become a bit of a boogeyman for the
kids, but with a bit too much Sixth World reality.
The reigndeer can hunt like typical predators,
but they can also land and lure children for a ride
with their influence power. After the target is com-
pelled onto their back, they go for a ride. Locals
say it’s quite a sight, and the child always looks
like they are having a ball.
Right up to the roll.
The reigndeer gets over a nice, secluded ledge or
ice patch and rolls to drop the kid to their death.
It’s fraggin’ twisted, and locals come out hunting
these things when they can. That same influence,
though, is great at getting the reigndeer left alone
or for convincing persistent hunters that they are
the Road Runner and won’t fall when they run off
the ledge. They’re wrong, and they go splat.
I go back to the team with my info, and the look
in their eyes sends chills down my spine. I’m the
closest to a child’s size, and they figure my natural
POLAR REGIONS //
abilities make me more immune to the creature’s
abilities. Total bulldrek, but I’m a team player and
sure of my skills if I need to bug out.
Next night, I’m sent out to play “kid lost in the
woods.” Reigndeer ain’t the brightest, but they are dual
natured, and I don’t look like a great target. Klygar
gets pissed—he knows I can mask my aura. I was just
working on delaying my death for a little longer.
Third time’s the charm, and I go out looking
like a mundane kid, and I wander into a field with
a beautiful reigndeer, sixteen hands if a dime. It
flares out its wings and prances in this elaborate
display, and the next thing I know, I’m using a tree
stump to climb up on its back.
I get in the air, and it suddenly drops the influ-
ence. I’m fully aware I’m on its back, I’m gripping
the tufts of its skin like my life depends on it, and
I’m getting ready for the drop. I mewl and beg like
expected, and as it rolls, I let go, hit my Levitate
spell into my sustaining focus, and then lash out
with the punchiest lightning bolt I can manage.
Scorches clean through its torso, and it drops like
a brick. Lands pretty close to where I would have
hit, which I have to say might not have been in-
stant death, and out of the brush a whole cluster
of these things come out to feed.
They didn’t care if it was mommy dearest or any
other random chunk of meat from the sky. They
came out, and they ate their fill and more. The six
 // SICKLY FOX //
133

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

of them left nothing but hollowed bones as they Sickly Fox
all collapsed around with overstuffed guts. Feeling
safe, I hit record on my ’link and and watched the (Vulpes toxicus)
rapid-speed growth of the young as their bodies The regal white fur of the arctic fox is so beau-
apparently turned every ounce of their food into tiful among the pristine snows of the north. Too
an extra ounce on them. Legs lengthened, wings bad that’s also the twisted case of the copper-and-
grew, and torso muscles thickened. green tones of the sickly foxes I was studying near
They weren’t quite ready to head out on their the former MCT dig-turned-strip-mine called Red
own, but if a few of the larger siblings turned on Chris up in Athabaskan Council lands.
the runts, they’d certainly bulk up to the big boy I went expecting this to be an Awakened sub-
flying league. As you’d expect, I ditched after I species of the arctic fox, similar to other species
got some good notes and footage. It had noth- I’ve studied. Instead, though, the sickly fox, as its
ing to do with one of those aforementioned runts name implies, has been corrupted by the pollu-
catching my scent and doing this hideous crawl tion of its habitat in both the physical and astral
movement over to me while I was jotting down planes. The bulk of the pollution came in the form
height counts. of sulfide-ore mining in the early years, but when
MCT came in, they went full strip, which made
Reigndeer the initial ecological damage look like a leaky
oil pan on an old petrol Viper. The stains of red
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
8 4 4 8 2 2 4 2 1 6 6
ponds became conical craters with narrow strips
of land between. Many of those have collapsed
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE over time or sit sunken and ready to collapse at
10 8/1 A1/I2 12
10/20/+2 (20/40/+3 any moment.
Flying)
This is the domain of the sickly fox. Their white
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 4 (Flying +2), Close Combat 4, Outdoors 4, Per- coats are corrupted into shades of copper with
ception 5, Stealth 4 tarnished green at the tips. They stalk the conical
Powers: Armor 2, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), In-
fluence, Natural Weapon (Bite)
roads, dark passage tunnels, abandoned project
Weapons: buildings, and surrounding forests. They aren’t
Bite [Close Combat, DV 4P, 12/—/—/—/—] often seen outdoors during the day, preferring
tunnels and buildings, but they are still active at
all hours and sometimes stalk the forest of shad-

// POLAR REGIONS
 ed edges around the mineshafts at dawn and dusk
where sunlight does not reach.
The astral plane here is tainted by destruction
134 and the twisted adaptation of this once-adorable
creature. This is only one site, and other corrupted
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
areas have slight variations on these environmen-
tal adjustments. I focused on this group because
it’s the place I was when one of these cute little
furballs almost took off my face.
This type of attack isn’t standard. The sickly
fox has its usual diet of smaller animals and birds
as well nuts and berries that still grow in the area,
but it will resort to eating carrion or taking down
larger prey if enough foxes are active in a partic-
ular territory. This is usually only the case during
mating season and early rearing periods, making
it even more demeaning when you’re attacked by
a skulk of baby fluff balls with mama egging them
on. It could have been comical if it were someone
else’s face on the menu. My ecosympathetic heart
couldn’t just wreck this little clan, so I did some
gentle sleepy-time nudges before I found my way
out. It was another interesting moment in nature,
as the mother recognized her kin were sleeping,
not dead, and therefore decided not to maul me.
The power and knowledge in nature is immea-
surable.
For whatever reason, the sickly fox has a dental
variation from the base species. Its teeth are more
triangular than pointy, almost as if for sawing
rather than biting and crushing. I have surmised
this allows them to access piping and even do some
digging or rock-chewing with their teeth.
sickly fox
B A R S W L I C
3 5 5 3 2 1 5 3
DR I/ID AC CM
3 10/2 A1/I3 10 10/20/+1
Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 4, Close Combat 3, Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Stealth 6
Powers: Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-light Vision,
Smell), Immunity (Radiation, Toxins), Natural Weapon (Bite)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 8/—/—/—/—]
Antarctic Sculptors
(unclassified)
I’ve been down to the South Pole plenty of times
and a completely new breed is rarely discovered,
but often a species appears and shows enough
shared traits that you want to know exactly where
this thing came from.
Thus it is with the antarctic sculptor. We’ll start
with the name and point out this creature is not
a skilled artist; rather, it holds a power similar to
petrification but with ice as the final material. Ini-
tial investigations expected a medusa or gorgon of
POLAR REGIONS //
the antarctic continent, but no luck. In fact, much
of the initial investigation was fruitless. Attacks
would only occur in the dark of night, and the vic-
tim was usually alone. Those who were not alone
were usually accompanying a figure who was well
beyond standard inebriation.
I leaned toward some form of serial predator
or serial killer potential, but the icing and serious
lack of a candidate pool make that uncommon.
It wasn’t until I was flying back in from the west
when we passed through a storm cloud that gave
off an odd astral vibe. Nothing dangerous or we
would have been warned off, but enough to have
my mana sensors a little tingly.
Dangerous as it was, I did a little body dip. The
plane was headed toward somewhere familiar, so I
knew I could find my body when I needed.
I remember telling Xanthous, a student with
me, that if I said anything other than “gnomes will
someday save the world” when I came back, he
should just knock my ass back out and bind me,
just in case I was the victim of a wandering shedim.
As my astral form traveled, I dipped into the
cloud and found it full of dual-natured beings.
They resembled jellyfish, and I caught a glimpse of
some auras with similarities to the Amazonian an-
gels. My astral form might be quick, but not quick-
er than all of them. I got lashed on the back, and
gods be damned if I didn’t end up with a strip of
frostbite on my back. This particular species works
in groups and will come down as a small layer of
fog that passes through an area, leaving every liv-
ing thing as a beautiful ice sculpture.
Just to keep everyone from freaking out, these
critters can’t leave Antarctica—in fact, they can’t
survive temperatures above –10° Celsius. I person-
EDG M ESS ally think they are metaplanar, but I have not had
1 6 6 the time or intestinal fortitude to try a research
project with these things.
MOVE
Antarctic Sculptors
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
4 4 2 1 2 1 4 1 1 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
5/15/+1
6 6/1 A1/I2 10 (10/20/+2
Flying)
Skills: Astral 4, Close Combat 4, Outdoors 2, Perception 4, Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 2, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Pet-
rification (Ice)
Icedrake
(Neovaranus algoris articus)
These large lizards resemble a young western
dragon without wings. They are excellent climb-
ers and easily stalk everywhere, including rough
mountainous terrain, preying on mountain sheep,
goats, elk, and the occasional polar bear that
crosses their path. They are aggressive hunters and
passionately defend their territory—territory that
can change on a whim and expand into an area
simply because the icedrake finds a cave or food
supply it likes.
Along with crushing jaws, razor sharp claws,
and a tail whip that can knock a troll to the floor,
the icedrake’s most deadly weapon is its cold aura.
This power cools the air directly around the ice-
drake’s body, along with its skin temperature, to
a crisp –100° C, which is about halfway to the
temperature of liquid nitrogen. That’s unpleasant
when engaged in melee with the creature but a
death sentence when one falls into a pit trap cre-
ated on the ice or when one gets cornered among
the tunnels, ruins, and underground cities they fre-
quently inhabit in both the North and South Poles.
A few rumors had spread claiming that spec-
imens with the ability to expel a chilling breath
exist, but I haven’t seen any examples on my pre-
vious expeditions. This would change here, as sev-
eral specimens located in this region have evolved.
Near-death experience number two, as in “too
fraggin’ many!” We weren’t even doing our re-
search on icedrakes when we came upon a fresh
kill scene. It was easy for us to find, as it included
a handful of herbivore specimens we had already
tagged for a study on herbivore population fluc-
tuation in the region via migration, sickness, and
predation.
With a big percentage of our herbivore subjects
no longer viable, we scrapped that study and in-
stead decided to look into the feeding habits of the
icedrake. We reached a safe camp spot and set up
our primary research station. We did not realize
we had set the station up in the territory of an ice-
drake we named Sir Galahad. They wander a bit,
but when it came back, we found the entire exteri-
or surface of the tent covered in frozen urine.
After we moved, we discovered Galahad chose
to expand his territory with our movement but did
not take into account another nearby icedrake we
named Merlin, the first of the icedrakes we encoun-
tered with the chilling breath. We found ourselves
in the midst of a territorial dispute that happened
to occur simultaneously with a runner team com-
ing in to try to capture Merlin.
Merlin and Sir Galahad quickly joined forces
against their new foes, which somehow included
the innocent research team that was simply trying
to film the debacle of man and nature’s interaction.
We did learn something about icedrake com-
bat techniques when Sir Galahad and Merlin both
went after me first. Whether this was due to my
Awakened nature or my size I was initially unsure,
but after they had successfully immobilized me,
they moved up the size chain. They focused their
defensive efforts on avoiding bigger foes, while
teaming up against smaller prey. The three of us
who were immobilized in ice were lucky that ice-
drakes prefer to start eating their food live, if a
bit chilled. After the others chased off the pair of
icedrakes, they were able to thaw us and help pre- 135
vent too much tissue damage with a little arcane
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
healing.
Icedrakes are no joke, and they seem to be get-
ting smarter—some have been spotted operating
in small groups. The social arrangements of those
groups is a subject for a future study, but first we
need to do a little more research on countermea-
sures for that cold breath.
icedrake
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
4 4 4 4 3 4 4 2 2 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
10 8/2 A1/I3 10 10/30/+2
Skills: Astral 6, Athletics 8 (Running +2), Close Combat 8, Outdoors 5, Per-
ception 7, Stealth 5
Powers: Armor 2, Dual Natured, Elemental Attack (Cold), Energy Aura
(Cold), Enhanced Senses (Smell), Hardened Armor 4, Immunity (Cold),
Mystic Armor 4, Natural Weapon (Bite/Claws), Wall Walking
Weapons:
Bite/Claws [Close Combat, DV 3P, 8/—/—/—/—]
Tail [Close Combat, DV 2S, 8/—/—/—/— (successful attack causes Prone
status)]
Ice Spider
(Theraphosidae arctos)
Got at least two solid hypotheses on where
these things came from, and neither is going to
help get rid of them—that takes fire and firepower.
Two different breeds of these spiders technically
exist. There is a northern ice spider in the Arctic
region and a southern ice spider living on Antarc-
tica. Both appear similar to the basic body shape
and frame of a tarantula, but they are significantly
larger (up to two meters in their head, abdomen,
and thorax) and are covered in white and silver
fur patterns better suited to their icy domains rath-
er than the tarantula’s desert camo of black and
brown. The northern ice spider preys primarily on
large deer, rabbits, squirrels, the occasional fox,
and when feeling particularly fierce, a wolf or two.
The southern ice spider preys primarily on pen-
guins and science researchers.
The remarkable similarities between the two
species have led parazoologists to assume they
have a common progenitor. This progenitor has
come from one of two places, depending on whose
hypothesis you favor. Dr. Jason Heidel Richmond
offers a terrestrial hypothesis where these spiders
actually came from labs that were utilizing them
for research at both the North and South Poles,
and they escaped, adapted to the local environ-
ment, became toxic from the environment they
were exposed to, grew to the size that they are, and
// POLAR REGIONS
 are now apex predators. Alternately, Drs. Greg and
Vanessa Duffin both believe the ice spiders are ac-
tually metaplanar immigrants that came through
136 one of the varied rips that have been occurring
over time, with a parallel rift opening at the North
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
and South Poles simultaneously. Once they got
comfortable being present on our plane, they be-
came a dominant predatory species, with nothing
out there that preyed on them.
So now we should talk about how I almost fell
victim to an ice spider. We were doing research in
Antarctica, and I was off doing an evaluation to
see if a glacial rift that was forming due to natural
ice degradation or whether it was some form of
astral rift forming in the ice, causing it to split and
melt as it shifted between metaplanes or locations.
This particular location had a rather deep series of
crevices and rifts for me to explore. Within, I dis-
covered the presence of at least a dozen ice spiders.
Their silken icy webs became suddenly abundant,
and I decided it was better to look around than
to start messing with their food-delivery service.
It didn’t take long to find the cavern at the base of
the crevasse that led to a pantry of sorts. Several
large cocoons were suspended above with faint liv-
ing auras still present in them, along with another
half-dozen along the walls.
The place was also littered with bones, and I
decided it was well past time to back out and bring
in the thugs. It was not the best timing, and with
radio contact unlikely to put it mildly, I could only
speculate on what was happening when I heard the
gunfire erupt from our basecamp. I hightailed it
back as best I could in those conditions, but it’s
never easy (or wise) to move too quickly in those
icy regions.
The camps were ablaze, and the fires were the
only thing keeping the spiders at bay. Several dozen,
ranging in size from a baseball to a Eurocar, were
rapidly leaping through the air from one tech and
doctor to another. Security was close, but the spi-
ders were too close to people and the equipment
to use anything big or flashy. They kept it tight and
pointed, focusing on the smaller subjects. They
knew better than to kill them and thus stunned and
penned as many as they could before the rest fled.
Let me just say, it was terrifying start to finish.
At least three of these were big enough for me to
ride and could easily have fed me to a collection of
their babies.
While the smaller spiders harassed us, the larger
ones took the opportunity to bind targets in web-
bing.
Alive.
It was at that point that I threw out my oath
not to interfere with nature’s processes. I called up
Brimstone, a good spirit pal, to do a little spider
slowing while I headed out to spray them with the
Slivergun and little flashes of my new fire-fingers
spell. Minimal injuries as the research corp re-
POLAR REGIONS //
quested but certainly some singed little silver hairs
to show them who was in change.
It wasn’t really us. We were all playing such
great parts on the team. As we celebrated our little
victory, a second big one came along and proved
to all of us we should have been the ones to run.
I thought I had a way to deal with all of it, I just
needed a little mojo boost from some mates. A
quick head chat (gotta love DNI head gear) and
we executed a sweep to essentially blow them back
outside our perimeter. Problem was, big boy wasn’t
fazed much by the breeze and ended up getting me
pinned. An empty Slivergun did me no good. A lit-
tle drained and a lot cold, I arced a bolt of light-
ning that coursed through all eight legs of big boy,
and the rest did a real turn-tail-and-run this time.
ice spider
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
3 4 4 2 1 1 4 1 1 4 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
3 8/1 A1/I2 10 5/15/+1
Skills: Astral 3, Close Combat 4, Outdoors 2, Perception 3, Stealth 4
Powers: Dual Natured, Immunity (Cold), Movement (Self), Natural Weap-
on (Bite), Pounce (must Run, successful attack causes Prone status), Ven-
om
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P (plus venom), 6/—/—/—/—]
Matrix Hare
(Lepus technus)
If the Awakening taught us anything, it was that
life would find a way. We can at least now apply
what we learned from there to maybe not take re-
peated smacks to the face by Emergence events.
The Matrix hare could be a very early opportunity
to get ahead of something very interesting.
Animal stuff first. The Matrix hare is an Emer-
gent species of the arctic hare. Not much differ-
ent in overall size, but they have silver rather than
white fur, and their ears look like they have a cir-
cuit-board pattern in the veins. Those ears are also
rather long for a cold-weather species. They have
longer-than-typical teeth and claws, with a quite
unique technovenom in their saliva, which they
can project up to twenty meters. Their venom car-
ries a nanobot delivery system that can affect tech-
nological devices with noise and slow degradation
of systems, while the biological agent is a close rel-
ative of belladonna. Both can act simultaneously if
different surfaces are landed on.
Now for the new tech! The Matrix hare is not
a technomancer bunny. While they have a connec-
tion to the Resonance, they do not manipulate it
in the way other species do. My research partner
here was none other than the renowned Netcat,
who made sure the test subjects were treated well.
// MATRIX HARE // 137

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

combine a little belladonna with a sud-
den opening to a new and unique world,
and just about any idiot with the right
simgear (including me) is going to fall for a
cool trip to “Wonderland,” while our bodies
start to freeze.
Remember those teeth and claws? Yup,
meat. Remember the need for simgear? Yup,
metahuman meat.
Cute and cuddly, but looking to kill you.

> Groups have been moving close to the edges of suburban and
urban sprawls to start increasing their prey numbers.
> Ecotope

> I didn’t finish this bit before the study, but Matrix hares are
making it into pet shops. Wireless access allows them to connect
over greater distances, and they’re becoming quite the problem
for disenfranchised corp kids going missing.
> Netcat

matrix hare
B A R S W L I C EDG R ESS
2 5 4 1 3 2 5 2 1 6 6

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
2 9/1 A1/I2 5 10/40/+3

It was a tough balancing act, but I truly think it
was the presence of Netcat and her style of study
that led to all of our discoveries.
Matrix hares do not interact with the Matrix
as personas but instead operate as hosts. When
many (ten or so) of them get together, they act as
a series of networked hosts and form a system of
their own. At twenty hares, those systems merge.
At fifty, those systems form an entire subMatrix
with hidden gateways to select Resonance realms.
No part of accessing the system is easy, and there
are extreme dangers.
During a study, Netcat was in deep, and our
facility was attacked by TerraFirst! jackbags who
didn’t do their research on how well these subjects
were treated and how every step in the process set
them up for reentry into their natural community.
But that’s besides the point.
The collective of hares presented no fewer than
eight different access points to different Resonance
Realms. Netcat had never seen anything like it be-
fore.
One might wonder the value of this, other than
being able to cut back on noise in the wilds, but
Skills: Athletics 6 (Running +2), Close Combat 2, Outdoors 4, Perception
4, Stealth 2
Powers: Emergent, Enhanced Senses (Hearing)
Weaknesses: Fragile (4)
Siberian Bee
(Apis siberius)
There are some Awakened species that make
you think they came back into the world to help
return the balance of nature and to smooth over
the damage that metahumanity has done to the
planet during its short reign. And then there are
things like the Siberian bee, an Awakened version
of the Apis mellifera, a transplanted species with
only three centuries of life in the region.
This Awakened cousin to the basic species is
significantly larger and shows a unique affinity
for strong electromagnetic fields. They build their
hives near power stations, transformers, and gen-
erators. The larger the field, the larger the hive
and the larger the queen. Early research showed
the hive able to protect itself through a powerful
electrical discharge. The smallest hive on record

// POLAR REGIONS
 produces a large enough charge to give a meta-
human a good jolt, and the largest hive to date
caused the death of Dr. Hills Gershwin, host of
138 The Hills are Alive tridcast and renowned troll
bodybuilder turned apiologist. Later events re-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
sulted in the discovery of the Siberian bee’s ability
to perform a focused, short-range, electrical dis-
charge attack while swarming and the ability for
a hive or swarm to super-charge a pair of bees to
land on a target and “sting” them with a recorded
discharge between 1.87 and 9.6 microcoulombs.
That means somewhere between extreme discom-
fort and enough to cause cardiac arrest.
Other than providing the foundation for a re-
ally neat hobby where you have to wear a beesuit
with some high-end non-conductivity weave in it,
the Siberian bees are being used as security forces
in some remote spots. A few generators, a pre-built
hive, and bang, instant wandering security, not to
mention a delicious supply of quite unique honey
that is not only sweet and delicious but also carries
the occasional mouth jolt of a small battery.
Bet you’re wondering how these things got me,
eh? I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I
was doing some “subject release” work alongside
some other nature-minded folks. There was a little
holding facility protected by the Siberian cold and
a few hives of these bees. Thankfully, the shifters
we were freeing had a skilled medic and healer
among them. My biomonitor recorded 5.2 micro-
coulombs. I was toast. Probably the closest to a
permanent dirtnap I’ve come, and it was all from
two chonky, fuzzy, cute honey bees landing on me
when I got a little too close to their hive.
siberian bee
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
1 4 3 1 1 1 3 1 1 4
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
1/2/- (5/15/+1
1 6/1 A1/I2 1
Flying)
Skills: Astral 2, Athletics 2 (Flying +2), Outdoors 2, Perception 2
Powers: Dual Natured, Elemental Attack (Electricity), Energy Aura (Elec-
tricity), Immunity (Electricity, Cold)
Weakness: Fragile 8
Snow Moose
(Alces Arcanarctos)
As the Awakened cousin of the Canadian
moose, the snow moose is like the ork of the family
tree. They stand between 2.2 and 2.8 meters at the
shoulder, with a white coat marked by prominent
grey hackles at the back of the neck. Their antlers,
which are common talislegger targets, can reach
a spread of 1.6 meters. The largest of the antler
spreads are said to be the most potent. While the
bone of the antler is the bread and butter of the re-
POLAR REGIONS //
agent and enchanting arena, the velvet that covers
them during early formation has its own place in
the magics of the Sixth World.
The snow moose travel in large herds of between
fifteen and thirty members. The females outnum-
ber the males three to one, with the males acting
to defend the females and the young. While typical
moose have poor eyesight, the snow moose has ex-
cellent vision. Despite their massive size, they are
stealthier than one would expect. With these en-
hancements over their mundane cousin, the snow
moose has few natural enemies, primarily consist-
ing of the natural predators of its non-Awakened
brethren along with some of the newer Awakened
predators such as the ghost bear.
Near-death is a bit of a stretch when it came to
me and the snow moose. It was mating research
and trying to figure out whether populations could
be maintained solely with the current snow moose
numbers or if they will need to continue inter-
breeding with the mundane Canadien moose. The
funding was provided by the UCAS government,
and they wanted a certain answer. I’m never a fan
of that kind of research, so in order to satiate my
scientific soul, I set a side project on the opportuni-
ty for potential domestication of the snow moose.
This research avenue found me drunkenly levi-
tating myself onto the back of a burly male who was
not up for any kind of domestication. I didn’t make
it the rodeo-required eight seconds, but I managed
to get batted eight meters into a rather deep snow
bank. That one was all part of my own stupidity,
both for what I did and for working science for a
government that only wants the evidence that fuels
their latest bill. Needless to say, I delivered the re-
search results in such an assertively vague way that
it worked for their bill and I still kept my scientific
integrity by being ambiguous and ready to accept
6 potential arguments—as all good science should.
snow moose
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
11 4 4 9 3 2 4 3 1 4 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
14 8/1 A1/I2 14 10/30/+2
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 3 (Running +2), Close Combat 4, Outdoors 4, Per-
ception 3, Stealth 3
Powers: Armor 3, Dual Natured, Natural Weapon (Antlers), Silence
Weapons:
Antlers [Close Combat, DV 5S, 13/—/—/—/—]
Snow Owl
(Bubo frigidus)
Easily confused with the snowy owl (it is the pro-
genitor species) from a distance, the snow owl is tri-
ple the size with quintuple the wingspan, so once you
are up close, there can no longer be any confusion.
 The special trait of the snow owl is a narrow
zone of weather control, where it can cause snow-
fall from its wings. While this may seem an odd
ability, the snow owl has been shown to spiral
around and douse an area in snow and then use
its keen thermographic vision to hunt prey in the
cold. Frequently, three to ten snow owls will get to-
gether and blanket an entire region for all of them
to use as a hunting ground. When this occurs, larg-
er prey also become targets of group attacks.
That snowing ability doesn’t necessarily have
a limit, and a few rather intelligent owls have
figured out how to fly repeatedly back and forth
over narrow mountain roads to create slicks,
bumps, and even complete blockages if enough
of them work together. When they attack, snow
owls bleed their prey. They make deep lacerations
with talons that secrete an anticoagulant. Even a
single good scratch can bring down a large buck
in under an hour.
The trick then becomes getting to the food be-
fore other mountain predators, but the snow owl
has a surprise for them. They expect interference
and often lie in wait to attack the scavenger. Or
the poor gnome who just came over to help out a
buddy who’d been scratched by an owl.
Yup, that’s the tale here. Checking on piasma
activity in the Rockies and a mate, Truffles, got
slashed by a snow owl. Thing just silently glided
by, slashed, and moved on while still dropping
snow. Truffles played tough, but when his platelet
system went bonkers trying to stop the bleed and
plugged his arteries instead, I ran over to help him
when he dropped.
Maybe it was some gut sixth sense or just
knowing the first attack seemed odd, but I spun
and unloaded my Slivergun into the poor bird. He
went from snow to blood real fast.
In the end, we got Truffles back up with a med-
kit, and I now wear a four-inch talon as a trophy.
Not my usual thing, but I genuinely felt like a win-
ner in the game of natural selection.
snow owl
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
4 3 3 2 2 2 5 2 1 6
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
1/5/+1 (20/30/+2
4 8/1 A1/I2 8
Flying)
Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 2 (Flying +2), Close Combat 3, Outdoors 3, Per-
ception 6, Stealth 4
Powers: Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision, Thermograph-
ic Vision), Immunity (Cold), Natural Weapon (Talons), Weather Control
Weaknesses: Fragile 2, Vulnerability (Fire)
Weapons:
Talons [Close Combat, DV 1P, 10/—/—/—/—]
Snow Snake
(Ophidia niphophilia)
I find this species fascinating. I once made a 139
joke that it was “a cute little fuzzy snake with
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
fangs!!!” but I should know better than to try
and be humorous with other scientific types. I
got lambasted for referring to a species that reg-
ularly reaches over 2.5 meters as “little.” But no,
I didn’t nearly die from shame. These creatures
are an amazing adaptation for the Sixth World,
with their fur being the key source of their ex-
treme cold resistance. Normally, even fur on a
cold-blooded creature would not be enough to
provide insulation from the exterior temperature,
as they have no internal heat-production system.
This fur is treasured by talismongers worldwide
for its properties in making foci and reagents for
cold-based spellcraft.
The fur appears white, but it is actually clear.
New discoveries have identified some members of
the species with an ability to shift the color of their
fur for better camouflage in snow and ice as well
as forested areas in the cold north. The most dis-
tinctive features of the snow snake are its ruby-red
eyes.
Which makes a great transition to my near-
death at their fangs, as I was doing a close inspec-
tion of the eyes of a captured specimen when it
happened.
A small corporate research team and I were out
doing some evaluations on this species as a po-
tential Awakened guard animal. We had a healthy
2.1 meter female that we were doing physical ex-
aminations on while she was held fast in a snake
snare. I was making a detailed scan and study of
the red eyes, which are actually faceted like an in-
sect’s, increasing the “ruby” redness of them. We
were all obviously distracted and were about to
discover that snow snakes are among the short
list of “nesting” snakes that maintain protection
of their young for a period after hatching. While
all of us were focused on mom in the snare, a
half-dozen young came into the tent unnoticed.
Their size and camouflage abilities made them very
stealthy. Stan got bit first and screamed, followed
6 quickly by Dallas, at which point we all went on
the defensive.
I avoided a bite, which was good, as with my
size I would have been a goner, but we quickly
stunned or chased off the young and altered our
processes. Within a few weeks, we discovered the
potential for a family of snow snakes operating
as Awakened guards with only a slight surgery to
place tracking nanites into the venom sacks.
This was right before the exposure of the inci-
dent in Boston and the monads, so take that as a
possible warning for something weird, but know
some sites may use a mother and offspring snow
snakes as security.
// POLAR REGIONS
 The snow snake primarily hunts in the cold,
looking for hibernating or torpid prey. They were
// SNOW SNAKE // initially only active across a limited portion of the
140 year but have since expanded their territory around
northwest North America and demonstrate activ-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

ity year-round.

snow snake
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
2 5 4 2 2 1 4 1 1 3 6

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
2 8/1 A1/I2 9 5/10/+1

Skills: Close Combat 3, Outdoors 2, Perception 3, Stealth 4

Powers: Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision, Smell), Immunity (Cold),
Natural Weapon (Bite), Venom
Weaknesses: Vulnerability (Fire)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P (plus venom), 6/—/—/—/—]

Vampire Penguin
(Pygoscelis hematos)
How does a genius gnome parabiologist get
nearly killed by penguins? Well, that’s a funny sto-
ry.
First off, let me tell you about this paraspecies
of the adorable Adélie penguin. Rather than the
well-known black-and-white coloration of those
little guys, the vampire penguin is almost entirely
black, with the only color coming from a collar of
crimson around their neck, crimson around their
eyes, and blood-red beak and feet. They’re the
same size and often join groups of their mundane
cousins when huddling for warmth. Their eyes
are a disturbing shade of silvery-blue that almost
makes you feel like they’re blind. To the contrary,
though, the eyes offer spectacular vision at night
and in the dark waters of the Antarctic.
As their name implies, the primary sustenance
of these penguins is blood, though they are not in
any way, shape, or form Infected with HMHVV.
They don’t feed on the life force of a being, just
literally their blood. This is accomplished by the
presence of a mild anesthetic and anticoagulant
produced by a gland in their beak. Which leads me
to my near-death experience.
I was doing independent research on this spe-
cies with a small team of doctorate students. We
set up a small camp near a major huddle point for
a flock of Adèlie penguins, which we knew con-
tained a cluster of vampire penguins. We were sev-
eral weeks into our observation, and in the middle
of the night I wake up surrounded by a dozen of
the little buggers, each with its beak buried in some
bit of my exposed flesh. I jerk awake, and they all
stand up straight, turn in almost unison to stare at
me with those creepy blue eyes, and then quickly

POLAR REGIONS //
turn to waddle/scurry out the small hole that had
been torn in my tent.
Turns out one of my research students cut the
small hole to do some independent research of their 141
own on vampire penguin predation habits. It was a

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

genuine attempt to feed me to them, because they
were angry I was giving more attention to another
of the students. In the long run, I wasn’t angry, as
the student in question had been in denial of their
slowly emerging technomancer abilities and was a
little delirious from the isolation we were in. I still
killed the little fragger, but I wasn’t mad at him.
Our overall research went well, with great doc-
umentation of pack-hunting techniques used by
the vampire penguins to corner or herd larger prey,
marine and terrestrial, in order for them to feed
as a group. As proven on me, they will also locate
sleeping prey and feed as a group.

vampire penguin
B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
2 3 3 1 1 1 4 2 1 4 6

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
3/5/+1 (5/15/+2
2 7/1 A1/I2 4
Swimming)

Skills: Astral 3, Athletics 4 (Swimming +2), Close Combat 3, Outdoors 3,

Perception 4, Stealth 2
Powers: Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Natural Weap-
on (Bite)
Weaknesses: Dietary Requirement (Blood), Fragile 5
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 5/—/—/—/— (successful attack causes the
Bleeding status)]

// VAMPIRE PENGUIN //

// POLAR REGIONS
 Wooly Mammoth wood over armored metal slats and covered with
a hearty genemod kudzu. Inside was one of those
(Mammuthus primigenius) rare early magicians who had learned a few spells
142 Let me start this like some others have … and not melted their own brain or gone totally
Long thought to be extinct … that’s because mad (partially mad was fine). The technique is still
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

they fragging were! These reappearances contin- used to this day with far better trained mages and
ue to this day, even with the Awakening well be- regularly invisible mammoths!
hind us, and Awakened species that look just like I was doing a general assensing of a wooly mam-
extinct creatures continue to emerge all over the moth that had demonstrated an ability to rapidly
world. It’s almost like the amount of mana neces- change its hair coloration, complete with “colors”
sary to keep a species in full expression was gone that were beyond the realm of the basic visible
and has finally returned. spectrum. This makes them capable of masking
The wooly mammoth popped back up in areas themselves from low-light and thermographic vi-
of Siberia back in 2015. Shortly after the return, sions by manipulating colors in those ranges. I was
the trade in mammoth meat, bones, and most of all up on Vishki’s back—that was the subject—and
discovered the next cool trick it could pull off:
tusks nearly ran the newly returned species back
astral “camouflage.” It made an odd aura shift,
to extinction until a rather creative pseudo-natu-
and suddenly I was off-balance and falling. Didn’t
ralist from MCT took a dozen pregnant African even manage a levitation. Just landed hard, broke
elephants and kept them in a biodome once used an arm, and then had to roll fast to avoid getting
for climate-change research. By the magic of mana, stomped on.
eleven of the twelve gave birth to mammoths,
while the twelfth spawned a bullyphant. A few
more rounds of this, and numbers were back up. wooly mammoth
The species never hit extinction thanks to their B A R S W L I C EDG M ESS
use by local Siberian tribesman as trained mounts 12 4 4 12 4 3 4 1 1 4 6
and work animals. The mounts were actually
used during the Russian-Siberian war and proved DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
20 8/1 A1/I2 14 10/40/+1
themselves as formidable mixed-operations plat-
forms. They could haul trailers, and the Siberians Skills: Astral 3, Close Combat 2, Outdoors 2, Perception 4
built platforms and headgear for mounting weap- Powers: Armor 8, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Im-
munity (Cold), Natural Weapon (Tusks)
ons and protecting the mammoths’ ears from the Weapons:
sound and body from return fire. Best of all are Tusks [Close Combat, DV 6S, 16/—/—/—/—]
the mage boxes they developed early in the days of
spellcasting. The whole box was made with fresh

POLAR REGIONS //
 OCEANS, SEAS,
AND LAKES
Posted by: Deep Six
> I’d like to introduce a friend of mine. I’ve worked with and for
Deep Six a bunch over the years, and don’t let the fact he’s an
academic fool you—he gets out in the field as much as possible.
Deep Six has some magic too, so he’s able to study aquatic
critters in a way that really makes a difference out on the World
Ocean. I listen to what he has to say—I suggest you all do, too.
> Bubbles
Oceans, seas, and lakes. At last count, roughly
seventy percent of the planet’s surface is covered
in water, with the world’s oceans making up some-
where in the region of ninety-six percent of the wa-
ter on the planet. That’s a lot of water, to be sure,
but it’s also the seat of life. The primordial oceans
are where life began, and life still teems within the
waters of the world. As Bubbles has repeatedly in-
formed you fine folks of JackPoint, the world is
utterly and irrevocably dependent upon the parts
covered in this chapter for its very existence. From
maritime trade to fishing and other resource gath-
ering, the waters can be home for some, a place for
leisure activity for others, and a workplace for still
others. The oceans, seas, and lakes of the world are
absolutely vital to our way of life.
No matter what you use large bodies of water
for, at some point you will run across one of the
thousands of species that live in those bodies of
water. And, to be frank, some of those species
are downright hostile to us. Don’t get me wrong,
with few exceptions, these are just animals doing
what they do, and thus no malice should be ap-
portioned to them. But they’re still very deadly!
Water is a non-compressible fluid. Due to its
nature, water provides support to the physiology
of a great many life forms, and aquatic species can
become quite large indeed. The largest living crea-
tures on the planet are all found in the oceans and
seas of the world. Think about that for a second.
We’re talking about creatures so big they dwarf
everything else on the planet—including dragons!
I’m not saying all aquatic life is that scale—clearly,
they aren’t all gargantuan creatures. But some are.
Water is also not a habitat suited to metahu-
man life. Not only do we need air to breathe, but
we also are poorly adapted to living on or in the
water. We are not powerful swimmers, we are not
adapted to the cold or pressure one often finds
in an aquatic environment. Light plays tricks un-
der water, so seeing can be a challenge, too. Some
magic works differently, and the plethora of algae
and plankton species one finds in open water often
makes using astral perception difficult too. Yes, I
know that with certain magical abilities, implants,
and equipment, we are able to exist in water, but
we are never truly at home there. We never truly
belong. And we are never safe.
// OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES
144
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
// LEVIATHAN //
Leviathan
The leviathan (Grampus immanis) is a large,
carnivorous whale that regularly achieves a length
of twenty-one meters, with exceptional specimens
having lengths of twenty-five meters on record.
The leviathan resembles the killer whale (Grampus
orca), its progenitor species, but has a broader and
flatter body. Like all marine mammals, its tail is
oriented horizontally. The leviathan’s color is light
grey, with amorphous dark patches and markings
down its flanks. These dark patches change over
time, so they cannot be used to identify individ-
uals. This made studying leviathan behavior and
range somewhat challenging.
Leviathans were once thought to be a mostly
arctic species, and that is where one is most likely
to find them. But some sub-species can be found
all over the world—so don’t think being in the Red
Sea or the South China Sea means you won’t en-
counter one. It’s statistically unlikely, as they prefer
cooler climes, but not impossible.
> Tell me about it! I was enjoying some quality me-time off the
coast of Italy a few years ago when I heard what I thought was
a pod of dolphins. I was certain of it, it sounded so authentic.
So you can imagine my surprise when I encountered a solitary
OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES //
leviathan. Thankfully, I had a DPV, otherwise I’d have lost more
than just my arm.
> Bubbles
A leviathan’s diet consists mostly of seals, wal-
ruses, and whales, but really, they will eat anything
that moves in their territory. They’re very capable
hunters, using advanced methods of capturing
prey. They’ve been observed using their wake to tip
over small ice floes to get at seals and other marine
mammals that are using them as a place of safety,
they’ve been observed using beaching tactics to get
close enough to seals and walruses to snag them,
and they’ve been observed using a form of magic
to mimic the calls of other whale species—both to
lure prey in and to discourage others from coming
to the aid of prey they are attacking.
> The mimicry ability of a leviathan is definitely disconcerting.
Their ability to mimic the distress calls of many whale species
is uncanny, but what is most off-putting is their ability to sound
like almost anything that would draw prey in. This ranges from
sounding like a bait ball forming to a struggling whale or other
creature and many other naturally occurring sounds. It’s so
effective that most sonars can’t reliably discern the difference.
This can lead to unfortunate situations where small fishing
boats will go to an area to fish only to find a pod of leviathans
 there lying in wait. Some pods have determined that fishing
boats have food aboard, both the crew and also the cargo, and
regularly attack them.
> Sounder
While young males travel alone or in groups as
they search for a female to begin a pod with, levia-
thans are most often detected in pods that consist of
a family grouping. Leviathan pods are five to eight
adults, including a breeding male and up to three
adult females the male breeds with, along with their
young. Older females aren’t unheard of in pods. The
older females help look after the young and add to the
pod’s ability to hunt. The largest pod I have person-
ally seen in the wild was eleven adults, though from
what I could discern, two of them were juvenile males
close to starting their own pods.
The intelligence of a leviathan is often debated, as
they are most definitely capable of learning. Their use
of advanced tactics and methodologies for hunting
demonstrates their intelligence as well, but the scien-
tific community has finally determined that they are
not sapient. Don’t let that fool you, though, as they
are still wily and highly capable predators. Especially
when multiple pods join forces to hunt particularly
large prey such as meistersingers and blue whales.
The leviathan’s only natural predators are megal-
odons and kraken. It is unlikely for lone megalodons
to attack a pod of leviathans, but if they encounter a
male or juvenile alone, they will certainly be tempted.
Because leviathans can be found in waters used for
recreation and fishing, they often come into conflict
with metahumans. There have been some instances
where leviathans have helped stranded seamen and
divers, but there are also just as many cases where
they’ve preyed on the same. So if you’re adrift and
spot a leviathan, don’t be too excited.
Leviathans are capable of a fair turn of speed for
a creature of their size and are surprisingly agile in
the water. They also are able to hold their breath for
over an hour, possibly longer, as it’s hard to identify
individuals, so we cannot be completely certain. Le-
viathans are also able to dive to depths in excess of
3,500 meters.
leviathan
B A R S W L I C M ESS
18 7 5 15 4 2 4 5 8 6
DR I/ID AC CM M
30 9/2 A1, I3 17 20/25/+3
Skills: Athletics 6 (Swimming +2), Close Combat 9 (Bite +2), Outdoors 2,
Perception 5, Stealth 4
Powers: Armor 12, Enhanced Senses (Sonar), Mimicry, Natural Weapon
(Bite)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 8P, 20/—/—/—/—]
Unarmed Strike* [Close Combat, DV 7S, 15/—/—/—/—]
*Note: Use Unarmed Strike for tail slaps, breaching attacks, and ramming.
Megalodon
The megalodon (Carcharodon neomegalodon)
is a huge pelagic variant of the great white shark,
growing up to sixteen meters long. Its dorsal side is
145
slate-grey, shading to white ventrally. Its dorsal fin
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
is highly prominent and wicked sharp. An irregu-
lar pattern of black stripes is unique to each spec-
imen and provides some additional camouflage.
The shark’s mouth can be three meters across, and
it is filled with rows of jagged teeth that are con-
stantly lost and refreshed.
The megalodon quite rightly has a fearsome
reputation. Sharks are some of the most efficient
predators in the water, and the megalodon is a cut
above even the great white. Megalodons will eat
literally anything in the water; some specimens
have been found with parts of cars or whole mo-
torcycles and small boats in their guts.
> If it’s in the water, it’s fair game for a megalodon.
> Bubbles
> Their bites are also exceptionally powerful. One bite and the
bloody thing took my legs clean off at the thigh! Bit straight
through my orthoskin and titanium-laced bones. It’s all good, as
my new legs are far superior, but finishing the job without legs
was a ballache!
> Leech
Somewhat surprising for such a large and ca-
pable predator, megalodons have been spotted in
packs of up to five individuals. These packs have
been known to take on pods of leviathans and
come out on top. We have even observed meisters-
ingers with megalodon bite scars on them.
Megalodons are, like their progenitors the great
whites, unable to pump water over their gills, so
they must remain in motion. They also are slightly
negatively buoyant, so they must continually ac-
tively swim in order to survive. Though there have
been some specimens observed lying on the bot-
tom in a current while they enter a catatonic state,
allowing the current to push water through their
mouths and over their gills, most megalodons are
seen swimming while resting, which is not uncom-
mon among sharks. More research on the great
white and the megalodon is most definitely needed.
As a pelagic shark, megalodons can be found
anywhere in the world. They rarely dive below
750 meters, at least as far as we have been able to
determine, but megalodons can be found in any
ocean or sea at any given time. Like many species
of shark, megalodons have a very advanced sense
of smell, allowing them to detect a few drops of
blood in the water dozens of kilometers away.
When they detect a large amount of blood, they
are often driven into a feeding frenzy, where lit-
erally anything and everything that moves is seen
as prey, even each other when grouped into packs.
// OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES
146
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
// MEGALODON //
One of the most disconcerting facets of the
megalodon is just how difficult it can be to kill
one. They are exceptionally hardy creatures, often
requiring massive trauma to the brain stem to stop
them. They also heal at an exceptional rate and
seem to be resilient to most person-portable weap-
on systems as well as non-lethal shark repellants
(both chemical and technological). This makes
megalodons seem much more malicious that they
truly are, as they rarely break off a chase once
they’ve begun one. Megalodon watches on plea-
sure beaches are crucial; do them on the water, and
metahumans and their small boats will be swal-
lowed whole by these majestic creatures.
> I once responded to a mayday call in Micronesia. The ship in
distress was a passenger ferry going from one island to another
that had a mechanical problem that caused a significant fire in
OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES //
the engineering spaces and was taking on water. By the time
we got there, the ship was listing quite heavily and sank while
we were on scene. Hundreds of passengers had jumped into the
water to escape the stricken ship. The problem was, the owners
had obviously thought the Titanic was a great role model, as
there was nowhere near enough life rafts for everyone, and
those they did have were short-range inflatable ones.
Normally, this wouldn’t have been an issue, except the blood
of the injured had drawn local sharks, which had begun to feed.
We were horrified to detect a pack of four megalodons heading
toward the site—we did everything we could, including shooting
them with anti-materiel rifles, assault cannons, and explosive
rockets, but it didn’t do any good. An hour later, we left the
scene with nineteen survivors aboard, and in desperate need
of a lot of very strong alcohol to blot out the memories of what
we’d witnessed. Nineteen out of almost five hundred.
> Bubbles
 megalodon
B A R S W L I C M ESS
15 9 5 12 4 1 4 3 5 6 147

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

DR I/ID AC CM M
23 9/2 A1, I3 16 20/25/+3
// KRAKEN //
Skills: Athletics 6 (Swimming +2), Close Combat 8 (Bite +3), Outdoors 3,
Perception 6, Stealth 4
Powers: Enhanced Senses (Smell), Hardened Armor 8, Natural Weapon
(Bite, Dorsal Fin), Regeneration
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 12P, 17/—/—/—/—]
Dorsal Fin [Close Combat, DV 6P, 17/—/—/—/—]
Unarmed Strike* [Close Combat, DV 6S, 13/—/—/—/—]

*Note: Use Unarmed Strike for ramming.

Kraken
Ah, the famous kraken (Architeuthis megagi-
ganteus). These beasts are enormous cephalopods
(believed to originate from giant squid) that are
most often mistaken for small floating islands. Its
streamlined head and body can exceed twenty-five
meters in length. The eight arms are each over
thirty meters in length. The more specialized ten-
tacles terminate in manipulative oval pads that are
roughly forty meters long. The entire length of all
eight arms and the two feeding tentacles are cov-
ered in suckers approximately thirty centimeters
across. Though no specimens have been captured
alive, their weight is estimated at over 15,000 ki-
lograms. A kraken is primarily white, but it can
be mottled with blues and browns. Its head is ar-
mored with a calcium exoskeleton, and a powerful
beak extends from its ventral surface.
Thankfully, kraken are very rare, but they
can be found anywhere in the open ocean. The
majority of sightings have been off the Antarctic
continental shelf, but that is far from conclusive.
They spend most of their time at extreme depths,
so metahumanity knows very little about kraken
and their life cycles. What we do know of their
physiology comes from examination of the spec-
imen that attacked the Ares Apollo supercarrier
in 2048. Analysis of the creature determined that
the kraken is the Awakened form of the colossal
squid while having some physical resemblance to
the giant squid. Additionally, the digestive tract
of the specimen included a partially digested le-
viathan and parts of the Apollo’s hull. The most
disturbing discovery is that the specimen was fe-
male and had over 1,200 immature and unfertil-
ized eggs.
Despite being a deep-dwelling species, the ma-
jority of kraken encounters occur at or near the
surface of deep ocean. Kraken will often seemingly
mistake oceangoing ships for prey animals, pursue
them, and then attack them. With the exception of
military vessels, it is highly unlikely—even though

// OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES

 many modern cargo and passenger vessels carry
some not insignificant weaponry—that the ship
will be successful in driving off a kraken. In 2081,
148 thirteen ships were attacked by kraken, only two
of which were not sunk.
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
> The MV Motoko was actually saved by a pod of leviathans that
attacked the kraken. They succeeded in killing the kraken and
eating it. From analysis of the footage recorded of the attack,
the leviathans had sucker scars on them, indicating that this
particular pod at least preys on kraken.
> Bubbles
Kraken attacks are on the increase—in 2071,
there were six recorded attacks by kraken on ships,
but in the intervening decade these have increased
slowly year over year. Some of my colleagues in the
scientific community attribute this increase to bet-
ter reporting and recording, but while I consider
that to be a factor, I do not believe that the increase
can be explained away that easily. My hypothesis
is that conditions in the deepest parts of the ocean
are changing. We know that leviathan numbers are
on the increase, as are several other types of ceta-
ceans. Combine this increase in prey with efforts
to tame the deepest parts of the oceans by some
corporations, and it is my belief that the stagger-
ingly huge numbers of young kraken that females
are known to produce are suffering less predation,
which means more specimens are reaching adult-
hood.
We do not know what makes up the diet of
kraken—due to the remoteness of their attacks,
by the time a scientific team arrives on site, there
is almost always very little of the corpse to work
with. I have, on several occasions, attempted to
put together expeditions solely for the purpose
of rapidly responding to kraken attacks, but it is
exceptionally difficult. There is a lot of ocean to
cover and very few recorded attacks, making the
resources needed for such an endeavor exception-
ally high. Without a proper corporate sponsor, I
do not believe I will be able to prove or disprove
my hypothesis, as without knowing more about
the diet and life cycle of the kraken, we simply
cannot reasonably say why kraken attacks are in-
creasing.
> Thankfully, kraken do not, so far, attack the largest cargo ships.
The Ares Apollo that was attacked in 2048 was, at the time,
one of the largest supercarriers put to sea. But by modern
standards, she isn’t even close to the top forty. So far, kraken
have not attacked any vessel more than 400 meters long.
> Bubbles
OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES //
kraken
B A R S W L I C M ESS
18 6 5 24 5 3 3 1 4 6
DR I/ID AC CM M
29 8/1 A1, I2 17 30/35/+5
Skills: Athletics 5 (Swimming +2), Close Combat 7 (Crush +2), Outdoors 4,
Perception 3, Stealth 6
Powers: Adaptive Coloration, Armor 11, Natural Weapon (Crush)
Weakness: Allergy (Sunlight, Mild)
Weapons:
Crush [Close Combat, DV 12P, 29/16*/—/—/—]
*Note: Maximum reach is 40 meters.
Abrams Lobster
The Abrams lobster (Homarus immanis) is a
crustacean with a hard blue-green exoskeleton.
Growing to an overall length of 1.5 meters, they
can weigh over 100 kilograms. The first pair of its
legs develops into intimidating claws approaching
fifty centimeters long while the other legs are used
for walking along the ocean bottom or short dis-
tances out of water. Their powerful abdomen is
tipped with a tail that propels it through the water
to quickly escape danger.
> A 100-kilogram lobster … I’ll take two! Along with a kilogram of
French fries and a liter of tartar sauce.
> Gundark
> A word of warning for those allergic to shellfish: Abrams
lobsters cause a more severe histamine reaction than any other
known species of crustacean. The reason behind this is still
being studied, but it is a known phenomenon.
> Galen
> Good to know. Thanks, Doc.
> Glitch
Abrams lobsters are carnivorous, with their
typical diet consisting of fish, crustaceans, octopus-
es, or other bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Most
frighteningly of all, abrams lobsters have been
known to come on shore to hunt birds and small
mammals, scavenge eggs, or eat generally anything
small enough for them to kill. These creatures are
very single-minded and highly opportunistic, so
anything that gets between them and their goal can
easily be attacked. It is quite common for abrams
lobsters to be a nuisance to metahuman bathers
and divers who are between it and food.
This is doubly troubling during spawning sea-
son, as the normally solitary abrams lobsters form
a caravan of up to twenty individuals as they
migrate to their spawning grounds. Due to their
singlemindedness, the lobsters will often cut buoy
lines, nets, lobster pots—basically anything they

// ABRAMS LOBSTER //
find on the sea floor that is in their way. This in-
cludes bottom-feeding sea life; in a few snips, the
caravan of lobsters will incapacitate or kill what-
ever it is that intruded on them, and then they will
descend on the corpse and strip it to the bone in
minutes. It is quite a sight.
> After repeated Matrix disruptions to the Orkneys and Shetlands,
a concerted effort was made to harden cabling on the sea floor
as well as install “lobster bridges” to allow the abrams lobsters
to walk over the top of cables instead of through them. So far, it
seems to have worked, as incidents of cable snips have dropped
dramatically.
> Ribbon
The mundane progenitor of the abrams lobster,
the European lobster (Homarus gammarus), can
be found in a much larger area, including in the
eastern Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and
Black Sea. Up until recently, it was believed that
the abrams lobster was only found in the North
Sea, but several recently discovered snips over the
149
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
last eight years indicate that the abrams lobster has
spread more widely. They have also been seen in in
the Arctic Sea, as there have been multiple record-
ed instances of abrams lobsters attacking narwhal
pods in the summer when they are closer to shore,
only for a gungir whale to deal with them. From the
footage I’ve obtained, evidently the gungir whale is
an effective predator for the abrams lobster. Some
of my learned colleagues believe the gungir whale
evolved partially to handle Awakened critters like
these. Whether this is true or not, it is possible that
the abrams lonster’s numbers will plateau, as aside
from megafauna like the megalodon, there hasn’t
been much in the North Sea that could successfully
prey on this critter.
The abrams lobster’s life cycle is much like that
of the European lobster until they reach maturity.
From that point onward, abrams lobsters molt their
carapaces once every five to seven years instead of
the one to two years for their mundane cousins.
At time of writing, landing a female abrams
lobster with berries in the NEEC or UK can be
punished by exorbitant fines and prison time. If
// OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES
 this species has indeed spread, that may moderate
somewhat in the short term. It will take a signif-
icant amount of time for lobster fishers and the
150 rest of the supply chain to scale up the number of
specialist abrams lobster tanks they have, as the
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
creature’s strength is very high. Given their excep-
tionally hard carapace and extreme resistance to
toxins, very little has been found that’s effective
against abrams lobsters.
abrams lobster
B A R S W L I C
4 3 3 7 3 4 3 1
DR I/ID AC CM M this when the devilfish is feeding as they, unlike
10 6/1 A1, I2 10 10/15/+1
Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 5 (Claws +2), Outdoors 2, Perception 4,
Stealth 1
Powers: Enhanced Senses (Sonar), Gestalt Consciousness, Hardened Ar-
mor 6, Immunity (Toxins), Natural Weapon (Claws)
Weapons:
Claws [Close Combat, DV 6P, 11/—/—/—/—]
Devilfish
The devilfish (Mobula phobi) is a manta ray
with an average wingspan of eight meters with
an average weight of roughly 2,000 kilograms. Its
dorsal surface is black with white markings on the
ventral. It has a raised spine and a slightly elongat-
ed tail that is tipped with a venomous spine. They
have two sets of sharp, tiny teeth.
The giant oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris)
is the mundane progenitor of the devilfish, and it
was moved from the genus Manta to the genus
Mobula after extensive genetic testing of the giant
manta ray, the devilfish, and the reef manta ray in
2078. It is not uncommon to see some texts and
Matrix reference material still refer to the devilfish
by the old genus, but I hope JackPointers will up-
date their knowledge bases and use the correct one.
Like its progenitor, the devilfish is circumglobal
and typically found in tropical and subtropical wa-
ters, both as solitary animals but also in groups of
up to thirty individuals, often frequenting cleaning
stations and mixing with other fish species. The gi-
ant oceanic manta ray subsists off of filter feeding
(composing twenty-seven percent of its diet) as well
as small crustaceans, larvae of many different spe-
cies, and small shrimp. The devilfish, being signifi-
cantly bigger, is able to take much larger fish and
crustaceans, though it does not have the ability to
bite through the shells of many crustacean species
that one might expect them to prey on. Due to the
wider array of possible prey species, devilfish in
the wild rely upon filter feeding for approximately
twelve percent of their diet, though they might sub-
sist by this method in an emergency should other
sources of food become sparse in a given area.
OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES //
In addition to normal feeding, which they do
well due to their speed, devilfish have another tactic
for hunting prey. When they come upon a school of
fish, they will sometimes leap from the water and
land on the school, stunning many of them long
enough for the devilfish to gobble them up. It was
once thought the devilfish used vacuum feeding, but
this has proven to not be the case.
Their ability to leap from the water is one of the
most remarkable traits of the devilfish—they can
reach altitudes of twelve meters and glide for up to
100 meters. They also are well-known for allowing
M ESS
4 6
divers to hold on to the front margin of their bod-
ies, but I would strongly urge no one to attempt
other manta ray species, have a stinger in their tail.
When agitated or provoked, devilfish will flail their
stinger around. Combined with their ability to in-
cite a fear response, an agitated devilfish can be
quite dangerous, including to small boats if they
were to land upon them.
Devilfish give birth to one or two young after a
gestation period of fourteen months, though this
is not a live birth as with a placenta, just the egg
hatching within the female’s body and undergoing
an additional growth period there before being
born. Devilfish offspring weigh ten kilograms at
birth. These young mature over five years, and they
can live up to fifteen years in the wild.
devilfish
B A R S W L I C M ESS
11 3 5 8 4 2 3 2 6 6
DR I/ID AC CM M
11 8/1 A1, I2 14 20/30/+3
Skills: Athletics 4 (Jumping +2), Close Combat 2, Outdoors 1, Perception 3
Powers: Fear, Venom (Vector: Injection, Speed: 4 Combat rounds, Power:
6, Effect: Nauseated, Poisoned 6P)
Weapons:
Slam* [Close Combat, DV 9P, 12/—/—/—/—]
Unarmed Strike [Close Combat, DV 3S, 13/—/—/—/—]
*Note: Use Slam for when a devilfish lands on someone in the water. The
slam also applies the Dazed status for 2 combat rounds.
Devil Jack Diamond
The devil jack diamond (Lepisosteus adaman-
ticus) is an Awakened version of the pike, with
an average length of three meters and weight of
150 kilograms. It has a large mouth with twen-
ty-eight small teeth on top and eighteen larger
teeth on the bottom. It has top-mounted eyes
and an olive-colored dorsal shading that fades to
yellow on the underbelly. Its back is broad, flat,
and covered in heavy scales. These scales provide
the devil jack diamond with a level of protection
and enable it to float on the surface with its back

// DEVIL JACK DIAMOND //
awash, much in the same manner as alligators.
Devil jack diamonds are often mistaken for logs
or driftwood, which makes a nasty surprise for
anyone and anything that gets close.
Genetic analysis has proven that the devil
jack diamond is of the pike family (genus esox),
but it has not been possible to pin it down to
one progenitor species. The data points to a lin-
eage from the Northern pike (Esox lucius) and/
or the muskellunge (Esox masquinongy). Con-
sidering the devil jack diamond’s behavioral and
physiological differences, it’s no wonder that it
was assigned a genus before proper analysis was
complete.
The devil jack diamond is perhaps one of the
most aggressive fish found anywhere in North
America, certainly the most aggressive in the
Mississippi River. They feed primarily on catfish
found in the rivers with them, but they will attack
anything. This behavior is highly problematic for
metahumans in that they will attack anything that
causes a disturbance in the water. Anything splash-
ing, such as a metahuman that has fallen over-
board, will very swiftly be attacked if there is a
devil jack diamond nearby. They are a surprisingly
fast and agile fish for their size and able to reach
disturbances very quickly.
151
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
While devil jack diamonds are usually solitary,
there are reports every year where several get to-
gether and sink a small pleasure boat. This obvi-
ously can have disastrous consequences if there is
no help nearby.
> Instances of devil jack diamond attacks of small boats are higher
right now, as there are a lot of recently transplanted Ares staff
in St. Louis who don’t know the river anywhere near well enough
to be entrusted with a pedal boat let alone anything more
sophisticated. Brings a tear to my eye, all those fine fish being
contaminated with Ares employee flesh.
> Bubbles
> Wow, that got dark fast!
> Sounder
> All things considered, I’m inclined to agree with Bubbles here.
Even the normies aren’t too fond of Ares right now.
> Canis
Despite occasionally working together, devil
jack diamonds are hyper territorial, often attack-
ing each other to establish dominance even when
there is prey nearby. The devil jack diamond has
been seen eating losers in these territorial contests.
// OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES
 Given the toughness and aggressiveness of the
devil jack diamond, they have become a very ca-
chet catch for extreme sports anglers. Normally I
152 would not condone such pastimes except when in
a survival situation, but the devil jack diamond is,
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
I find, an exception to my personal rule. And do
not for one moment think this is not true extreme
angling. The “don’t fight the line, fight the angler”
tactic G-Nome mentioned in his Howling Shad-
ows upload has become much more widespread.
All along the Mississippi, devil jack diamonds are
turning and attacking rather than trying to evade
the line. Combine that with their very effective
stealth while lying on the surface, and you are
now close to a situation where it is often neces-
sary to not only be armed yourself but to have an
armed friend nearby, after three separate incidents
where anglers were overpowered by these fish and
dragged back into the water and then eaten.
> In one of those instances, the angler thrashing about and
shooting at the devil jack diamond that was attacking it caused
such a disturbance that two other fish showed up. I heard it was
in a nature preserve and there was a school field trip nearby
that went to help.
> Sounder
> That can’t have been pretty. I’ve seen the mess they make when
feeding.
> Deep Six
> I have to confess, ever since my first encounter with a devil jack
diamond in the early 2060s, this is one species I’m always wary
of. But they do an excellent job disposing of bodies, if you’re
so inclined. Not as thorough as hogs or ghouls, and being a
freshwater fish they’re not exactly common everywhere, but
they certainly get the job done.
> Canis
devil jack diamond
B A R S W L I C
5 5 5 5 3 1 3 1
DR I/ID AC CM M front of them to deal with predators, but for the
11 8/1 A1, I2 11 25/35/+5
Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 5 (Bite +2), Outdoors 2, Perception 5,
Stealth 6
Powers: Armor 6, Natural Weapon (Bite)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 10/—/—/—/—]
Gorging Shark
This species is a new one to many marine biolo-
gists, as they are quite adept at hiding in plain sight.
However, due to some strange circumstances, gorg-
ing sharks (Cetorhinus gigantus) seem to find the
waters three hundred kilometers off Land’s End to
OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES //
be rather fascinating, as well as the coast along the
Norfolk Stinkfens. Both of these locations are very
popular for gorging sharks, and their mundane pro-
genitors the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus),
to gather in shoals and schools as they go through
their summer courtship behaviors (yes, these are the
sharks that swim nose to tail in circles for hours at
a time).
Before the Awakening, the basking shark was
the second largest species of shark, behind the
whale shark. After the Awakening, the megalodon
became the largest species of shark … until recent-
ly. The gorging shark is, as far as modern science
is aware, the largest species of shark in the world.
The largest specimen ever recorded, a male over
twenty-three meters in length, was recovered after
it was killed by unknown parties off the Norfolk
coast in 2078. The average length for this species
is twenty meters.
> Unknown parties, my arse!
> Pinkie
> They’ve gotten better since, haven’t they? And their jobs are less
flashy. Mostly.
> eRic
The gorging shark, and the basking shark for
that matter, are cosmopolitan migratory species,
constantly traveling the world’s temperate oceans,
swimming slowly and using their six-meter-wide
mouths to filter over a thousand tons of water an
hour.
Gorging sharks are a prey animal of sorts,
though only the giants of the oceans even have the
power to attempt to get through the shark’s ex-
tremely thick armored skin. Megalodons and le-
viathans have tried to prey on gorging sharks, but
even these modern-day sea monsters have trouble
with the sheer size and durability of the gorging
shark. The only creatures that, we suspect, can re-
liably feed on gorging sharks are kraken, as well
M ESS as groups of megalodons and leviathans. Gorging
4 6
sharks have the ability to form a swirling vortex in
most part they rely on their thick skin.
gorging shark
B A R S W L I C M ESS
20 4 3 16 3 1 3 2 4 6
DR I/ID AC CM M
32 6/1 A1, I2 26 10/20/+3
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 3, Outdoors 2, Perception 4
Powers: Durable 8, Engulf (Water), Hardened Armor 12
Weapons:
Unarmed Strike [Close Combat, DV 8S, 19/—/—/—/—]

Gungir Whale
Gungir whales (Monodon ferrumceros) are the
Awakened form of the narwhal. They range in
size from eight meters to twelve meters. Like their
mundane cousins, they lack a dorsal fin, instead
having a dorsal ridge that extends along the length
of their bodies. Gungir whales have a pronounced
melon (sensory organ), far more pronounced than
their mundane relatives the narwhal and beluga
whale. They are mottled brown and black on a
white background, and they turn paler as they age.
The tusk of the gungir whale is made of an excep-
tionally tough material that rivals titanium/steel
alloys. The tusk is hollow and forms a left-handed
helical spiral. Along with being used as a senso-
ry organ, it is the means by which gungir whales
project their sonic stunning ability into the ocean.
The tusk, which is seen on both sexes of gungir
whale, is between 2.5 and 4 meters for females and
3.5 and 5.5 meters for males. The flukes of the tail
have front edges that are more concave and lack a
sweep-back, and are positioned horizontally like
all marine mammals.
For decades, gungir whales were thought to
be larger specimens of their mundane progenitor
species, despite reports of a metallic glint to their
tusks. I am ashamed to say that the majority of the
marine biological community dismissed these re-
ports, though in fairness the first few decades after
the Awakening were quite busy for a lot of people
in my profession.
It was only in 2067 that footage of an attack by
a female gungir whale on a small fishing boat sur-
faced. This footage clearly showed the tusk of the
whale punching straight through the boat’s hull.
// GUNGIR WHALE //
153
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
It also showed several fishermen close to the pro-
truding tusk falling down for no apparent reason.
> Fishing boat, my hoop! That was a small whaling boat, and the
reason for the attack was because they tried to harpoon the
female gungir’s calf.
> Ecotope
Since then, concerted efforts have been made to
study the gungir whale, which have lead to a sig-
nificant understanding of the species. Gungirs live
alongside mundane narwhals in the Arctic Ocean,
and like their mundane cousins, they exhibit sea-
sonal migration, spending summer months closer
to the coasts and winter months in the deeper wa-
ters under pack ice. Narwhal pods can range from
ten to a hundred animals, and gungir pods are typ-
ically a third of that size—ranging from four to
roughly thirty. The confusion is that the two pods
mix almost completely, as if it were in actuality
one blended pod of two species. This is support-
ed by the highly aggressive response female gungir
whales have to any perceived threat to their calves.
And yet, the mundane narwhals do not provoke
any different response to that generated by the
other gungir whales in the pod.
Like the narwhal, gungir whales prey predom-
inantly on halibut, cod, cuttlefish, shrimp, and
squid. The gungir occasionally take on slightly
larger specimens and some Awakened species that
have proved too resilient for mundane narwhals,
but by and large their diet is the same as that of
narwhals.
The main difference between the two species,
other than size, is the tusks of the gungir whales.
// OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES
 These tusks are laced with iron and titanium, mak-
ing them exceptionally strong and durable. Though
the gungir rarely use their tusks for attacks in that
154 manner, their tusks are somehow related to their
sonic attacks.
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
Gungir whales, like the narwhal, suck their prey
into their mouths. However, some of the species
that live in the arctic depths—such as the abrams
lobster—are either too large for this method of
feeding, or need to be stunned first. Mundane
narwhals sometimes slap fish to stun them, thus
making feeding easier. Gungir whales take things
a step further—by actually having a sonic attack
that they can use to stun the fish at range. I’m sure
it will surprise no-one that a sonic attack used in
water is tremendously effective, often enabling the
gungir to close with particularly dangerous prey,
like the aforementioned abrams lobster. The metal-
lic nature of the tusk then enables the gungir whale
to close with and finish off its prey with surprising
ease.
gungir whale
B A R S W L I C M ESS
10 4 4 8 4 3 5 3 8
DR I/ID AC CM M shall simply say that meistersingers have the ability
16 9/2 A1, I3 13 35/45/+5
Skills: Athletics 4 (Swimming +2), Close Combat 6 (Tusk +2), Outdoors 3,
Perception 5, Stealth 3
Powers: Armor 6, Enhanced Senses (Sonar), Natural Weapon (Tusk), Sonic
Projection
Weapons:
Sonic Projection* [Ranged, DV 8P, 16/14/8/6/—]
Tusk [Close Combat, DV 6P, 12/—/—/—/—]
*Note: Base stat line as if used in Air
Meistersinger
The meistersinger (Megaptera palestrina) is
an Awakened humpback whale averaging twen-
ty-six meters in length and fifty-five metric tons in
weight. It has elongated tail flukes and seven to
twelve small dorsal humps instead of the dorsal
fin, as well as a distinctly larger cranium. It also
has similar coloration as the mundane brethren.
They are also sapient.
There has been a lot written about meistersing-
ers over the years, but I would like to doff my hat
to G-Nome for his assistance in this area. I have
learned a lot about the oceans and seas in general
listening to meistersingers, and feel I have a better
understanding of the way the world works.
> Guardians of the World Ocean, keepers of the deep. I’ve seen
these majestic giants attack shipping, and I’ve seen them save
seamen from certain death on multiple occasions. I wish I could
talk to them like you can, Deep Six
> Bubbles
OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES //
Entire tomes would not do these creatures
justice, so I’ll simply catch everyone up after
G-Nome’s Howling Shadows upload. The STC are
still working through some issues, and as such have
not officially labelled meistersingers as sapient. But
the United Nations has begun to take a look into
the situation, so perhaps things may change in the
future. Several megacorporations, namely Evo and
Maersk, have sent envoys to speak to the meisters-
ingers, but last I heard they had not returned. The
envoys are still alive, but beyond that, magical and
technological means of discerning their status and
location fail. Quite catastrophically, in the case of
one ritual.
With Seattle’s newfound freedom and the Sea
Dragon’s eye turned toward that sprawl, I feel it
is only a matter of time before meistersingers are
seen in numbers in Puget Sound.
> Oh, hell no! It’s bad enough out here with all the crazies and
UCAS Navy and Lone Star and everyone else. Please don’t add
giant Awakened whales too!
> Sounder
So to prevent trawling through all of JackPoint
6
looking for the Howling Shadows download, I
to trigger our reptile brains and produce a height-
ened fear response, can control fish and marine
mammals, and use their immense bulk and sonic
attacks to destroy ships. And they do destroy ships,
those that harm the balance of the world’s oceans,
either through contaminating/polluting the seas or
by taking too much from the waters.
Meistersingers move in pods of up to fifteen mem-
bers as they hunt or mate. Females have a gestation
period of twelve months, and they can produce off-
spring every two years. Normal humpback whales
have been found to live over two hundred years.
Meistersingers are posited to live longer than that.
Meistersinger
B A R S W L I C M ESS
24 5 5 32 8 3 4 5 8 6
DR I/ID AC CM M
36 9/1 A1, I2 30 20/25/+3
Skills: Athletics 6, Close Combat 5 (Breach +2), Outdoors 2, Perception
5, Stealth 2
Powers: Animal Control (Fish, Marine Mammals), Armor 12, Compulsion,
Durable 10, Engulf (Water), Enhanced Senses (Sonar), Fear, Immunity
(Normal Weapons), Influence, Magic Sense, Mindspeech, Natural Weapon
(Breach), Sapience, Search, Sonic Projection
Weakness: Uneducated
Weapons:
Sonic Projection [Ranged, DV 8P, 16/14/8/6/—]
Breach [Close Combat, DV 1 6P, 37/—/—/—/—]
Unarmed Strike* [Close Combat, DV 10S, 16/—/—/—/—]
*Note: Use Unarmed Strike for tail slaps.
New Leatherback ain’t happened before the turtles have forced some poor dumb
fellas down to the bottom.
New leatherbacks (Dermochelys novalis) are > Outback
enormous sea turtles that can grow in excess of
three meters in length and up to 1,000 kilograms
155
> Wait, you let them get compelled?
in weight. Like its mundane relatives, the leath-

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

> /dev/grrl
erback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), the new
leatherback’s body is covered with a flexible car-
> Sure do! I ain’t being paid to look after oiks. I’m paid to watch
apace rather than a bony shell. The back of the
the turtles and make sure they don’t have any problems. Let
“shell” is a dense, oily skin that assists the turtle
in regulating body temperature. The carapace is them gap-year wazzers get up close and personal.
interspersed with small bones that offer structure > Outback
and rigidity. All four limbs are powerful flippers,
which make the new leatherback a deceptively > Hmmm, this gives me a great idea for a field trip.
fast swimmer. > Canis
New leatherbacks prefer tropical waters but
can be found almost anywhere. There is also > Ghost, he’s going to make us get compelled isn’t he.
freshwater variant (Dermochelys potami) that in- > Torch
habits the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes,
as well as larger lakes and rivers of the north- > Yes, yes he is. Unless you resist it.
ern hemisphere. Though it is confirmed that new > Exile
leatherbacks are predators, as well as scavengers
at times, they hunt small prey, as they have to be
able to swallow them whole due to not having new leatherback
teeth to chew larger prey with. When scavenging, B A R S W L I C M ESS
new leatherbacks will take bites, but it is not a 8 3 3 6 4 2 3 4 5 6
behavior seen with live prey outside of very rare
DR I/ID AC CM M
occasions. 13 6/1 A1, I2 12 10/15/+1
It is worth noting that the new leatherback’s bite
is more than strong enough to break metahuman Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 2, Perception 4, Stealth 2,
bones and is quite dangerous. It is not, however, Sorcery 4
Powers: Armor 5, Compulsion, Magical Guard (Self), Movement, Natural
its primary defense mechanism—for that, they rely Weapon (Bite)
upon their magical ability to compel animals to Weakness: Vulnerability (Mercury)
swim as deep as they can. Against aquatic preda- Weapons:
tors, this gives the turtle plenty of time to escape, Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 9/—/—/—/—]

but against non-aquatic predators or interlopers,

this can be quite dangerous indeed.
The mating cycle of the new leatherback is
slightly different from their mundane progenitors.
Though mating occurs at sea, a mated pair returns
to the female’s nesting beach together. There, the
mother lays a clutch of more than one hundred
eggs, which she promptly buries in the dry sand
beyond the highest point of the tide. Then, for the
next seventy days, the mated pair defends their
nest against all intruders, primarily by compelling
them to dive to the bottom of the ocean and stay
there. This has caused problems, as turtle con-
servationists have been trying to preserve nesting
beaches for decades, but where a new leatherback
chooses to use that same beach for nesting, these
conservationists often stray too close and end up
being compelled into the water.
> I’ll say, mate! I’ve had a fair bit of business over the years
keeping overwatch on nesting beaches. Gotta stay far away,
though, so I often post myself up in the tree line and use Ol’
Bessie to discourage poachers. The problem comes when it’s not
poachers but normal folks on a beach hike. Thankfully, most of
the time nest watchers get to them first, but a few times that
Spitting Pike
The spitting pike (Esox sputare) is a fish species
that continues to grow throughout its lifetime. At
the age of ten, they average 150 centimeters long
and weigh fifty kilograms. The rule for growth of
the spitting pike is roughly twenty centimeters per
year for the first five years of life, and then ten centi-
meters per year after that, though they gain roughly
five kilograms per year from the end of their first
year. It has a large mouth with twenty-eight small
teeth on top and eighteen large teeth on the bottom.
It is olive-colored, shading to yellow on the under-
belly. Spitting pikes have complex eyes top-mounted
on their heads that allow them to accurately mea-
sure distances. This explains their unerring accuracy
with their venomous spit. The largest specimen was
landed in 2048 in the UK—it was 371 centimeters
long and massed 213.4 kilograms.
A true Awakened version of the northern/com-
mon pike (Esox lucius), the spitting pike is an ex-
ceptionally aggressive predator. Mostly nocturnal
but not exclusively so, spitting pikes will prey on
fish, frogs, birds, and anything else that goes in the

// OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES

 water. Like their cousin the devil jack diamond,
they are highly territorial and eat their opponents.
Spitting pike can be found in most freshwater
156 bodies in North America as well as Western Europe
and the United Kingdom, but they also inhabit brack-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
ish waters around the UK and Finnish coasts and
the Black Sea. Spitting pikes generally favor rocky,
slow-moving water, but they really aren’t picky.
Spitting pikes are voracious and will eat any-
thing and everything, even when not hungry. This
has devastated the wildlife in some British rivers
and lakes. While the presence of the devil jack di-
amond and other Awakened species in the lakes
and waterways of North America prevent this from
happening there, it remains a very real danger. Spit-
ting pikes are deadly thanks to their venom, and
they aren’t afraid to attack prey bigger than they
are—such as afancs and devil jack diamonds.
> There is still a massive cost reduction in fishing licenses for
those who wish to land spitting pikes. Presenting three of these
in any calendar year will essentially pay for the license. The
difficulty comes in landing three spitting pikes a year.
> eRic
> You’re not kidding, mate! These things are absolute nightmares!
I ain’t no slouch when it comes to combat and physicality, but
these things always give me a run for my money. There’s a lake
just down the road in Bray Wick that has a small population of
spitting pikes, and I like to try my hand from time to time. The
last one I landed was not far off the record, and trust me, I’ve
wrestled heavily augmented trolls hopped up on a speedball of
kamikaze and nitro who went down easier than this bloody fish!
And I definitely didn’t have a very illegal heavy pistol to help
me. Thank ghost for ballistic masks, though, else the damn thing
would have melted my cybereyes right out me face! As it was,
Ribbon was not happy with the state of my clothes when I got
back. The kids enjoyed the pike steaks, though.
> Pinkie
spitting pike
B A R S W L I C
2* 5 4 2* 3 1 4 1
DR I/ID AC CM M tions) oppose these hunts, often violently.
2 8/1 A1, I2 9 20/25/+3
Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 5 (Bite +2), Exotic Weapons (Spit) 5, Out-
doors 2, Perception 5, Stealth 2
Powers: Corrosive Spit**, Engulf (Water), Enhanced Senses (Depth Per-
ception), Natural Weapon (Bite), Venom (Vector: Contact, Speed: 1 Combat
Round, Power: 6, Effect: Poisoned 6P, Blindness)
Weapons:
Corrosive Spit [Exotic Weapon, DV 6P, 12/10/4/—/—]
Bite* [Close Combat, DV 1P (plus venom), 6/—/—/—/—]
*Note: For each additional meter in length above 1, add +1 Body and +1
Strength, to a maximum of 7. Also add +1 to Bite DV and AR.
**Note: Spitting pikes aim for the eyes if at all possible when spitting.
They will always perform a Blinding Strike (p. 92, Firing Squad). This does
not cost the critter Edge.
OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES //
Storm Dolphin
The storm dolphin (Delphinus periculosis) av-
erages almost three meters long and weighs sev-
enty kilograms. Its dorsal surface is blue-black
shading to gradually lighter colors on the ventral
surface. It has a long beak with sixty interlocking
teeth in its jaw.
Descended from the common dolphin (Delphi-
nus delphis), storm dolphins can be found in the
temperate regions of the North, Irish, and Baltic
Seas. They live in family groups of six to twenty
individuals and feed on a variety of fish, squid, and
small crustaceans—diving to depths of 300 me-
ters when hunting. Their numbers are in decline,
as they suffer from a low fertility rate as well as
a large proportion of stillbirths and spontaneous
abortion of unviable mutated fetuses. There is a
significant amount of evidence to indicate that
these problems stem from pollution in the waters
they inhabit. This means that storm dolphin fe-
males birth one child every two to three years, and
they reach sexual maturity in four years. Due to
conflict with metahumanity, the life expectancy of
a storm dolphin is fifteen years.
Storm dolphins are extremely hostile toward
metahumanity. They often attack oil rigs, ships,
and harbors. They approach under an unusual
storm front that reduces visibility and use their
Awakened powers of electrical projection to attack
vessels and disrupt navigation. Storm dolphins can
gather multiple pods into groups of up to one hun-
dred members when attacking. The storm dolphins
will drown shipwreck and crash survivors whenev-
er they can.
Storm dolphins are highly intelligent, and they
will sabotage vessels and stations by clogging vents,
bending antennae, or chewing through or pulling
free cabling. They have a limited understanding of
tools, and they can flip levers or turn wheels. They
are also highly sensitive and resistant to magic.
While many megacorporations still sponsor
storm dolphin hunts due to the damage they cause,
several eco-mentalist groups (who are as much a
M ESS
hindrance to proper research, discovery, and the
6 6
wider goals of metahumanity as the megacorpora-
> Frag you, egghead! Your kind always think you know what’s best
because you’re so much smarter than the rest of us!
> Ecotope
> No, I think I know what’s best because of empirical data, diligent
study, experimentation with repeatable results, proper planning,
and forethought. The most dangerous thing to one’s self and
one’s environment is one’s own ego and emotions.
> Deep Six
> Also, you don’t find many academics shoving their world view
down other people’s throats and insisting their way is the only
way. I mean, I totally do all of that, but most don’t.
> Canis
 As of this writing, no fewer than seven expedi-
tions are ongoing to attempt to make contact with
storm dolphin pods. Several have encountered set-
backs, but the work continues in the hopes of es-
tablishing lines of communication.
do-like appearance. The shark’s eyes and jaw are
both set behind and protected by the large brow
ridge. A torpedo shark is also unusual in its lack
of a dorsal fin. Coloration can vary from black to 157
a pale blue-grey.

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

Torpedo sharks are solitary predators that hunt
> “Setbacks”? One expedition was completely wiped out! a wide variety of prey, mainly small squid and fish.
> Sounder The brow ridge, however, is suited for tackling
much larger prey. They also are able to move their
> Quite right it was. And the others have not had it easy, either. jaw to stimulate the flow of water over their gills
But they press on, nonetheless. Oh, that reminds me: Who and thus do not have to remain in motion in order
within the ruling council of this esteemed assembly should I to breathe.
direct colleagues to for hiring “state-of-the-bad-hooped-art no- Like all sharks, the torpedo shark is drawn to
nonsense muthafraggers” for security work?
the scent of blood in the water, able to detect a
few drops from kilometers away. Upon arrival at
> Deep Six
the source of the blood, the presence or absence
of other predators in the area, especially other
> We’ll get back to you on that, Prof.
breeds of shark, determines the torpedo shark’s
> Bull next actions. If there are large predators present,
the torpedo shark will often rapidly swim to its
storm dolphin maximum speed and use its bony brow ridge to
ram an opponent. In this manner, another pred-
B A R S W L I C M ESS
ator suddenly becomes its prey. If no other pred-
7 5 5 8 5 3 4 4 4 6
ators are present, the torpedo shark will devour
DR I/ID AC CM M smaller prey or use its ramming attack to finish
7 9/1 A1, I2 12 20/25/+3 off larger prey animals. Another torpedo shark is
Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 2, Outdoors 2, Perception 4, Stealth 3,
about the only predator that they will not attack.
Sorcery 2 There are many reported instances of torpedo
Powers: Engulf (Water), Elemental Attack (Electricity), Enhanced Senses sharks mistaking small boats as predators and
(Sonar), Magical Guard (Self), Magic Sense, Mindspeech, Movement, Sapi- badly damaging them by ramming.
ence, Weather Control
Weakness: Uneducated
Weapons:
torpedo shark
Elemental Attack [Ranged, DV 4P(e), 8/6/—/—/—]
Unarmed Strike* [Close Combat, DV 4S, 13/—/—/—/—] B A R S W L I C M ESS
8 5 4 9 3 1 3 1 4 6
*Note: Use Unarmed Strike for tail slaps.
DR I/ID AC CM M
13 7/2 A1, I3 12 20/25/+3
Torpedo Shark Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 4 (Brow Ridge +2), Outdoors 2, Percep-
tion 5, Stealth 1
The torpedo shark (Portheus velocis) is the Powers: Armor 5, Enhanced Senses (Smell), Natural Weapon (Brow Ridge)
Awakened variant of the blue shark that can be Weapons:
found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Brow Ridge [Close Combat, DV 5P, 13/—/—/—/—]
Pacific Ocean at depths no greater than 150 me-
ters. It grows to five meters long and up to 1,000
kilograms. Its domed head is heavily armored by
bony calcifications that give the shark a torpe-

// OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES

158
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

OCEANS, SEAS, AND LAKES //

 URBAN
ENVIRONMENTS
Posted by: Juice Box
Hard Exit asked me to make this post. She told
me to make it informative, honest, and as brief as
possible.
Every city is like a fingerprint in that it’s unique,
but the loops and whorls of a city’s identity are
its buildings, roads, and ecosystems. This lends it
to more diverse, interesting, and difficult environ-
ments, more so than any other region previously
discussed. Some of those patterns are aspects of
other regions, and I believe that’s why urban areas
have been placed at the end. If you don’t under-
stand all the different habitats, how can you begin
to understand the urban landscape that sits within
them?
Manaus, located in the heart of Amazonia, of-
fers a unique combination of urban and natural
landscapes that provide an iconic and vibrant ex-
perience. The area is located in a rainforest and
has lush vegetation, a diverse array of insects, and
a variety of bird and mammal species. Its popu-
lation is in the millions and has things that oth-
er, smaller urban areas lack, such as mass public
transportation, a distinct downtown skyline, and
street markets. These locations also attract the al-
pha predators of the area, the city’s aristocracy.
When in these areas, you may see that affluent
Matrix star everyone is talking about or a CEO’s
significant other walking around with their cloned
munchkin mauve-colored poodle in their handbag.
It’s all about the appearance of nuyen and pow-
er—whether you actually have it doesn’t always
matter. As for critters, your experience can range
from your flight into Manaus being delayed be-
cause ground crews have to clear capybara off the
runway to being stung by a yellow scorpion when
you lie down in your room.
Next, let’s turn our attention to Alice Springs,
Australia. Alice Springs is located in the center of
Australia. Its biome is dominated by desert plants
and animals such as cacti, lizards, and small mam-
mals. The city’s population is in the tens of thou-
sands, and though it lacks many of the large-city
// URBAN ENVIRONMENTS
160
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
amenities, it’s still rich in local history, which in-
cludes several museums and festivals. What drives
Alice Springs’s economy (besides its rugged beauty)
is its variety and the high number of deadly snakes.
Because of location, size, and economy, this town
can’t hide its barrens like large cities. As visitors
drive to that posh festival or rare snake hunt, they
will notice cellar dwellers peddling their wares on
a street corner or drinking their cheap alcohol just
inside an alleyway.
Then we have Longyearbyen, the northernmost
public town in the world. Located in a polar re-
gion, its population is in the low thousands—some
of you wouldn’t even call it a town. It’s so small
that the town doesn’t have to worry about hiding
its cellar dwellers from its elite, because they all
know each other on a first-name basis. Thanks
to satellite links, it has a very impressive Matrix
connection rate and footprint, providing the town
with many things you wouldn’t expect. Because of
this Matrix connection, a common nuisance to the
town are Matrix hares. In addition to the harsh
polar environment, people who leave the city lim-
its always carry firearms due to ghost bear attacks.
It is important to be careful in urban environ-
ments—in addition to critter and environmental
dangers, they tend to have higher crime rates and
more opportunities for accidents. Urban environ-
URBAN ENVIRONMENTS //
// NEOGARGOYLE //
ments are exciting and spectacular places to visit
or live, but they also require additional caution
and awareness to stay safe. The term “urban” has
origins in Latin. Simply translated, it means “be-
longing to the city.” If you go in unprepared or let
your guard down, you could end up “belonging to
the city,” being taken by it forever.
Neogargoyle
(Animalium lucfugus calcide)
Originally, the neogargoyle was misidentified as
a subspecies of the gargoyle. That misconception
has been corrected, and we now know the origin of
this critter is the common bat. It started with vari-
ous species of common bats that attempted to live in
metahuman towers and skyrakers but fell victim to a
mutation. Other species have started to react to the
plastocrete treatment used on skyrakers, and there
are debates about why this is. Some people point to
companies cutting corners, others cite the increase of
chemicals in the environment or other environmental
changes, while still others blame bites from infected
bats. There are even cases of it spreading to other an-
imals such as cats, dogs, and squirrels.
When first afflicted, the animal appears normal.
Within the first week, their fur will start to dull or
turn grey. In approximately a month, the animal
will start developing calcium deposits, much like Neogargoyle (Bat)
a troll, but these are cancerous lesions that con-
tinue to grow and cover its entire body. Within
B
3
A
2
R
2
S
3
W
1
L
2
I
2
C
1
ESS
6 161
six months of the initial lesions, any animal that

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

could fly loses that ability, and all hair falls off the DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
animal, giving them a stone-like appearance. In 8 4/1 A1, I2 10
1/2/+1 (15/25/+3
flying)
another two months, the membrane of its wings
dries and tears, while the fingers, talons, or claws Skills: Athletics 4 (Climbing +2), Close Combat 5, Outdoors 2, Perception
gain muscle mass. During the time of this transi- 4, Stealth 4
tion, if on an elevated area such as a building, the Powers: Armor 5, Enhanced Senses (Echolocation, Smell), Natural Weap-
ons (Bite & Claws)
neogargoyle is basically trapped. Their elongated Weapons:
claws allow the neogargoyle to break through Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 5/—/—/—/—]
sheetrock and into ventilation shafts. Once inside, Claw [Close Combat, DV 2P, 5/—/—/—/—]
they scrounge for food and water. Between eight
and twelve months, the neogargoyle loses eyesight
and mobility as the calcification increases. This is Neogargoyle (cat)
when they become desperate and dangerous. They B A R S W L I C ESS
will chew through cables, break pipes, and even 3 4 2 3 2 2 2 1 6
attack drones, trying to get at food. At this stage,
the dermal deposits make them fairly heavy, gener- DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
8 4/1 A1, I2 10 10/20/+1
ally double their original weight, though there are
rumors of larger specimens. Being blind and starv- Skills: Athletics 4 (Climbing +2), Close Combat 5, Outdoors 2, Perception
ing, they can fall off buildings, into fans, or trigger 4, Stealth 4
security measures. Usually, death by these actions Powers: Armor 5, Enhanced Senses (Smell), Natural Weapons (Bite &
Claws)
will come before the creature becomes completely Weapons:
immobilized. Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 5/—/—/—/—]
While bats make up the majority of neogar- Claws [Close Combat, DV 1P, 5/—/—/—/—]
goyles, there are accounts of other species exhibit-
ing similar symptoms, often sharing a den. No one
has discovered why neogargoyles gather together, Neogargoyle (dog)
but as they do, the group becomes more violent.
B A R S W L I C ESS
It could be due to competition for resources like 4 2 2 4 2 2 2 1 6
food, water, and shelter. In some cases, such as
new construction, neogargoyles may congregate DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
in large numbers, leading to increased conflict and 9 4/1 A1, I2 10 10/20/+1
property damage. Skills: Athletics 4 (Climbing +2), Close Combat 5, Outdoors 2, Perception
4, Stealth 4
> This is disturbing. Bats are not affected by many diseases due to Powers: Armor 5, Enhanced Senses (Smell), Natural Weapons (Bite &
Claws)
their control of viral replication and dampening inflammation. Weapons:
If it is overriding their immune system, it may jump species to Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 6/—/—/—/—]
humans. Claw [Close Combat, DV 1P, 6/—/—/—/—]
> G-Nome

> You mean, like SARS 2002-03, MERS 2012, 2019-nCoV, H37N11, Neogargoyle (squirrel)
EVD 2048, MVD 2055. What about how metahumanity anti-aging B A R S W L I C ESS
technology was only possible due to a bat’s autophagy and the 2 4 4 2 2 2 2 1 6
maintenance of their telomeres?
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
> T3chK1d 7 6/1 A1, I2 9 10/20/+1

Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 5, Outdoors 2, Perception 4, Stealth 4

Powers: Armor 5, Enhanced Senses (Smell), Natural Weapons (Bite &
Claws), Wall Walk
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 6/—/—/—/—]
Claw [Close Combat, DV 1P, 6/—/—/—/—]

Note: The examples above are for neogargoyles that have had the virus
for five months. The Armor power increases over time. For each month
after the start of their mutation, they gain 1 Armor. At twelve months, they
have Armor 12 but are almost completely unable to move.

// URBAN ENVIRONMENTS
162
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
// NOISE PIGEONS //
Noise Pigeons
(Columba sonitus)
Pigeons are a common sight in cities around
the world, but their presence can evoke a range of
emotions in people. Some view pigeons as a nui-
sance, as they can be messy and loud, while others
see them as a symbol of urban life and appreci-
ate their unique beauty. Pigeons have a long and
storied history, dating back thousands of years.
The domestication of pigeons began in the Mid-
dle East and Mediterranean region around 5,000
years ago, and since then, pigeons have played im-
portant roles in human society. In ancient times,
pigeons were used as messengers, carrying import-
ant letters and messages over long distances.
Noise pigeons can be any species of pigeon,
meaning there are hundreds of variations world-
wide. It looks to be a typical pigeon at first glance,
with its plump body covered with soft feathers of
subdued brown and grey tones. But upon closer
investigation, it becomes evident that this pigeon
is not your average bird. While its feathers all have
a blue undertone, its eyes are the first thing that
people tend to notice. In fact, upon first seeing one,
it can be distracting. Instead of the typical dark,
beady eyes of a pigeon, the eyes of a noise pigeon
will rapidly flash with a gentle, warm blue light.
As more gather in the area, a noise pigeon’s wing
URBAN ENVIRONMENTS //
tips will generate a weak but perceptible light. The
tips of its wings are covered with little, white feath-
ers that sparkle softly, like a blue firework trail.
The luminous eyes and wing tips provide an ap-
pealing effect, and the noise pigeon appears almost
otherworldly. When it lands at night, it walks with
elegance and confidence, as though conscious of its
distinct beauty and charm.
Despite its unusual look, the noise pigeon be-
haves similarly to regular pigeons, cooing gently
and pecking at the ground for food. Its wings al-
low it to fly easily, and the brightness of its eyes and
wing tips becomes even more captivating against
the darker sky. I know what you’re all thinking—
these things sound like something out of a child’s
fairy tale. People post a few trids of some at a local
park, and now everyone wants to go down and see
them. Ever-growing groups start to stroll along the
parks, marketplaces, and town centers, but they
want to get a closer look. So they bring some bird-
seed and bread crumbs. These people don’t know
about the fragging mess they have helped to create.
You see, the whole Columba genus has a re-
markable ability to find their way home, even over
long distances. They use a combination of visual,
olfactory, and magnetic cues or low-frequency in-
frared to navigate their way back. The visual and
olfactory cues are self-explanatory, but for the
noise pigeon, we need to focus on the latter. All pi-
geons use magnetoreception as their compass and
road map. While these low-frequency and mag-
netic fields are indetectable to metahumans, they
are produced by almost everything, including the
seas and the Earth’s crust. As the Sixth World has
pushed the new Matrix, the line between low-fre-
quency and Matrix frequencies has started to cross
over and in doing so is interfering with many spe-
cies’ natural ability to navigate. The noise pigeon
figured out a way to bypass that issue.
Pigeons and other birds have a small location
within their beak that houses magnetite. That is
what helps them know their direction. However,
when a noise pigeon is excited or stressed, it uses its
connection to Resonance to make that bit of mag-
netite transmit instead of just receive. The effect is
that each noise pigeon operates like a small jam-
mer. That may not sound like an issue, but the more
noise pigeons you have in the area, the stronger
the jamming signal gets. The only ways to bypass
this jamming are to either kill the noise pigeons or
feed them. Once you feed them, it’s like being wh-
itelisted and all your Matrix signals return to full
strength. Noise pigeons also like to co-mingle with
non-Emerged pigeons, providing some concealment
during the day. In cities that can’t control their noise
pigeon population, you will find stands set up in
high-traffic areas so people going to work can feed
the flock and keep their Matrix service.
noise pigeon
B A R S W L I C ESS
2 3 3 1 3 4 5 4 6 5
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
2 8/1 A1, I2 2 1/2/+1 (15/25/+3 flying)
M DR M I/ID M AC MCM A S D F
7 9/4 A1, I5 9 4 5 4
Skills: Athletics 3 (Flight +2), Cracking 4, Close Combat 2, Electronics 4,
Outdoors 4, Perception 4, Stealth 3
Powers: Animal Control (Pigeons), Blend, Gestalt Consciousness
Complex Forms: Emulate (Map Soft), Mirrored Persona, Static Bomb
Weakness: Fragile 7
Weapons:
Peck [Close Combat, DV 1P, 4/—/—/—/—]
Digital Peck [Cybercombat, DV 1, 9/—/—/—/—]
Pigeons Bomb [Cybercombat, DV 0, 9/—/—/—/—, Crash]
Notes: The noise pigeon is an Emerged animal that naturally interferes
with Matrix signals. A noise pigeon acts like a Jammer 1 (p. 270, SR6).
For every noise pigeon in the flock, increase the device rating by 1, up to
25. People who feed a noise pigeon will immediately stop being jammed.
Song Dog
(Canis canticum)
One of the many Emerged canines, a song dog
has genes and size similar to the North American
coyote. They aren’t limited to North America, as
you will find them in any urban environment world-
wide. An adult male can weigh seven kilograms to
eighteen kilograms and stands approximately fifty
centimeters at the shoulder. Their fur functions in
the same way as electrochromic hair and allows
them to blend into their surroundings better. When 163
startled, their color will change to a bright white or
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
yellow until they calm down. When happy, they can
display a kaleidoscopic array of colors.
Song dogs are social and live in small packs
ranging from ten to twenty adults, and multiple
packs can be within close proximity of one anoth-
er. They are very communicative, using a variety
of vocalizations, body language, color flashes, and
tones. Song dogs can have very active and inquis-
itive personalities, and they frequently participate
in games and other amusing actions with one an-
other and at times with metahumans.
A song dog pack’s behavior is centered on sur-
vival and self-preservation. They are opportunis-
tic hunters and scavengers, and their diet may be
adapted to whatever food sources are available in
their area. When confronted by a strong predator,
song dogs will flee. This self-preservation is seen in
their unique ability to instinctually navigate and
utilize the local transit system. You would think
the presence of a song dog on the transit system
would create an issue, but it does not.
If you think about it, you can see why. Like mil-
lions of others around the globe, you have to undergo
that regular journey between your home and work.
That commute is often more grueling than the work.
It is a necessary evil, however, and all you want to do
is get back to your place and try to recharge as much
as you can before you have to do it all over again.
RES You step onto the crowded subway car, feeling
tired and stressed after a long day at whichever
corporation you work. You find a spot to stand
and brace yourself as the train starts moving. You
have taken this same trip hundreds if not thou-
3 sands of times, and the noise and motion of the
subway only add to your exhaustion; you close
your eyes, hoping to catch a few minutes of rest
before you reach your stop.
You think you have drifted off, but then realize
that a soft melody fills the air. You open your eyes
to check your commlink but it’s not broadcasting;
it’s then that you notice an odd-colored dog lying
in the corner of the subway car. Its colors change
in sync with the rhythm and the beat. The music
is nice. You must be having an auditory halluci-
nation, but there is something extremely soothing
and melodic, and the beat of the song resonates
with you. You feel a sense of comfort and warmth
wash over you, and you can’t help but smile.
As you start to sway with the rhythm, you realize
other passengers doing the same, while others stop
what they’re doing to listen. Some even begin to
sing along, and soon the whole subway car is filled
with the sound of music and laughter. You start to
feel a sense of community and connection with the
other passengers, and your mood starts to lift.
// URBAN ENVIRONMENTS
164
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

// SONG DOG //

For whatever reason, the song ends, and the dogs is when they learn of a free meal somewhere
subway car erupts into applause. You find yourself and all crowd the transit system. Normally docile,
clapping along, grateful for the brief respite from they can become very aggressive if the Matrix signal
the stresses of daily life. When the train stops next, is lost or overly crowded.
the dog rises and stretches. Its fur was briefly a deep
brown, but as the beat picks up, its fur color begins
to dance along in tune, turning from neon yellow or song dog
glowing orange in time with the rhyme. It then walks B A R S W L I C ESS RES
off the train. The music fades, but the positive energy 3 2 4 2 4 4 5 4 6 5
and good mood linger long after it leaves.
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
As you reach your stop and step off the sub- 7 9/1 A1, I2 10 10/25/+2
way car, you feel lighter and more hopeful than
M DR M I/ID M AC MCM A S D F
when you got on. You realize that small moments 8 9/4 A1, I5 10 4 5 4 4
of beauty and connection to all those other people
have made all the difference in a busy and stressful Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 4, Cracking 3, Electronics 3, Influence 4,
world. And as you walk out of the subway and to- Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Stealth 3
Powers: AR-Parallelism, Armor 4, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-Light
ward your housing complex, you take with you the vision, Smell), Holographic Concealment, Hypnotic Song, Mimic, Natural
memory of the music that improved your mood Weapons (Bite & Claws)
and the feeling of community it created. Complex Forms: Emulate (Datasoft: Local Mass Transit, Mapsoft: Local
That’s a common story among commuters; they Area, Signal Scrubber ), Resonance Channel
Weapons:
see a song dog’s presence as a benefit that makes Bite/Claws [Close Combat, DV 1P, 6/—/—/—/—]
the journey a little more bearable. Until there are Digital Bite [Cybercombat, DV 3, 9/—/—/—/—]
so many song dog packs you can’t find a place to Bass Blast [Cybercombat, DV 1, 9/—/—/—/—, causes the target to
stand. All song dogs have an innate understanding possess the AR Vertigo negative quality (p. 75, SR6) for 1D6 hours;
additional attacks add +l hour to the special effect]
of local public transportation, and in some cities
they are a common sight on or near any mass tran- Note: The song dog’s fur is a biological form of Electrochromic Hair (p. 33,
sit station. Additionally, they appear to use the sys- Body Shop), and song dogs can also control it like electrochromic clothing
tem much like metahumans and can navigate. They features (p. 265, SR6).

also possess the ability to broadcast or mimic other

sources and will effectively broadcast audio from
trids or music stations. The biggest threat from song

URBAN ENVIRONMENTS //
Awakened Shepherd
(Canis lupis familiaris protego)
Awakened shepherds are a dog breed descended
from German shepherds, which originated in Ger-
many in the late 1800s. German shepherds were
initially developed as herding dogs, but they have
gained popularity over time due to their intelli-
gence, devotion, and flexibility.
Awakened shepherds are medium- to large-
sized dogs that measure 0.5 meters in height at the
shoulder and weigh twenty-two to forty-one kilo-
grams. They are distinguished by their characteris-
tic black-and-tan coloration, but other hues, such
as sable and pure black, are also popular.
Awakened shepherds are extremely clever and
trainable animals that are frequently employed as
police dogs, search and rescue dogs, and service
dogs for persons with disabilities. They are especial-
ly popular as household pets, since they are devoted.
Awakened shepherds require a lot of exercise
and mental stimulation and can become destruc-
tive if they are not given enough attention. These
animals retain the character that has made Ger-
man shepherds a popular breed, and it is rare to
see Awakened shepherds in the wild. The easiest
way to tell the difference between an Awakened
shepherd and a mundane one is when they go on
alert, because there will be a drop in the ambient
temperature, and its tracks will have rime ice.
This varies depending on the creature, but
there is a disadvantage in that even if the threat
is non-magical, there will still be a drop in ambi-
ent temperature and rime ice tracks. Many orga-
nizations that do not have highly trained security
use Awakened shepherds, because a glowing dog
is harder for a person to ignore, so they are still
highly sought after.
awakened shepherd
B A R S W L I C
3 2 3 2 2 3 3 3
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
4 6/1 A1, I2 10 10/15/+1
Skills: Astral 4 (Astral Signatures +2), Athletics 5, Close Combat 4, Influ-
ence 2 (Intimidation +2), Outdoors 6, Perception 6 (Smell +2)
Powers: Armor 1, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Smell), Mystic
Armor 1, Natural Weapon (Bite)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 5/—/—/—/—]
Note: Anyone attempting to notice the Awakened shepherd while it is on
alert will receive a point of situational Edge.
Colonist
(Blattella puerilis)
Cockroaches are a common sight in urban envi- 165
ronments worldwide, and they thrive in cities due
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
to the abundance of easily available food and shel-
ter. They are well adapted to living in cities, and
they can live in a variety of conditions. It’s even
documented that they can survive for weeks with-
out a head! They can eat almost anything (except
for the headless ones).
So it should be no surprise to anyone that like
many other creatures in our world, they have
adapted. To be classified as an adult colonist, the
specimen must first be of a local species that has
increased in size, now weighing as much as a kilo-
gram and being 0.3 meters long. Second, they can
control normal cockroaches and manipulate them
into creating metahuman-shaped bodies that the
colonists ride in and control.
When riding within their cockroach constructs,
a colonist will be vertical with its head in a lo-
cation that would be similar to a metahuman’s.
Cockroaches used in the construct will lie their an-
tenna flat on its back and extend their wings. By
doing this, they quickly adjust their wings to act
as a counterbalance while they move. Some say it
provides the cockroach construct with a roughly
humanoid-looking appearance. It’s like a metahu-
man wearing a raincoat and continually shaking
water off. Though unheard of by the nymph col-
onist, an adult can and will find clothing to use
with its construct. Though some believed this was
for disguise purposes, the jeans, shirts, jackets,
and coats provided additional structural support,
giving the adult more control over the cockroach
construct.
A colonist is a brood parasite and requires cock-
roaches to raise its young. Like normal cockroach-
es, colonists like to be with others of their kind,
including normal cockroaches. So if you find a col-
ESS M onist’s nest, it could have up to fifty colonists living
6 4
alongside tens of thousands of normal cockroach-
es. Cockroaches will eat each other, and colonists
are no different. They use the normal cockroaches
as a food source when necessary and eat each oth-
er if there is no other choice. As the normal cock-
roach population becomes limited, the colonists
will venture to the surface and “walk around” to
see what they can find. This is normally trash or
waste, but as I said before, it could be anything
that is or once was a living organism.
If there are enough cockroaches in the area, a
colonist can instruct them to attack a single tar-
get, attempting to engulf the enemy in a tsunami
of roaches.
// URBAN ENVIRONMENTS
 Copy cats are unlike any other cats in the world.
cockroach They are highly intelligent, live in harmony with
B A R S W L I C ESS one another, and are known for their impeccable
166 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 6 teamwork and coordination. After spending time
together, copy cats will form a hive mind and gain
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE a form of sapience. At this point, they will start to

1 5/1 A1, I2 1 2/5/+1
develop a community that lives in a sprawling un-
Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 2, Influence 3, Outdoors 3, Perception derground network of tunnels and chambers hid-
3, Stealth 3 den away within some corner of the urban jungle.
Powers: Gestalt Consciousness, Natural Weapon (Bite), Wall Walking They work tirelessly, gathering food and resourc-
Weakness: Fragile 8
Weapons:
es, caring for their young, and defending their hive
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 4/—/—/—/—] against any threats.
Large copy cat communities have developed to
the point where they can trade with locals or hire
colonist (nymph) outside muscle to deal with things beyond their
abilities.
B A R S W L I C ESS M
2 2 3 2 2 2 2 1 6 4
> When dealing with a hive mind of copy cats, don’t make
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE assumptions. It will have its own ambitions and goals, just like
5/10/+1 (2/3/+1 any other metahuman. More than one city or illegal entity has
5 5/1 A1, I2 9
Construct) had to eradicate a hive when it starts to push the boundaries.
Skills: Athletics 3, Con 2 (Disguise +2), Close Combat 3, Influence 3, Out-
> Magister
doors 4, Perception 3, Stealth 4
Powers: Animal Control (Cockroach), Armor 3, Gestalt Consciousness (50 > I want to put this into everyone’s minds: Think about 100 cats
meters), Natural Weapons (Bite/Claws), Wall Walking working in perfect unison to attack something. Be worried.
Optional Power: Engulf (Air)
> Bull
Weapons:
Bite/Claws [Close Combat, DV 1P, 5/—/—/—/—]
Engulf Air [Close Combat, DV 6S & Fatigued I, 6/—/—/—/—]
copy cat
B A R S W L I C ESS M
2 4 3 1 1 1 4 3 6 3
colonist (adult)
B A R S W L I C ESS M DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
2 4 5 3 2 2 2 1 6 5 2 7/1 A1, I2 2 5/10/+1

Skills: Athletics 3, Close Combat 2, Con 2, Influence 2, Outdoors 4, Per-

DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
ception 3, Stealth 4
5/10/+1 (5/10/+1
10 7/1 A1, I2 12 Adept Powers: Kinesics, Kinesics Mastery (Cats)
Construct)
Powers: Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-Light vision), Gestalt Conscious-
Skills: Athletics 3, Con 3 (Disguise +2), Close Combat 4, Influence 4, Out- ness (100 meters), Natural Weapons (Bite/Claws)
doors 4, Perception 3, Stealth 5 Optional Power: Sapience
Quality: Built Tough 3 Weakness: Fragile 7
Powers: Animal Control (Cockroach & Colonist Nymph), Armor 8, Gestalt Weapons:
Consciousness (100 meters), Natural Weapons (Bite/Claws), Wall Walking Bite/Claws [Close Combat, DV 1P, 4/—/—/—/—]
Optional Power: Engulf (Air)
Weapons: Notes: At the gamemaster’s discretion and based on the copy cats’ hive
Bite/Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 8/—/—/—/—] size, you may increase each cat’s Logic by 1.
Engulf Air [Close Combat, DV 7S & Fatigued I, 7/—/—/—/—]

Note: When in a cockroach construct, a colonist gains the power Hardened

Armor 2.
Copy Cat
(Felis imitantur)
Looking no different than any other city cat,
these cats possess an extraordinary ability to com-
municate, similar to what social adepts can do.
They seem to be masters at reading other felines’
body language, pheromones, and nonverbal forms
of communication, to the point they can even copy
their movements.
Fearmonger
(Monstrum cubiculum)
Fearmongers live off negative metahuman emo-
tions and will frequently be found in areas where
emotions such as agitation, panic, dread, and fear
are common. Others suggest that they are drawn
to places where metahumans are particularly vul-
nerable or isolated—for example, dark alleyways,
abandoned buildings, or remote areas. Some even
believe they are attracted to places where there
have been traumatic or frightening events in the
past, such as sites of disasters or tragedies.

URBAN ENVIRONMENTS //
 No matter the location, they are an elusive
critter that is often rumored to exist before any
confirmed sightings are documented. Fearmongers
come in a bizarre variety of forms, with no two
looking alike. They can appear as either male or
female, though no one knows if they are hermaph-
rodite or gonochoric. They will usually be anthro-
pomorphic, with both animal and human traits.
A fearmonger’s fur can be light white, green, or
brown. Any exposed skin is often pale. Their head
will be noticeably larger than expected, especial-
ly when compared to their appendages and torso.
Additionally, they have large, pointy ears and a
metahumanoid nose that is elongated and pro-
nounced. All of their faces have protruding cheek-
bones and bright red eyes. Their hair, which resem-
bles porcupine quills, can be any color, and it juts
out over their foreheads and extends the length of
their backs. A fearmonger’s mouth is big and gro-
tesque, barely concealing its rows of jagged yellow
teeth, giving them a continual and frightening grin.
Their entire body is covered in fur from the
neck down. They have human-like arms and big
hands with sharp claws. Below their waist, their
legs could be of any mammal that has hooves, and
the legs are often smaller than expected.
Fearmongers like to adorn themselves with tro-
phies from their favorite prey. These could be pieces of
clothing, jewelry, or even items like a cane or umbrella.
Some compare it to the way ferrets acquire trinkets,
but others think the item has some kind of residual
effect that allows the fearmonger to track someone,
much like a bloodhound that knows a scent.
If that wasn’t enough, these creatures are carri-
ers of HMHVV-II.
fearmonger
B A R S W L I C ESS M
8 5 4 8 4 3 4 3 6 5
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
12 8/1 A1, I2 12 7/15/+1
Skills: Athletics 5 (Gymnastics +2), Close Combat 4, Con 2, Exotic Weapons
(Quills) 4, Influence 4 (Intimidation +2), Outdoors 4, Perception 4, Stealth
7 B
Quilty: Long Reach
Powers: Armor 4, Carrier (HMHVV-II), Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-
Light Vision), Fear, Noxious Breath, Mystic Armor 4, Paralyzing Touch,
Natural Weapons (Bite/Claws)
Optional Power: Innate Spell (gamemaster’s choice)
Weaknesses: Dietary Requirements (Fear), Allergy (Sunlight, Severe)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 4P + HMHVV-II, 12/—/—/—/—]
Claws [Close Combat, DV 6P, 14/—/—/—/—]
Quills [Exotic Weapons (Quills), DV 3P, 10/5/—/—/—]
Note: The quills on the head and back are generally longer than thirty
centimeters. They increase the individual’s Defense Rating by +2 in any
form of Close Combat. Additionally, when grappling or subduing a fear-
monger, the attacker must resist DV 2P. The quills are coated in a bodily
fluid; see Carrier (HMHVV-II).
Gargoyles
(Gargoyle)
Gargoyles are winged humanoids, nocturnal, 167
and share a weakness for sunlight and iron. They
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
were one of the earliest species discovered after the
Awakening, due to migration, zoos, and wealthy
collectors. They have since spread to most of the
world and adapted to become a more efficient pred-
ator in those areas. The ones I cover will be those
commonly found within urban environments.
When hunting, they prefer to follow their target
from a safe height before launching a dive bomb-type
attack with their razor-sharp claws. They often hunt
down prey and carry it back to their dens. Gargoyle
packs have been known to attack larger prey, but it
is rare. A troop of gargoyles consists of two to five
adults, and their den will periodically move. If the
gargoyle population becomes too dense, it will result
in conflict, with one den destroying the other.
African Gargoyle
(Gargoyle saxi sabulo)
The African gargoyle is regal and aloof. Tall
and lean, they stand about 2.5 meters tall and
weigh 200 kilograms or more. Their skin color
and texture match that of yellow-to-brown lime-
stone. Their wings are very bright white and look
like clean, white linen. When not in flight, they will
wrap their wings around their body, making it ap-
pear as if they are wearing a shendyt or kalasiris.
Their appearance often resembles Egyptian gods
from ancient hieroglyphics. African gargoyles are
the most docile variety and prefer to remove them-
selves from a situation rather than get involved. If
they are attacked and unable to get away, though,
they will go into a berserk-like rage.
> I’m not saying aliens, but you all know.
> Plan 9
African gargoyle
A R S W L I C ESS M
9 5 5 9 4 3 4 3 6 3
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
10/15/+1 (20/40/+1
19 9/1 A1, I2 13
flying)
Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 6, Influence 3, Outdoors 5, Perception
5, Stealth 6
Adept Power: Berserk 3
Powers: Armor 10, Concealment (Self), Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vi-
sion), Natural Weapons (Bite/Claws), Sand Form
Weaknesses: Allergy (Sunlight, Mild), Vulnerability (Iron)
Weapons:
Bite/Claws [Close Combat, DV 5P, 14/—/—/—/—]
Dive Attack [Close Combat, DV 7P, 12/—/—/—/—]
// URBAN ENVIRONMENTS
 // AFRICAN
GARGOYLE //

168
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

Asian gargoyle
(Gargoyle saxi velox)
They were initially catego-
rized as a new species, but this
was quickly changed once spec-
imens were captured. In most of
Asia, they are called onigawara,
which I am told translates to
demon tiles. All Asian gargoyles
or onigawara have heads of li-
ons or onis, and when relaxing
lie down on all fours like an
animal. Their wings are com- European gargoyle
pletely transparent when gliding
or motionless. They are the smallest of (Gargoyle saxi europaeus)
the gargoyles, having a height of 1.25 me- The European gargoyle is squatter and bulki-
ters and weighing 125 kilograms. Some speculate er than other gargoyles. Their dermal ridges and
their small size is due to their unusually low calor- plates combined with their dark-grey skin give
ic intake. Others believe that their speed and grace them the appearance of living stone. They are about
outpaces all other gargoyles, causing them to burn 1.5 meters tall and weigh 160 kilograms or more
more calories, which reduces their growth. and are the most aggressive and violent, which is
saying something considering how aggressive the
Asian Gargoyle
whole species is. Because of this aggression, troops
are usually smaller and the general population is
B A R S W L I C ESS M less than in other regions of the world.
8 8 5(8) 6 4 3 4 2 6 4

DR I/ID AC CM M
10/15/+2 (20/30/+2
European gargoyle
18 12/4 A1, I5 12
flying) B A R S W L I C ESS M
10 4 5 11 4 2 4 1 6 3
Skills: Astral 4, Athletics 7, Close Combat 6, Influence 3, Outdoors 5, Per-
ception 5, Stealth 6
Adept Power: Astral Perception, Improved Reflexes 3, Sustenance, Spell DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
Shroud 5, Traceless Walk 25 9/1 A1, I2 13 10/15/+1 (15/20/+2 flying)
Powers: Armor 10, Concealment (Self), Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vi-
sion), Natural Weapon (Bite/Claws), Venom (Bite), Toughness 1 Skills: Athletics 7, Close Combat 6, Influence 3, Outdoors 5, Perception
Weaknesses: Allergy (Sunlight, Moderate), Vulnerability (Iron) 5, Stealth 6
Weapons: Powers: Armor 15, Concealment (Self), Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vi-
Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P & Venom, 14/—/—/—/—] sion), Natural Weapons (Bite/Claws)
Claws [Close Combat, DV 3P, 14/—/—/—/—] Weaknesses: Allergy (Sunlight, Severe), Vulnerability (Iron)
Dive Attack [Close Combat, DV 7P, 12/—/—/—/—] Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 6P & Venom, 16/—/—/—/—]
Notes: Asian gargoyle’s venom has a Vector: Injection; Speed; 1 combat Claws [Close Combat, DV 6P, 18/—/—/—/—]
round; Power: 4; Effect Dazed, Poisoned 4P. Dive Attack [Close Combat, DV 8P, 12/—/—/—/—]

URBAN ENVIRONMENTS //
North American gargoyle
(Gargoyle saxi)
The first type of gargoyle discovered was the
North American gargoyle, which typically weighs
200 kilograms and stands 2.0 meters with skin like
marble. Though called North American gargoyles,
they can be found in both North and South Amer-
ica. Because they tend to be the most socialized of
the gargoyles, their groups consists of three to six
adults. Displaying an increase in Awakened abili-
ties, they also are adept at protecting themselves
when facing off against Awakened critters or meta-
humans.
North American Gargoyle
B A R S W L
10 4 5 10 4 2
DR I/ID AC CM
25 9/1 A1, I2 13 10/15/+1 (15/20/+2 flying)
Skills: Athletics 5 (Flight +2), Close Combat 5, Influence 3, Outdoors 5, Per-
ception 5, Sorcery 4 (Counterspelling +2), Stealth 6
Powers: Armor 15, Concealment (Self), Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vi-
sion), Natural Weapon (Bite/Claws)
Weaknesses: Allergy (Sunlight, Severe), Vulnerability (Iron)
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 5P (plus venom), 15/—/—/—/—]
Claws [Close Combat, DV 5P, 15/—/—/—/—]
Dive Attack [Close Combat, DV 7P, 12/—/—/—/—]
GROT
(Didelphidae stans)
GROT stands for grimy, ravenous, omnivorous
terrors, which were the four most common words
to describe them when first sighted. Some UK Ma-
trix star coined the name, and it stuck. A grot is
a subspecies of the opossum family. They have a
wide range of habitation including North, Cen-
tral, and South America, along with Australia and
neighboring islands.
As an adult, a grot will be 0.6 meters long and
5 kilograms. When not moving, they can stand
on their hind legs, which gives them a humanoid
appearance. The body and most of the head will
be covered in coarse fur that varies in color from
light grey to black, depending on its geographical
location and environment. The arms, face, and tail
always have a pitch black appearance. The face
of a grot is very striking, especially when they are
resting on their hind legs. Unlike a possum, its face
is flatter and wider with a large mouth filled with
multiple rows of teeth. Whenever light is shone
onto their eyes, they turn red, which often results
in them being mistaken for a stray cat.
Classified as omnivores, they greatly prefer a
meat diet and gain social ranking among their kin
by taking down larger prey. This becomes an issue
when an aggressive grot attacks a metahuman’s
child, which can happen when the collective, which
could consist of up to twenty adult grots, realizes
that small metahumans may not put up the same 169
fight as smaller but more deadly predators. They
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
switch tactics to target other children and family
pets in the area, which is when the collective or
passel will be killed or driven away.
grot
B A R S W L I C ESS M
2 5 4 3 3 2 4 2 6 5
DR I/ID AC CM M
7 8/1 A1, I2 3 10/15/+1
Qualities: Functional Tail (Prehensile), Tough Gut
Skills: Athletics 5 (Climbing +2), Close Combat 3, Influence 3, Perception
I C ESS M
4, Outdoors 4, Stealth 3
4 1 6 6
Powers: Armor 5, Carrier (VITAS-IIII), Enhanced Sense (Hearing, Low-light
vision, Smell), Natural Weapon (Bite)
M
Weakness: Fragile 6
Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 2P, 7/—/—/—/—]
Note: A grot can perform a Playing Possum Edge action (p. 94, Firing
Squad) at no cost and will receive two points of situational Edge.
Incubus
(Incubus praetexti)
The incubus is a carnivorous critter that lurks
in subterranean locations such as sewers and sub-
way tunnels. It was first discovered in Europe but
has been seen in cities around the world. All in-
cubuses are nocturnal and allergic to sunlight. As
they age, they grow larger and overcome some of
their aversion to daylight.
An incubus is an urban predator that resembles
a large, land-dwelling octopus. Its soft body grows
up to a meter long, and the span of its tentacles
(from tip to tip) can exceed 3.2 meters. When cau-
tious, the creature changes to a light grey speckled
with black; when enraged or hunting, it becomes
bright red. The incubus’ eyes are larger (propor-
tionately) than the octopus’ and look disturbingly
human. On the creature’s ventral side, set among
the tentacle’s roots, is a large, powerful beak, sim-
ilar to an octopus’.
Due to its slow movement rate, an incubus de-
pends on its prey coming to it. That is why their
hunting grounds are usually near well-trafficked
areas such as dark alleys, dense forests, utility tun-
nels, derelict buildings, and natural caves. Once
in a suitable location, it will use its ability to read
minds to pick its target. The incubus then creates
illusions that perfectly match the prey’s innermost
desires, mesmerizing them while it closes in for
the kill.
// URBAN ENVIRONMENTS
170
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

Protean // INCUBUS //
Incubus
(Entamoeba imitatrix)
B A R S W L I C ESS M
6 3 4 9 4 3 4 3 6 5 It has now been proven that the original pro-
tean was an Awakened form of the amoeba that
DR I/ID AC CM M causes human dysentery. How it incorporated the
6 8/1 A1, I2 11 3/5/+1
Boltzmann-Schneider virus into its cellular make-
Skills: Athletics 5 (Climbing +2), Close Combat 4, Perception 5, Outdoors up is still a heated debate in academic circles. Since
4, Stealth 7 it has no impact on our topics, I will let you all
Quality: Long Reach
Powers: Adaptive Coloration, Desire Reflection, Enhanced Senses (Low-
decide if you want to investigate further.
Light Vision, Vision Enhancement), Natural Weapon (Bite/Tentacles) Some corporations have started to use these in
Weakness: Allergy (Sunlight, Moderate) subterranean complexes as a form of cheap secu-
Weapons: rity. A protean is cheap to cultivate to create more
Bite [Close Combat, DV 5P, 13/—/—/—/—]
Tentacles [Close Combat, DV 5P, 13/—/—/—/—]
proteans. All surfaces will be coated with a chem-
ical that protects them from protean secretions. In
Note: When making an Opposed test against Desire Reflection, Edge can- addition to keeping the protean from working its
not be used.
way into unwanted areas, the protean will clean
the areas as it moves through them. The halls are
opened, and proteans are allowed to roam around
Incubus (Mature) freely. Due to their erratic behavior, though, their
B A R S W L I C ESS M paths cannot be predicted by any would-be intrud-
10 5 5 10 5 4 5 3 6 6 er. If someone needs to move through an area, a
series of doors will confine the protean.
DR I/ID AC CM M
10 10/1 A1, I2 13 5/8/+2 In its amorphous form, the protean is a mass of
cells weighing as little as half a kilo and as much as
Skills: Athletics 6 (Climbing +2), Close Combat 6, Perception 6, Outdoors 125 kilograms. It hunts by concealing or disguising
5, Stealth 7
Quality: Long Reach itself, luring its prey into range, and then engulfing
Powers: Adaptive Coloration, Desire Reflection, Enhanced Senses (Low- it and destroying it with some form of secretions.
Light Vision, Vision Enhancement), Natural Weapon (Bite/Tentacles) If needed, a protean can form stubby tentacles that
Weakness: Allergy (Sunlight, Mild)
Weapons:
can act as simple clubs. Proteans can assume the
Bite [Close Combat, DV 5P, 15/—/—/—/—] outward form of any creature they have engulfed
Tentacles [Close Combat, DV 5P, 15/—/—/—/—] and absorbed. Due to its base as an Awakened
amoeba, there is very little that can permanently
Note: When making an Opposed test against Desire Reflection, Edge can-
not be used.
kill a protean.

URBAN ENVIRONMENTS //
 Because of this resilience, there is more variety Tanuki
in a protean than in many other critters. A protean
that is near a corrupted magical area will become (Nyctereutes procyonoides)
altered, but it will not die. The same holds for oth- In Japanese folklore, tanuki are said to have su- 171
er things such as toxic chemicals, pollutants, or pernatural abilities. Because of their mythical abil-

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

just about anything a protean can absorb. Normal ity to attract luck and fortune, tanuki are frequent-
proteans will maintain a clear or translucent form, ly found around bars, restaurants, and stores. For
but once they change, the color of their appearance some reason, the Japanese have always seemed to
will provide clues to what they have absorbed. For find them irresistible. Tanuki spread worldwide
example, a protean that has absorbed corrupted due to fur trades, but the rest of the world consid-
magic may have a faint glow, while a toxic-type ers them nuisances and pests. By 2056, the rest of
protean could be dark or even opaque. the world considered the tanuki to be a harmful
and invasive species, where they could be hunted
protean openly and without limit. They are still hunted in
Japan, but only when they are damaging crops.
B A R S W L I C ESS M
Then in 2061, when Halley’s Comet appeared,
2 3 3 2 3 3 5 1 6 5
the entire species Awakened. The old folklore about
DR I/ID AC CM M them having supernatural abilities was correct. The
2 8/1 A1, I2 9 5/10/+1 whole species now has the rest of the world treat-
ing them like they do in Japan, meaning people
Skills: Athletics 5 (Climb +2), Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4, Perception 4,
Stealth 5 (Camouflage +2) will just seem to love them and accept whatever
Powers: Adaptive Coloration, Corrosive Secretion, Engulf (Water), Immu- they are doing. When the local tanuki population
nity (Normal Weapons) gets to a point where they have to be dealt with or
Weakness: Vulnerability (Alkaline Chemical, Fire) one happens to attack someone, it still isn’t easy to
Weapons:
Engulf [Close Combat, DV 7S + Wet & Fatigued I, 8/—/—/—/—] remove the critter. They aren’t tough or aggressive,
Tentacle [Close Combat, DV 2S, 5/—/—/—/—] but they are the luckiest critters I have ever seen in
my life. I have seen one that was about to be shot
stumble off a wall at the last second, and another
Protean (Corrupted) stop to grab a piece of discarded bread making a
perfectly aligned shot miss. The oddest thing was
B A R S W L I C ESS M when one turned and looked at another member
2 3 3 2 3 3 5 1 6 5
of the team. The guy lowered his gun and said he
DR I/ID AC CM M couldn’t take part in killing something that cute
2 8/1 A1, I2 9 5/10/+1 and innocent.
Skills: Athletics 5 (Climb +2), Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4, Perception 5,
Sorcery 4, Stealth 5 (Camouflage +2) tanuki
Powers: Adaptive Coloration, Corrosive Secretion, Engulf (Water), Immu-
nity (Normal Weapons) B A R S W L I C ESS M
Optional Power: Innate Spell (gamemaster’s choice) 3 2 3 2 4 2 4 5 6 4
Weakness: Vulnerability (Alkaline Chemical)
Weapons: DR I/ID AC CM M
Engulf [Close Combat, DV 5P + Burning, 11/—/—/—/—] 3 7/1 A1, I2 10 10/15/+1
Tentacle [Close Combat, DV 2S, 5/—/—/—/—]
Skills: Athletics 5 (Escapting +3, Gymnastics +2), Close Combat 2, Con 4
(Acting +2), Influence 4, Outdoors 3, Perception 3, Stealth 4
Powers: Accident, Empathy, Enhanced Senses (Smell), Influence, Mimicry,
Protean (toxic) Natural Weapons (Bite)
Optional Power: Desire Reflection
B A R S W L I C ESS M Weapons:
4 3 3 4 3 3 5 1 6 5 Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 5/—/—/—/—]

DR I/ID AC CM M Note: Tanuki luck: Whenever a tanuki rolls a defense test, it always gains
4 8/1 A1, I2 10 5/10/+1 2 points of situational Edge that must be used on that roll.

Skills: Athletics 5 (Climb +2), Close Combat 5, Outdoors 4, Perception 5,

Stealth 5 (Camouflage +2)
Powers: Adaptive Coloration, Corrosive Secretion, Engulf (Radiation), Im- Tooth Fairy
munity (Normal Weapons)
Weakness: Vulnerability (Fire) (Culex humano)
Weapons:
Engulf [Close Combat, DV 5P + Irradiated, 8/—/—/—/—] Tooth fairies are common, Awakened, and
Tentacle [Close Combat, DV 2S, 7/—/—/—/—] slightly evolved mosquitoes that live in most parts
of the world. Only ten centimeters in height and
Notes: Proteans come in larger sizes. To represent this a gamemaster may
add between +1 and +10 to its Body and Strength as desired. Due to its
weighing no more than 200 grams, they appear
unique physiology when a protean is immobile, a perception threshold of as a four-armed elongated humanoid with wings.
6 is required to notice it.

// URBAN ENVIRONMENTS
 Tooth fairies’ wings appear and
operate just like a mundane mosqui- // TOOTH FAIRY //
to but are larger to maintain flight. Their
172 “skin” is an exoskeleton that is leather-like
and ranges in color from dark green to
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

light blue. In their life span, they will shed

their exoskeleton four times. This can be
very disturbing to children when they find
shells of tooth fairies all over the city park
or their street.
Tooth fairies retain the eyes of a mosquito,
but their complexion diverges from mosqui-
toes in that the exoskeleton on their heads is
pointy on the side and front of the head’s exo-
skeleton, giving the illusion of ears and a large
nose. The large nose is in fact the feeder tube.
On the top of their heads, they have multi-
ple black fuzzy antennae that look similar
to hair.
They reside in extended groups of 20
to 120, with a social structure similar to
chimpanzees that allows them to occasion-
ally splinter into smaller replaceable groups
that may come back together if needed.
When swarming in great numbers, tooth
fairies are capable of overwhelming a meta-
human and consuming them in one to two
minutes. When attacking live prey, they seem
to covet and treasure a victim’s teeth and will eat
their prey until only the teeth remain. If the teeth
are sharp, these critters will use the teeth to create
tiny weapons. For larger or flat teeth, they find a
harder object and grind down the tooth and turn
them into armor plates, which they stick to their
exoskeleton.
If you are attacked by these things, you’re going
Trash Chicken
to get bitten, so be ready for it. If you get swarmed, (Threskiornis molucca quisquiliae )
I hope you or your buddies brought a lot of stun Life survives in harsh environments all over the
grenades or flame throwers—otherwise, you’re go- planet. These environments have spawned whole
ing to be dead. new sub-species. I don’t believe any of them are
as hated as the Australian trash chicken. The trash
tooth Fairy chicken is an Emerged version of the bin chick-
en, which is a very adapted scavenger that evolved
B A R S W L I C ESS M from a white ibis. Despite their somewhat unap-
1 5 2(4) 1 1 1 1 1 6 3
pealing scavenging habits, trash chickens are a
DR I/ID AC CM M common sight in many Australian cities, particu-
5/10/+1 (15/20/+3 larly around parks and other public areas where
2 5/3 A1, I4 2
flying) they can find food scraps or large groups of people.
Skills: Athletics 5 (Flying +3), Close Combat 3, Outdoors 3, Perception 3,
From any elevated point, the trash chicken has
Stealth 4 adapted to feed on the two never-endless food
Adept Power: Improved Reflexes 2 sources that any urban area creates: normal rub-
Powers: Armor 1, Enhanced Senses (Smell), Essence Drain, Immunity bish within the city and people’s recycle bins or
(Toxins), Gestalt Consciousness (10 meters), Natural Weapons (Bite/Claws)
Weakness: Dietary Requirements (Mammal Blood/Flesh) Fragile 7, Vul-
trash cans on their commlinks. Trash chickens will
nerability (Fire) work as a team using Back Door Entry to gain ac-
Weapons: cess to a commlink. Once access is granted, illegal
Bite [Close Combat, DV 1P, 5/—/—/—/—] access will be shared among the group.
Claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 5/—/—/—/—]
A trash chicken has a distinctive appearance,
with a long, curved beak that has evolved so it
can pierce tough plastic and firewalls alike. It has
a bald, featherless head, but its body feathers are

URBAN ENVIRONMENTS //
mostly white, with dark green or orange show-
ing on its wingtips and tail. They are fairly large
birds, measuring roughly 0.75 meters and weigh-
ing around 1.2 kilograms. They possess the abili-
ty to mimic normal urban sounds such as alarms
window air-conditioning units, vehicle doors or
hoods, and building doors. Thus far, the traptor’s
crafting skill is very impressive.
Traptors have several tools at their disposal to 173
dissuade any would-be attackers. First, it can modi-

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

or heavy foot traffic, but their favorite is that of fy its borrow to provide additional shelter and pro-
honking vehicles. When feeding offspring, they re- tection. The extra protection can take the form of
gurgitate a slurry of physical and Matrix trash. parts off surrounding vehicles or rubble from near-
Many think that if any major natural or meta- by buildings. If threatened, it will rub its legs against
human-made catastrophe happens, the trash its abdomen, which creates a loud hissing noise. As
chicken will be well situated to be a dominant spe- a last defense, it will use its 0.4-meter-long fangs.
cies. Its excellent scavenging ability means that our Generally speaking, the effects of pollution
polluted and trash-filled landscape will provide a on animals can vary depending on the type and
never-ending food supply for it. amount of pollutants present, as well as the spe-
cies and its specific adaptation and tolerance levels.
The traptor doesn’t seem to follow this. No matter
trash chicken how harsh the environment, a traptor will increase
B A R S W L I C ESS RES in size and aggression. It will also start to grow
2 2 2 1 3 4 4 3 6 5 quills or spikes from its body that secrete a sticky
substance that causes low-weight items to adhere
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
2 6/1 A1, I2 2 10/25/+2
to the critter. In addition, the substance also in-
creases its ability to mystically hide itself, making
M DR M I/ID M AC MCM A S D F
7 8/4 A1, I5 10 3 6 4 3
it less reliant on a burrow and more aggressive.
Quality: Hold the Door, Matrix Attribute Advancement 2 (Sleaze)
Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 4, Cracking 3, Electronics 3, Influence 4, traptor
Outdoors 4, Perception 5, Stealth 3
Powers: AR-Parallelism, Immunity (Toxins), Mimic, Natural Weapon B A R S W L I C ESS M
(Beak), Resonance Feed 4 7 6 3 2 2 7 4 6 5
Weaknes: Fragile 7
Complex Forms: Editor, Unravel Encryption
Weapons: DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
Beak [Close Combat, DV 1P, 3/—/—/—/—] 9 13/1 A1, I2 10 10/15/+1
Digital Beak [Cybercombat, DV 2, 9/—/—/—/—]
Digital Peck [Cybercombat, DV 0, 9/—/—/—/—, net hits reduce the Skills: Athletics 5 (Climb +2), Close Combat 6, Outdoors 5, Perception 5,
Firewall attribute] Stealth 8 (Camouflage +2)
Adept Power: Quick Strike
Powers: Armor 5, Binding (Touch), Natural Weapon (Bite), Paralyzing
Howl, Wall Walking
Traptor Weapons:
Bite [Close Combat, DV 3P, 9/—/—/—/—]
(Araneae ctenizidae urbs )
A traptor is an Awakened nocturnal trapdoor
spider that is commonly found in southwest North traptor (Toxic)
America, Africa, east Australia, and Asia. Traptors B A R S W L I C ESS M
take five years to mature; once mature, they are ap- 6 7 7 5 3 3 7 2 6 5
proximately 1.8 meters long and weigh 12.5 kilo-
grams. The younger version typically is about half DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
the size and weight. 11 14/2 A1, I2 11 10/15/+1
They are very aggressive, but their diet normal- Skills: Athletics 5 (Climb +2), Close Combat 6, Exotic Weapons (Quills) 4,
ly consists of stray animals or other wildlife that Outdoors 5, Perception 5, Stealth 6 (Camouflage +2)
makes the city their home. Though rare, it is not Adept Power: Quick Strike
Powers: Armor 5, Binding (Touch), Concealment (Self), Natural Weapon
unheard of for a wounded or starving traptor to (Bite), Paralyzing Howl, Wall Walking
attack a metahuman. These urban hunters will use Weapons:
a combination of silk threads and special sensory Bite [Close Combat, DV 5P, 12/—/—/—/—]
pads on their front legs to track their prey. Unlike Quills [Exotic Weapons (Quills), DV 3P 6/10/—/—/—]
their mundane version, they are unable to burrow, Note: When a traptor hunts, anything passing within ten meters of a
but they have adapted all the nooks, crannies, and burrow must pass a Stealth + Agility (3) test or it will be detected (not
crevasses of the city to meet these needs. They will necessarily attacked) by the traptor. Toxic traptors also have quills. The
hide within dumpsters, abandoned vehicles, or quills are generally shorter than thirty centimeters. They increase the in-
dividual’s Defense Rating by +2 in any form of Close Combat. Additionally,
buildings. Wherever they are hiding, they build a when grappling or subduing a toxic traptor, the attacker must resist DV 2P.
camouflaged hinged door made from its silk and
material from the surrounding area. The hinged
doors can look like just about anything, such as

// URBAN ENVIRONMENTS
 Wampus five to twenty people. When alone, they like to
mix in with groups of people to avoid detection,
(Felis effingo) using their tiny size and innocent demeanor to
174 The legend of the wampus originates from Na- their advantage.
tive American mythology, with various tribes hav- A wampus can mimic any language it hears,
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

ing their versions of the creature’s story. There are but it normally keeps its mimics to a few syllables.
similar stories around the globe; a common ele- Also, a wampus possesses the ability to influence
ment to the lore is a person using a wild cat’s pelt people to forget about them or to not stop them
as camouflage so they can watch a sacred ceremo- from entering a location. If a single member is at-
ny. When discovered, they are condemned by the tacked, the rest of the clowder will converge, often
elders. In some traditions, the wampus is consid- leaping from roofs or walls until they have chased
ered a symbol of protection or a guardian spirit, off the would-be attacker.
attempting to stop others from making a similar
mistake, while in others it is a fearsome monster > Do these things sound like the kid things from Metaplane #844?
to be avoided. > Lav
Starting in 1920, various locations within the
United States reported sightings of a strange cat- > It is one of the reasons why I stated that we didn’t believe a
like creature murdering local animals. Major me- kinder chimera was ever a metahuman.
dia outlets of the time claimed to have spotted a > Dr. Grey
“wampus cat” from Georgia to North Carolina.
These sightings continued through the 1960s and > I think Netcat may owe someone an apology.
grew in savagery, forcing locals to impose curfews > Slamm-0!
and arm people to protect cattle and other live-
stock. It is now believed that these sightings were
actually Awakened wampus, but due to the low wampus
magic of the Fifth World, they could not fully uti- B A R S W L I C ESS M
lize their powers and only achieved a hybrid form. 3 5 5(7) 3 4 3 4 3 6 5
A wampus can be a North American bobcat,
DR I/ID AC CM MOVE
European lynx, Eurasian lynx, or African cara-
3 11/3 A1, I4 10 5/10/+1
cal with the ability to transform itself into a fully
clothed adolescent metahuman. In this form, they Skills: Athletics 5 (Climbing +2), Close Combat 5 (Claws +2), Con 5 (Imper-
can stand 0.8 to 1.3 meters tall and weigh 25 to 30 sonation +2), Outdoors 4, Perception 4, Stealth 5
Adept Powers: Cosmetic Control 2 (Clothed Adolescent Metahuman),
kilograms. They can move bipedally and have fully Freefall 3, Improved Reflexes 2, Side Step 1
functioning arms and hands. Research has proven Powers: Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-Light Vision, Smell), Influence,
that a wampus can only maintain its bipedal form Mimicry, Natural Weapon (Retractable Claws)
for four to six hours a day. Weapons:
Retractable claws [Close Combat, DV 2P, 10/—/—/—/—]
While they frequently appear alone, they are
usually associated with a group or clowder. The
size of a clowder will potentially range from

URBAN ENVIRONMENTS //
 ON THE CARE
AND FEEDING
OF CRITTERS
Interacting
with Critters
New Influence Skill
Specialization/
Expertise: Critters
The Influence skill is used for social interactions
with critters, including attempts to tame and train
them. Critters are very different from metahumans
(and other sapient entities), and not just because
they don’t understand spoken languages. But that
doesn’t mean they don’t communicate—body lan-
guage, sounds, facial expressions, and scents are
the primary means that most critters use for com-
munication. Motivating, training, and forming
bonds with critters, understanding how they think
and feel, and anticipating how they may interpret
your own actions and behaviors requires a differ-
ent focus than interacting with metahumans.
INTERACTING WITH CRITTERS //
The Critters specialization applies to Influence
tests that directly involve critters, including train-
ing tests.
Please Don’t Eat Me
When you encounter a potentially hostile crit-
ter, you usually have only two options: run or
fight. However, there is a third option: make peace.
There are two possible approaches to this: intim-
idation or appeasement. Even a hungry carnivore
will seek an easier meal if they are convinced that
fighting you is too risky. If you happen to have a
snack for them to eat instead of you—or some-
thing else they might want—they might reassess
their decision to eviscerate you.
Intimidation is the most straightforward ap-
proach, and it usually involves making loud noises
and appearing as large and dangerous as possible.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to do this quietly, so
if you’re hoping to sneak past some guard dogs,
you might want to choose an alternate approach.
ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CRITTERS
 Make an Influence (Intimidation or Critters) +
Charisma test opposed by the critter’s Willpower
+ Intuition. For every net hit, the critter will back
176 off for one combat round. If you score as many net
hits as the critter’s Willpower attribute, the critter
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
will leave you alone indefinitely. Any hostile action
taken against a critter interrupts and overrides
this—an intimidated critter is not a defenseless
critter.
Appeasing a critter is the quieter and more
friendly approach. In order to attempt to appease
a critter, you must present it with something it
wants—food is the most obvious choice here. If
you don’t have anything to offer, you can only
attempt this with the Instinctive Connection Edge
action (p. xx). Make an Influence (Critters) +
Charisma test opposed by the critter’s Willpow-
er + Intuition. If your offering is particularly ap-
propriate (raw meat for a guard dog instead of
a soydog, for example), gain a point of Edge on
this test. For every net hit you score, the critter
will tolerate your presence for one combat round.
Gain a point of Edge on any further interactions
with the critter that take place within the next
hour. If you score as many net hits as the critter’s
Willpower attribute, they are appeased indefi-
nitely. Any hostile action taken against the critter
breaks this appeasement, making all further ap-
peasement attempts impossible for at least twen-
ty-four hours.
You may also attempt to appease a critter that
is afraid and likely to flee. In this case, a success-
ful appeasement attempt will result in the critter
remaining for one combat round per net hit—and
if you score as many net hits as the critter’s Will-
power, it will remain nearby indefinitely and allow
you to approach it.
Attempting to intimidate or appease a critter
requires a Major Action.
Room and Board
Having your very own pet hell hound sounds
like it would be pretty wiz—until they set your
sofa on fire or try to eat your neighbors. Very few
landlords are willing to allow pets of any kind, but
even the ones who do are going to balk at letting
you bring home anything exotic or dangerous. If
you’re going to be taming and training critters,
you’ll need to make special arrangements for hous-
ing and feeding them.
Food
In most cases, feeding your critter is the easy
part—just buy the appropriate food for them, and
you’re golden. Critters with unique dietary re-
quirements may be more difficult to acquire suste-
nance for, but if you’ve got enough nuyen, you can
ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CRITTERS // ROOM AND BOARD
buy just about anything you need.
Herbivore/Omnivore
Critters that eat plants as part of their diet are
the cheapest and easiest to feed. If your lifestyle cat-
egory is Low, Medium, High, or Luxury, the cost of
feeding your critters is covered under your lifestyle
cost. If your lifestyle category is Street or Squatter,
you must pay an additional (critter’s Body x 50)
nuyen per month to feed your critter.
Carnivore
Carnivores are more expensive to provide food
for than pets that can digest processed plant mat-
ter. If your lifestyle category is Medium, High or
Luxury, the cost to feed your carnivorous critters
is covered under your lifestyle cost. If your life-
style category is Street, Squatter, or Low, you must
pay an additional (critter’s Body x 100) nuyen per
month to feed your critter.
Exotic
Critters with the Dietary Requirement weak-
ness (p. 229, SR6) are among the most challeng-
ing to care for. If your lifestyle category is High or
Luxury, the costs are covered under your lifestyle
payment. At Medium lifestyle or lower, you must
make special arrangements to feed your critter,
which costs you (critter’s Body x 250) nuyen per
month to keep them well-fed.
Forage/Hunt
You can train your critter to find its own food,
which reduces the added monthly cost of feeding
them. If you have trained your critter to forage or
hunt, the critter makes an Outdoors or Perception
+ Intuition test. For every hit on this test, treat the
critter’s Body as one point lower for the purpose of
determining the cost of feeding them. If they score
as many hits as their Body attribute, they find all of
their own food for the month. This food is highly
perishable, so extra hits (beyond their Body attri-
bute) provide no additional benefit.
If the critter glitches on this test, they become
injured while foraging or hunting, taking 6P dam-
age (resisted using Body).
On a critical glitch, the critter becomes lost. If
you can’t track them down somehow, they may be
lost for good. By default, tracking your lost critter
requires an Outdoors (Tracking) + Intuition Ex-
tended test (6, 1 hour).
Starving Critters
If your critter goes hungry, they aren’t going to
be around much longer. For each month that you
fail to feed your critter, their Body attribute is re-
duced by 1. If their Body reaches 0, they die. Once
you begin feeding them enough food again, their
Body attribute recovers by 1 per week until it is
restored to its normal level.
For critters with the Dietary Requirement weak-
ness, lack of food is a much more immediate and
dire problem. If you don’t feed your critter with
a Dietary Requirement, they die. They can’t last
until next month, because they will wither away in
a matter of days.
Housing
Life in the Sixth World isn’t optimized for peo-
ple who want to live with critters—unless you have
plenty of money, it’s going to be difficult to find a
place for your feathered, furry, or scaly friends.
Street and Squatter Lifestyle
Living on the streets or squatting in abandoned
buildings is a tough, dangerous, and uncomfort-
able lifestyle. The lack of a landlord provides an
advantage when it comes to having pets, though.
And most critters don’t mind roughing it—it’s
what they’re most likely used to, after all. At the
Street and Squatter lifestyle category, there are no
particular restrictions or extra costs invoked by
having critters live with you. The main drawback
is that you don’t have a secure place to lock them
in to keep them safe while you’re away.
Low Lifestyle
Low lifestyle rarely provides room for pets. You’ll
either have to make special arrangements, house
them in a separate location, or try to keep them a
secret from your neighbors and landlord. Even with
permission, only critters with a Body attribute of
2 or less can be kept in your home. Larger critters
(Body 3+) must be housed in a separate location.
Medium Lifestyle
Medium lifestyle usually allows for enough room
to house critters, and pets are relatively common
at this lifestyle category. Dangerous predators and
Awakened or Emerged critters are usually not al-
lowed, nor are particularly large critters (Body 5+)—
these will need to be housed in a separate location.
High Lifestyle
Those who make enough nuyen to support a
High or Luxury lifestyle are rarely told that they
can’t have what they want—provided they’re will-
ing to pay for it. Exotic pets aren’t exactly com-
mon among the wealthy elite, but they aren’t an
unusual sight or a forbidden luxury. Anything that
causes too much trouble for your neighbors or dis-
rupts the local ambiance can still get you into trou-
CRITTER TAMING AND TRAINING //
ble—your neighbors may “ooh” and “ah” over
your prized purebred hell hound, but not if their
rose bushes are set on fire.
177
New Lifestyle Qualities
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
Stay-at-Home Critter
If you’re keeping your critters at home with you,
you’ll need to make some space for them. At Low
lifestyle, this is limited to small mundane critters
(Body 2 or less). At Medium lifestyle, this quality
is available to accommodate mundane critters up
to Body 4. High or Luxury lifestyle is required to
allow larger or Awakened/Emerged critters.
Cost: 1 LP per mundane critter, 2 LP per Awak-
ened or Emerged critter
Critter Housing:
Separate Location
Whether it’s a separate outbuilding near your
house, a professional kennel service, or a no-ques-
tions-asked rented room, you’ve got a separate
location where you can keep your critter compan-
ions. You have a maglock on the door, basic cam-
eras and sensors to keep an eye on your critters
and their domicile, and an automated food and
water supply for them—just in case you find your-
self unable to visit for some reason. For an extra
fee, you can also hire someone to keep an eye on
your critters for you—they’ll take your critters for
walks, make sure their food and water supply is
good, and call you if there’s any trouble, but they
won’t risk their life in the case of an attack.
Cost: 2 LP base cost, +1 LP per mundane critter,
+2 LP per Awakened or Emerged critter.
Optional Cost: +1 LP to hire someone to keep
an eye on your critters when you aren’t there.
Critter Taming
and Training
Up until now, the Critter Trainer quality (p.
133, Sixth World Companion) was required in or-
der to tame and train critters. The Critter Trainer
quality (p. 133, Sixth World Companion) and Crit-
ter Bond quality path (p. 138, Sixth World Com-
panion) expand on what is possible to accomplish
when working with critters, but any character can
use the Influence (Critters) skill.
Locating a Critter
Step One: Find the Habitat
Before you can attempt to tame a critter, you’ll
need to find one somehow. Locating a specific type of
critter requires skill and a little luck—the Outdoors
ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CRITTERS
178
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
skill, specifically. First, you’ll need to travel to the
critter’s natural habitat. This is the easy part, as the
information can be discovered with a critter-related
knowledge skill, checking in with a contact, or with
a successful Matrix search. Getting there might be a
matter of driving outside of the sprawl, or it may re-
quire booking travel to an exotic or distant location.
Step Two: Locate the Critter
Once you’re there, the real work starts. Track-
ing down a specific type of critter in its natural en-
vironment requires an Extended Outdoors (Track-
ing) + Intuition test. The interval is four hours. The
base threshold is determined by the critter type (see
the Locating a Critter sidebar). Per the gamemas-
ter’s discretion, if the critter is particularly rare,
hard to find, or nearly extinct, the base threshold
is doubled. Once the base threshold is determined,
roll 1D6 and add the result to the threshold—this
is a random factor that represents the uncertain-
ty of looking for critters in the wild. If you have
a critter-related knowledge skill, gain a point of
Edge, which must be spent on this test or it is lost.
To locate an Emerged critter, you must have
the ability to perceive the Resonance—or the as-
sistance of someone who can. Locating and identi-
fying an Emerged critter without this is effectively
impossible.
Tracking critters in the wild is not a safe activity.
ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CRITTERS // CRITTER TAMING AND TRAINING
On each test, replace one of your dice with a wild
die. If the wild die rolls a 1 or a 6, you encounter
something dangerous—probably a different hun-
gry critter, or perhaps a patrol searching for poach-
ers or smugglers. On a glitch, you find the critters,
but they are aware of your presence and may at-
tempt to avoid you. Make a Perception + Intuition
test opposed by the critter’s Agility + Stealth—in-
crease the threshold by the critter’s Magic if they
have the Concealment power. If you fail this test,
you will need to make another Outdoors (Track-
ing) Extended test to track the critter again, but
the interval drops to 1 hour and the base threshold
is not increased by 1D6. On a critical glitch, you
do not find the critter—if you want to try again,
critter location test
Outdoors (Tracking) + Intuition Extended test
Threshold: Base Threshold + 1D6
Interval: 4 hours
CRITTER TYPE BASE THRESHOLD
Mundane 6
8 + Magic (+ Magic again if the critter has the
Awakened
Concealment power)
10 + Resonance (requires someone who can
Emerged
perceive the Resonance)
Very Rare Base Threshold x 2
you must start over with a new Outdoors (Track-
ing) Extended test. However, the threshold is in-
creased by 2D6 (instead of 1D6). If you’re unlucky
enough to have multiple critical glitches in a row,
the threshold is increased by +1D6 each time.
Step Three: Appease
or Capture the Critter
If you succeed on the test to locate a critter, you
may attempt to appease them so you may begin to
tame them in their natural environment. Alternate-
ly, you may choose to capture the critter so that
you may begin to tame and train them in a more
controlled environment.
If your plan is to capture the critter, you could
set a trap, an ambush, or just roll for initiative and
charge after them. You will have to subdue the crit-
ter somehow—Narcoject is a popular choice for
this, though grappling is also an option.
To set an ambush, everyone in the group must
make a Stealth + Agility test, which is opposed by
the critter’s Perception + Intuition test. If any one
Stealth test fails, surprise is lost. If all of the Stealth
tests succeed, you may surprise and ambush the
critters.
Setting a trap for a critter requires some form of
bait as well as the trap itself. An improvised snare
will work for smaller critters (Body of 2 or less),
but something sturdier is required to hold larger
critters. If you have the time and brought a shovel
or two, you could also dig a pit and cover it with
a false surface. Digging a pit large enough to trap
a critter takes a number of hours equal to the crit-
ter’s Body attribute. If two people work to dig the
pit, it takes half as long. If the critter’s Body attri-
bute is 10 or more, three people can work together
to dig the pit, taking only one-third of the time.
If you managed to bring along a backhoe or sim-
ilar engineering equipment, digging the pit takes
far less time—the critter’s Body x 10 minutes. You
can also purchase or construct a collapsible trap
cage—the trap cage’s rating must be at least as
high as the critter’s Body.
Placing and concealing a trap, whether the
trap is an improvised snare, pit trap, trap cage, or
some other clever device, takes at least one minute
and requires an Outdoors (Survival) + Intuition
test—record the number of hits scored on this test,
which sets the threshold for the critter to avoid the
trap. Once the trap is set, the critter will encounter
the trap in 2D6 hours. The critter makes a Percep-
tion + Intuition test, with a threshold equal to the
number of hits you rolled when setting the trap. If
the critter fails this test, they fall into the trap. If
the critter succeeds on this test, they recognize the
danger and will avoid the trap.
Unless you’re hunting a solitary critter, there’s
no guarantee that you’ll find only one of them.
Social critters are much more likely to be found
CRITTER TAMING AND TRAINING //
among a group. This proves no particular diffi-
culty in appeasing a single critter, but attempting
to single out one for capture is likely to get all of
their attention. Most mundane critters are likely to 179
attempt to flee instead of fighting back, but Awak-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
ened or Emerged critters tend to be somewhat
more assertive. How the group of critters chooses
to respond to an attack is up to the gamemaster’s
discretion, or the gamemaster may roll to deter-
mine the reaction.
critter reaction roll
ROLL (2D6) REACTION
2–7 Flee
8–12 Attack
Modifiers
Herbivores: –2 (+0 if Awakened/Emerged)
Omnivores: +0 (+2 if Awakened/Emerged)
Carnivores: +2 (+4 if Awakened/Emerged)
Critters Outnumber Attackers: +2
Critters are Outnumbered by Attackers: –2
Taming the Wild
Taming a wild critter requires one week of effort,
during which you must have regular access to the
critter—at least one hour per day is required. This
is much easier if the critter has been captured, but
it can be accomplished in the wild if the critter will
tolerate your presence. In order to begin taming a
wild critter that has not been captured, you must
first succeed at indefinitely appeasing the critter—
this requires as many net hits as the critter’s Will-
power attribute (see “Please Don’t Eat me” above).
After you have spent at least one week attempt-
ing to tame the critter, make a training test. If this
test fails, you may try again (with another week
of effort) with a cumulative –1 dice pool penalty
unless you take at least a week off before making
another attempt. If the test succeeds, the critter has
been tamed and can now receive further training.
Sapient critters cannot be tamed or trained. If
you are able to communicate with a sapient critter,
the normal rules for social interactions apply (p.
94, 96-8, SR6).
critter training test
To tame or train a critter, make an Influence (Crit-
ters) + Charisma test opposed by the critter’s Intuition +
Willpower. If the critter has any Essence loss, your Influ-
ence test suffers a –1 dice pool penalty for every point of
Essence loss—round up any fractions. If the critter has a
critterjack (p. 135, Body Shop), reduce the Essence loss
penalty by its rating.
ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CRITTERS
 Purchasing a Critter mentations—or you can purchase a critter that has
already been modified to your specifications. The
If you aren’t up for taming a wild critter, there available augmentations for critters—and their
180 are other ways to get your hands one one—such as cost—can be found in Body Shop (p. 133–158).
nuyen. Buying a critter might be as simple as go-
ing down to your local pet store, but only if you’re
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

purchasing an animal that is commonly kept as a

pet. Exotic, wild, Emerged, or Awakened critters are
Critter
much less readily available—unless you have the
right connections. Any mundane critter that is not
Commands
typically sold as a pet counts as “exotic” or “wild.” A tamed critter can follow very basic com-
Most exotic and wild critters can be acquired mands such as “come,” “stay,” and “don’t bite me”
through a contact with the Corporate, Criminal, or without requiring any special training, but any-
Street type. When it comes to acquiring Emerged thing more than that requires a specific command.
critters, a contact with the Matrix type can proba- A critter can learn a number of commands equal
bly hook you up. For Awakened critters, contacts to its Logic x 2 (this can be improved by qualities
with the Magic type are most likely to be able to from the Critter Bond quality path).
help you. A command requires both a trigger and a pre-
Any purchased critter will already be tamed, scribed action. The trigger may be any stimuli the
but they do not normally come with any com- critter is capable of perceiving, such as a spoken
mands or special training—that costs extra. Note work, gesture, or even an AR object. Whatever
that the maximum number of commands a critter form it takes, triggering a command takes a Minor
can learn is equal to their Logic x 2, and the max Action. Once the trigger has been performed, the
for special training is their Intuition x 2. critter attempts to perform the action.
Critters of exceptional quality can also be pur- Teaching a critter a new command requires one
chased at a significantly increased price, but having week of effort—during which time you must spend
a critter with the right positive qualities is usual- at least one hour with the critter each day—and a
ly worth spending the extra nuyen. On the other successful Training test.
hand, you can get a solid discount on purchasing a If a critter has already learned its maximum
critter with negative qualities. If a critter has both amount of commands, they may unlearn an exist-
positive and negative qualities, each quality affects ing command as part of learning a new one—this
the critter’s availability, but only the net Karma bo- requires no additional time or effort.
nus or cost is applied to their cost.
Complex Orders
Critter commands are usually simple and
purchasing a critter straightforward (attack, use a critter power, fetch
CRITTER AVAIL COST me that thing, protect that person, etc.). If you order
Pet (Mundane) — Body x 100 nuyen a critter to follow multiple commands at the same
Pet (Exotic) 4 Body x 250 nuyen time, if the critter is unable to perceive the target of
Pet (Wild) 4(L) Body x 250 nuyen the command, or if the gamemaster determines that
Awakened (Magic + 1)(L)
(Body + Magic) x the situation is especially confusing to the critter, the
2,000 nuyen
(Body + Resonance) x
critter must make a Comprehension test.
Emerged (Resonance + 1)(L)
2,000 nuyen
Comprehension Test
OPTIONS AVAIL COST
–5% nuyen cost per When a critter is issued a complex order, or if
Negative Quality –1 per negative quality
net Karma bonus the situation changes while the critter is attempt-
Positive Quality +1 per positive quality
+1,000 nuyen per net ing to carry out a command, the critter must make
Karma cost a Comprehension test using its Logic + Intuition.
Trained: Command +1 +500 nuyen
The threshold for this test is usually 1, but if com-
Trained: Special
Training
+1 +750 nuyen plex orders involve multiple commands or the GM
determines that the situation is particularly con-
fusing to the critter, the threshold increases to 2.
When a critter fails a Comprehension test, they
Purchasing stop what they’re doing and return to their handler
or owner to await further instructions. On a crit-
Augmented Critters ical glitch, the critter does something other than
The costs listed above apply to purchasing un- what it is commanded to do. The specifics are up
augmented critters. Critters can also be upgraded to the gamemaster’s discretion, but the situation
with cybernetic, bioware, and even genetic aug- should never result in behavior that would directly

ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CRITTERS // CRITTER COMMANDS

harm the critter. A good go-to option for this is to
have the critter perform the specified action but
with the wrong target.
Critter Command Actions
Many possibilities exist when it comes to critter
commands. The options presented here are exam-
ples, not a complete list of every option. If you’d
like to train your critter to perform an action that
isn’t covered here, discuss it with your gamemas-
ter. Not every command is appropriate to every
critter—teaching most prey animals to attack isn’t
likely to work well, and a hamster isn’t going to
be able to fetch you anything much larger than a
marble, for example.
Attack (Lethal or Non-Lethal)
Ordering a critter to attack is fairly straightfor-
ward. In addition to telling the critter to attack,
the trigger must also point out the target of the at-
tack. In most cases, this is accomplished by point-
ing at the target, though augmented critters can
be directed using AR objects. Lethal or non-lethal
attacks each require a separate command—by de-
fault, a critter will usually use its most powerful
lethal attacks.
Deliver
A critter may be given an object and command-
ed to deliver it, either to a predetermined person
or drop point, or to a specified target within line-
of-sight.
Fetch
The trigger for the fetch command must include
some way of pointing out what you would like the
critter to fetch for you. The target must be within
line of sight unless the critter is already familiar
with the object and its location. Retrieving an item
that the critter cannot currently perceive counts
as complex orders, requiring the critter to make a
Comprehension test.
Forage/Hunt
Feeding a critter can be expensive, so why not
train them to find their own food? A critter can be
trained to find its own meals at your command.
Grapple
Ordering a critter to subdue a target, rather
than a straight-up attack, requires specific training
and a dedicated command. The trigger must in-
clude some way to direct the critter at their target.
Once ordered, the critter will attempt to grapple
and restrain the target.
CRITTER COMMANDS //
Pack Attack
Only critters that have been trained to attack
upon command may learn the pack attack com-
mand. Critters can be trained to attack in groups, 181
using the Grunt Group rules (p. 114, SR6). You
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
can order critters to attack as a pack or have them
back you up—in which case you are the prima-
ry attacker, and your own Attack Rating and dice
pool are increased based on how big your pack is.
Patrol (Attack or Alarm)
Critters can be trained to patrol an area. Once
trained to patrol, the critter must be familiar-
ized with a particular patrol pattern. This process
takes an hour and requires an Influence (Critters)
+ Charisma (2) test. Once a patrol pattern has been
learned, the critter can be commanded to patrol the
specified area. If you need the critter to patrol a dif-
ferent area, this requires another hour of training
and an Influence test. A critter can learn a number
of patrol patterns equal to its Logic attribute. If you
teach a critter a new patrol pattern when they have
already learned their maximum number of them,
they will forget an older pattern to make room for
the new one (gamemaster choice of which one is
forgotten).
When you train a critter to patrol, you must
choose whether they will attack or raise an alarm.
Raising an alarm usually involves making loud
noises, though a critter may be trained to return
to their handler, press a button, pull a lever, or—if
properly augmented and equipped—send a mes-
sage via the Matrix. The trigger for a patrol com-
mand is usually verbal, though augmented critters
may be provided with AR instructions.
If a critter has been trained to attack instead of
raising an alarm, they will still be as loud as possi-
ble about it—barking, growling, howling, screech-
ing, etc.
Protect
With the right training, critters can make for
excellent bodyguards. The protect command in-
structs a critter to defend a person or object. When
ordered to protect a target, the critter will stay
near, watch for signs of danger, and aggressively
defend their charge from any identified threats. If
an individual threat flees, the critter will not pur-
sue them beyond line of sight to their charge, re-
turning to their side and remaining vigilant rather
than becoming fixated on following one threat to
leave them exposed to others.
Retreat
Knowing when to keep your critters from
recklessly endangering themselves can easily
make the difference between life or death for
ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CRITTERS
 them. The trigger for this command is usually a
verbal shout, as it is likely to be given in a chaotic
182
situation in which the critter may not be able to
notice gestures or other cues. Once commanded,
the critter will return to their handler or a desig-
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
nated safe location or vehicle.
Rescue
A critter that is large and strong enough can be
trained to rescue and retrieve an incapacitated or
injured metahuman (or critter). The trigger must
include some instructions to designate the target.
Once commanded, the critter will move to their
target and assist them with moving to safety. If
necessary, the critter will drag or carry the target
back. Otherwise, the critter may support the target
as they move to safety. An augmented critter may
also be trained to apply a trauma patch or stim
patch, though this requires that they have append-
ages capable of administering the patch.
Teamwork (Specify a Skill)
Sometimes you need a little help from your furry
friends. You can train a critter to provide assistance
in the form of a Teamwork test for any skill the crit-
ter knows. A separate command must be learned for
each skill. Emerged critters can be trained to assist
with Matrix actions. This command only allows a
critter to assist when a Teamwork test would nor-
mally be allowed—it does not apply to Close Com-
bat or Sorcery tests, or any test made to attack.
Track
If a critter has the Outdoors skill (ideally with
a Specialization in Tracking), they may be trained
to put it to use upon command. Tracking using
critters most often is based on scent, and requires
something with the target’s scent to put the critter
on the trail. Then the critter may take the lead on
the Outdoors (Tracking) + Intuition test, or pro-
vide assistance via a Teamwork test in support of
another critter or character. When tracking with
the assistance of a critter, in addition to any bonus
dice, you also gain a point of Edge that must be
spent on the Tracking test, or it is lost.
Use Critter Power
Just because your pet barghest has a paralyzing
howl, that doesn’t mean they’ll use it on command
without training. If you want to have a critter use
its power at your orders, you’re going to have to
train it to do so. If a critter has multiple critter
powers, they need to be trained with a separate
command for each one. The trigger for this com-
mand must include some way to communicate
how you want the power used—or what you want
the power to target.
ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CRITTERS // CRITTER SPECIAL TRAINING
Critter Special
Training
Some gear and augmentations require a critter to
receive special training. The maximum amount of
special training a critter can learn is equal to their
Intuition x 2. Special training does not count to-
ward the maximum commands a critter can learn,
and learning commands does not count toward a
critter’s maximum amount of special training.
Providing a critter with special training requires
at least a week of effort, during which time you
must spend at least one hour per day with the crit-
ter, and a successful Training test. If a critter has
already learned its maximum amount of special
training, they may unlearn a previous special train-
ing as part of learning a new one—this requires no
additional time or effort.
The following examples only cover some possi-
bilities and are not intended to be a restrictive list.
Armor Training: The critter has been acclimat-
ed to wearing combat armor.
Augmentation Training: This allows the critter
to take full advantage of an augmentation that
requires special training. This generally does not
include augmentations that provide passive physi-
cal bonuses, such as bone lacing or muscle replace-
ment. Which augmentations require this training is
covered in Body Shop (p. 135–149).
AR Training: The critter can now recognize and
understand AR messages, and they may be issued
commands triggered by audio, visual, or simsense
AR signals.
Power Training: Generally, a critter lacks the un-
derstanding to take advantage of capabilities grant-
ed by spells, complex forms, and critter powers
(other than their own). If you order a spirit to pro-
vide your critter with the Movement power, for ex-
ample, they are not likely to go as fast as they could,
or they may just choose to stay still until the strange
effect wears off. If you’d like your critter to become
used to working with a power, spell, or other sim-
ilar effect, you can train them for it. Each separate
power or spell requires a separate special training.
With this training, the critter becomes comfortable
with the effect and can take full advantage without
becoming confused or frightened by it.
Home Territory Training: A critter can be
trained to treat a specific area as their home ter-
ritory. With this special training, a critter will not
voluntarily leave their home territory unless spe-
cifically commanded to do so. If they are forced to
leave their home territory, they will return home as
soon as they are capable of doing so. A critter can
only have one home territory at a time—training
them to treat another place as their home territory
sets the new place as their home.
Weapon Training: When a critter attacks, they
normally use their natural abilities. Without this
special training, a critter will not make attacks
with any weapon other than its natural weapons
or critter powers. A critter may receive special
training to wield a close combat or thrown weap-
on, but only if they have appendages capable of
using them. In most cases, this limits close combat
weapons to primates, though some augmentations
may provide a critter with additional limbs that
could hold weapons. Some weapons may be spe-
cially designed to be mounted on a critter—these
require special training for the critter to use.
Paid Training
Services
If you’re going to keep a critter around, you
should probably learn how to train them as well
as care for them. But not everyone has the skills
to train their critters on their own. You can hire
someone to train your critter for you or assist you
with training them.
If you hire someone else to train your critter, use
their dice pool (Connection x 2, unless otherwise
specified) for any training tests instead of your
own—you may not gain or spend Edge to influ-
ence this test. If the trainer is one of your contacts,
add your Loyalty with them to their dice pool.
The cost to hire a trainer to train your critter
for one week is the trainer’s Connection rating x
100 nuyen—which you are expected to pay wheth-
er the training is successful or not. This price is
doubled when training Awakened or Emerged crit-
ters, and critters with less than 5 Essence.
If you hire a trainer to assist you, add their
Connection rating to your dice pool on the train-
ing test. Since you are making the test, you may
gain and spend Edge on the training test as nor-
mal. The cost to hire someone to help you train
a critter is their Connection rating x 50 nuyen
per week—double when working with Awakened
or Emerged critters, and critters with less than 5
Essence.
You can also purchase a critter that has already
been trained with the commands and special train-
ing you require. For each command or special
training, add 1 to the critter’s Body attribute for
the purpose of calculating its nuyen cost (the actu-
al Body attribute is not increased) and one week to
the time it takes to acquire the critter.
Edge Actions
In most cases, you may not use Edge boosts or ac-
tions on behalf of your critters (the Critter Bond qual-
ity path is a notable exception to this). If your critters
gain a point of Edge as part of an action, they will use
it immediately to re-roll a failed die on their test.
The Edge actions in this section apply when in-
PAID TRAINING SERVICES //
teracting with critters. The Edge must be spent by
the character using the action—not a critter.
Dogpile 183
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
(Minor Action: Command Critter)
In order to use this Edge action, all the affected
critters must know an attack command. With one
Minor Action, you command your critters to attack
as a group, concentrating their attack against one
target at a time. If all of your critters know the Pack
Attack command, this Edge Action is not needed.
• Cost: 1 Edge per critter (Critters with the Pack
Attack command don’t add to the Edge cost)
Instinctive Connection
(Use Skill (Influence))
You may attempt to appease a critter even
though you have nothing to offer that they want.
Cost: 4 Edge
Improvised Command
(Use Skill (Influence), Major Action)
You may issue a command to a critter that it
has not been trained for. This requires a Major
Action and an Influence (Critters) + Charisma (3)
test—and one of the dice is replaced with a wild
die. If the critter has any Essence loss, you suffer
a –1 dice pool penalty for every point of Essence
loss—round up any fractions. If the critter has a
critterjack augmentation, the Essence loss penalty
is reduced by its rating.
• Cost: 2 Edge
Look Out!
(Minor Anytime Action)
When your critter is the target of an attack, you
may issue a timely warning that prompts the crit-
ter to take evasive action. Add the critter’s ranks
in Athletics to their dice pool on their defense test.
• Cost: 2 Edge
Spread the Love
(Minor Action: Command Critter)
You command your critter to use its critter pow-
er against multiple targets, turning a single-target
power into an area-effect power. The base radius
is two meters, and each additional Edge you spend
increases the radius by two more meters. All of the
targets of the power gain a bonus point of Edge on
any test to resist the effects, as the power is mildly
weakened by spreading it out over multiple targets.
• Cost: 4 Edge (2m radius, +1 Edge per +2m
radius)
ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CRITTERS
 Critter
184 Companion
Qualities
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
Critters sometimes have positive or negative
qualities, though not all of the pre-existing qual-
ities are available to all critters. When deciding
which qualities you’d like to assign to your critter,
check with your gamemaster to determine wheth-
er or not they are appropriate. Regarding negative
qualities, a good rule of thumb is that if the quality
doesn’t affect a critter’s normal capabilities, it isn’t
available—therefore, qualities affecting social or
technical skills would generally be unavailable.
The qualities included in this chapter are specif-
ically designed for critters and are unavailable for
sapient critters and metahuman characters. These
qualities are also designed to apply to tamed and
trained critters.
Tamed Critter
When a critter in the wild is tamed, they receive
the Wild Soul critter quality, which must be bal-
anced by taking a negative quality—the default
choice being 1 level of High Maintenance.
Purchased Critter
When you purchase a critter, you can specify
a combination of positive and negative qualities.
This affects the nuyen cost and availability of the
critter, and you are limited to applying six total
qualities.
Bonded Critter
With the Permanent Improvement option in the
Critter Bond quality path (p. 139, 6WC), you can
purchase or upgrade qualities for your critter by
spending your own Karma. Whenever you pur-
chase a positive quality for your critter in this way,
you may choose one of the negative qualities from
this chapter as well—only the negative qualities
in this chapter are eligible for this. Bonus Karma
from negative qualities reduces the Karma cost of
positive qualities before the Karma cost that you
must pay is doubled.
Clever Critter
This critter is particularly clever and is not eas-
ily confused.
• Cost: 2 Karma
• Game Effect: Whenever this critter makes a
comprehension test, reduce the threshold by
1 (to a minimum of 1).
ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CRITTERS // CRITTER COMPANION QUALITIES
Eager to Please
This quality is a very common trait among
domesticated canines. The critter enjoys spend-
ing time around their metahuman handlers and is
highly motivated by praise and treats.
• Cost: 2 Karma (1 Karma for dogs)
• Game Effect: When this critter rolls Willpow-
er + Intuition to oppose a training test, only
6s count as hits. On any Influence test made
to issue commands (including complex or-
ders) to this critter, reduce the threshold by 1.
Exceptional
(Specify a Skill or Attribute)
• Cost: 5 Karma
• Game Effect: This quality can only be pur-
chased once, and only when a critter is
tamed, purchased, or otherwise acquired. In-
crease one of the critter’s attributes or skills
by 1.
Low Maintenance
Whether due to a lighter appetite or a knack for
scrounging for their own food, this critter doesn’t
go through food and other supplies as quickly as
other similar critters.
• Cost: 1 Karma
• Game Effect: When determining monthly
costs to feed and house this critter, count
their Body attribute as half its value (round
up).
Receptive to Training
This critter takes to training very well, increas-
ing the amount of commands and special training
they can learn.
• Cost: 3 Karma/level (max level = critter’s
Logic or Intuition attribute, whichever is
lowest)
• Game Effect: For every level of this quality,
this critter may learn one additional com-
mand and receive one additional special
training.
Too Cute
This critter is particularly adorable. Who could
bring themselves to hurt such a cutie?
• Cost: 2 Karma
• Game Effect: Metahumans and sapient crit-
ters may not gain or spend Edge on any test
that could possibly result in causing direct
 harm to this critter. This includes attacks as
well as any non-combat action that might
hurt the critter. If this critter attacks or uses
a hostile critter power on a person, this
quality no longer has any effect on that in-
dividual.
Vigilant
Critters with this quality are very perceptive
and always on guard.
• Cost: 3 Karma
• Game Effect: Whenever this critter makes a
Perception test, they will buy hits instead of
rolling, scoring one hit for every three dice
(instead of four). If this critter must make
a surprise test, it gains a point of Edge that
must be spent on the test or is lost.
Wild Soul
This critter was most likely captured as a wild
animal, then tamed—but the taming never quite
took. Or perhaps they were born in captivity but
deeply feel the call of the wild nonetheless.
• Cost: 1 Karma
• Game Effect: Whenever this critter makes a
skill test, add a wild die to its dice pool. If
a glitch or critical glitch is rolled, the crit-
ter stops following orders and runs off for
at least an hour—the critter’s handler may
attempt to appease the critter as if it were a
wild animal to end this effect.
Negative Qualities
Disobedient
This critter has an independent spirit, and
sometimes balks at being ordered around.
• Bonus: 4 Karma
• Game Effect: You may not gain or spend
Edge on any Influence tests to interact with
this critter.
Distrustful
Critters are often very wary of metahumans, es-
pecially when they haven’t been raised in captivity.
• Bonus: 3 Karma
• Game Effect: You must pay an additional
point of Edge whenever you spend Edge on
behalf of this critter’s tests or use Edge ac-
tions that affect this critter.
NEGATIVE QUALITIES //
Feral Frenzy
When this critter goes into combat, they lose
sight of who is an ally and who is the enemy. 185
• Bonus: 5 Karma
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
• Game Effect: When this critter engages in
combat, whether in self-defense or if com-
manded to fight, they will continue to fight
even after the enemies have been defeated.
When no enemies are available, they will at-
tack the nearest critter or character. Stopping
the critter’s frenzy requires a Major Action
and a successful Influence (Critters) + Cha-
risma test opposed by the critter’s Willpower
+ Intuition.
This quality is only available to critters with a
natural weapon or at least one critter power that
deals damage.
High Maintenance
This critter eats more food, requires special
food and medicine, or perhaps wrecks your furni-
ture and chews on your electronics. Whatever the
cause, it’s much more expensive than usual to feed
and care for this critter.
• Bonus: 1 Karma/Level (max level 3)
• Game Effect: Add the level of this quality to
the critter’s Body attribute for the purpose
of determining the monthly cost to feed and
house this critter.
Jealous
Some critters prefer to be the only one around
and don’t play well with others.
• Bonus: 2 Karma
• Game Effect: This critter prefers to be the
center of attention and doesn’t like being
around other critters. When other critters
are present, issuing commands to this critter
takes two Minor Actions (instead of one).
Additionally, the Pack Attack command and
Dogpile Edge action are not available to this
critter.
Lover, Not a Fighter
This critter has a soft or timid demeanor, which
makes them adorable and safe around children—
but it also means that they are not very effective
when the time comes to fight.
• Bonus: 2 Karma
• Game Effect: No Edge may be gained or
spent on behalf of any test this critter makes
in combat. This quality is only available for
critters with a natural weapon or a critter
power that deals damage.
ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CRITTERS
 Powerless
The critter is less capable than others of its spe-
186 cies, lacking one or more of its natural powers and
abilities.
• Bonus: 3 Karma
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
• Game Effect: Only critters with critter pow-
ers are eligible to take this quality. Choose
one of the critter’s powers—that critter pow-
er is lost. A critter may take this quality mul-
tiple times, with each instance taking away
another critter power.
Runt
This critter is particularly small, perhaps caused
by a fluke of genetics or malnutrition in its youth.
• Bonus: 4 Karma
• Game Effect: Whenever this critter rolls
Body to resist damage, ignore one of the hits
scored.
Untrainable
Whether due to stubbornness or a lack of intel-
ligence, this critter is particularly difficult to train.
• Bonus: 2 Karma/level
• Game Effect: For each level of this quality,
the number of commands and special train-
ing this critter may learn is reduced by 1 (to
a minimum of zero).
Critter Gear
Gear Harness: This harness must be designed
to be worn by a specific type of critter. Attached to
the straps are various pockets, pouches, and other
containers, allowing the critter to carry additional
gear. If the critter receives special training to take
full advantage of the gear harness, they may be
trained to retrieve and stow gear from the harness
upon command. The amount of gear that a critter
can carry in their gear harness is based on the size
of the critter: one item per point of the critter’s
Body attribute. Only very small objects can be car-
ried by a critter with a Body of 2 or less. Only
critters with a Body of 6 or more can carry large
Critter gear
GEAR DEFENSE RATING
Gear Harness — 4
Light Combat Armor +2
Heavy Combat Armor +4
Hardened Critter Armor +6H
Modified Gear — —
ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CRITTERS // CRITTER GEAR
items—anything that would require a metahuman
to use two hands counts as a large item. A gear
harness provides no bonus to Defense Rating, but
it can accept armor modifications.
Light Combat Armor: A simple vest designed to
protect the critter’s vitals, made of the same ma-
terial that is used for armored clothing. Without
special training, a critter will be distracted and un-
comfortable while wearing this armor, requiring a
Major Action to issue commands to them (instead
of a Minor Action). Light combat armor provides
+2 to Defense Rating and can accept armor mod-
ifications.
Heavy Combat Armor: Heavier armor con-
sisting of polymer plates attached to armored
fabric. This also includes some additional pieces
to protect the head and limbs. Critters wearing
heavy combat armor cannot fly or swim. With-
out special training, a critter wearing this armor
gains the Hobbled condition, and issuing them
commands requires a Major Action. Heavy com-
bat armor provides +4 to Defense Rating and can
accept armor modifications.
Hardened Critter Armor: Training a critter to
wear hardened armor requires an additional spe-
cial training above and beyond armor training.
This armor is bulky and obvious, and it restricts
the critter’s motion in exchange for providing sig-
nificant protection. Without the requisite special
training, a critter wearing this armor gains the Im-
mobilized condition. Even with special training, a
critter wearing this armor gains the Hobbled con-
dition and cannot fly or swim. Hardened critter
armor provides +6 to Defense Rating, +4 dice to
Body tests to resist damage, and two automatic
hits on damage resistance tests. It can also accept
armor modifications.
Modified Gear: Almost any piece of gear can be
modified so that it can be worn (and potentially
used) by a critter. This includes contacts, goggles,
and ear buds, though their potential applications
are limited by the critter’s capabilities. Generally
speaking, very few critters are capable of operating
technology, and most lack the appendages neces-
sary to hold or use most items. A critter could not
utilize a lockpick kit, for example, but they may be
trained to use a flashlight. Gear that has been de-
signed or modified to be worn by a critter costs ten
percent more than its metahuman-use equivalent.
CAPACITY AVAIL COST
2 Critter’s Body x 50¥
6 3 Critter’s Body x 100¥
8 4 Critter’s Body x 200¥
8 6(L) Critter’s Body x 1,000¥
+1 +10% item’s normal price
 CRITTER
POWERS & RULES

These are additional critter powers for critters This power works against normal vision as well
in this book, along with other new rules referenced as natural and augmented thermographic vision.
in the text. It has no effect against non-visual senses such as
sonar, radar, scent tracking, or astral perception.
Some critters may have a version of this power
Adaptive Coloration that affects a wider range of senses; this will be
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION noted in the critter’s description.
P Auto Self Always

Some critters are hard to spot. Critters with this Arcane Dampening
power are damn near impossible. This power al- TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
lows a critter to refract light around itself, becom- M Major LOS Special
ing nearly invisible. This grants the Invisible (Im-
proved) status (p. 52, SR6) with a value equal to This power allows the subject to create a tem-
the Magic rating of the critter so long as the critter porary mana void with a radius equal to Magic/2.
remains immobile. If the critter is moving, reduce The mana void persists for a number of combat
the threshold in half (round down, to a minimum rounds equal to the net hits on a Magic + Body
of 1). The power also plays merry hell with an on- (4) test.
looker’s depth perception; reduce the Attack Rat-
ing for any ranged attacks by 2.

// CRITTER POWERS & RULES

 Ar-Parallelism This power gives the critter an affinity for all
beings, be they sentient or non. The critter gets its
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
Magic rating as a dice pool modifier to all Con and
188 P Minor LOS Sustained
Influence tests.
This power allows critters to see the physical
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

and virtual worlds at the same time. This is similar Energy Drain (Magic)
to seeing the AR overlay of the world, but it carries
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
no penalty due to distractions or otherwise. M Major Touch Instant

Blend Some creatures feed on mana. While most of

the time the mana from the local space is an easier
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
meal, it can be a slower method of feeding. This
P Minor Self Sustained
makes mana-rich individuals a ripe target.
The critter can opt to run silent with a Minor This power allows a critter to permanently
Action, just as other Matrix denizens do, and they take away another being’s Magic and add it to its
receive +2 dice to oppose any Matrix Perception own. The Energy Drain (Magic) power can only
tests to spot them. target non-astral Awakened beings. Magic cannot
be drained while the victim is physically resisting.
They must either be willing or subdued (restrained,
Blindness paralyzed, mentally controlled, etc.). Siphoning
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
off magic from their target requires a Charisma +
P Major LOS Sustained Magic (5 – Magic, 1 minute) Extended test. Suc-
cess will drain the victim of 1 point of Magic and
The creature is able to cause blindness either will inflict the Fatigued status at a level equal to
through brilliant flashes of light or as a magical the number of Magic points drained.
effect. With a Major Action, the creature can If the critter is interrupted or disturbed prior to
make an Agility + Magic vs. Willpower + Logic completion of the draining test, the Magic point is
Opposed test. On a success, the target is afflicted not drained. Lost Magic does not impact the char-
with the Blindness I status. The effect intensifies to acter’s maximum Magic, and any lost Magic can
Blindness II with two net hits, Blindness III with be re-bought with Karma. If Magic reaches zero
four net hits (p. 51, SR6). and you are using the Burning Out optional rule
(p. 146, Sixth World Companion), the character
burns out.
Carrier A creature can only increase their Magic up to
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION their natural maximum Magic. Any Magic drained
P Auto Self Always beyond that point is lost.
The critter is a carrier for a disease but not in-
fected itself. It can still transmit the disease as nor- Euphoria
mal. That virus is now in its body, and the creature TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
could spread it to metahumans through unprotected P Minor Touch Sustained
contact with its bodily fluids. Exposure means that
those characters must begin the appropriate Disease Some creatures can create a feeling of deep bliss
Resistance tests (p. 107, Sixth World Companion). or feelings of well-being. In most cases, this is a
tool used to help them keep their victim still for
an extended period of time while they feed upon
Durable them.
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION The creature can as a Minor Action make a
P Auto Self Always Charisma + Magic vs Willpower + Logic Opposed
test to leave the target in a state of euphoric bliss.
The critter possesses an exceptionally robust If the attacker is successful, the target gains the
anatomy, able to soak up damage like the prover- Immobilized status and takes a dice pool penalty
bial sponge before succumbing to fate. This power equal to net hits. The victim can attempt to break
adds its listed rating to the critter’s stat block to free using a Major Action on their turn by making
the critter’s Physical Condition Monitor. a Willpower + Logic (net hits) test. If the victim is
successful, they have broken free of the influence
of the Euphoria power.
Empathy Even after shaking the effect of Euphoria, the
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION victim must make an Addiction test against Power
M Auto LOS Always (Magic of the creature).

CRITTER POWERS & RULES //

Fragile cific subject, or more than one if they got enough
net hits. This new attitude will affect social Edge
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
(p. 98, SR6) while the power is active. The critter
P Auto Self Always
has no control over what actions the subjects take 189
The critter is somewhat brittle and easily bro- with their new mentality.

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

ken. When listed in the critter’s stat block, this
power will have a level; for example, it might read Magic Sense
Fragile 2. The critter’s Physical Condition Monitor
is reduced by the level of this power. TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
M Auto Self Always

Gestalt Consciousness The critter can find magic like trouble finds
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
shadowrunners. The critter is aware of the pres-
M Auto Varies Always ence of any magic with a Force or Drain Value
within a radius of ten meters times its own Magic
The critter communicates with others of the rating. This power isn’t as precise as Astral Percep-
same type on a subconscious level, as though each tion; it only detects when magic is within range,
individual critter is part of a single whole. All crit- not its nature or even its direction.
ters of the same type with this power share a single
mind, can perceive everything any of the members Mana Well
of the gestalt can perceive, and act in concert. Any
number of gestalt members can use teamwork on TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
any test they can reasonably work together on— M Major Self Sustained

for simplicity, use Grunt Groups rule (p. 114, SR6).

This power’s range, which expresses the maxi- Some creatures have an ability to attract mana.
mum distance a critter can be from its fellows and When near these animals, the flow of magic is
still be part of the gestalt, depends on the critter stronger, as they act like a gravity well on magic.
and is listed with the critter’s stat block. If no range They are living mana wells similar to the returned
is given, assume the range is line of sight. found in Slip Streams (p. 141).
Creatures with this power can create a low
mana flow with a Major Action. The low mana
Holographic Concealment flow extends out two meters from the creature.
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION The critter power will specify the tradition it is as-
P Major Self Sustained Sustained pected toward (if any).

When there is a significant amount of AR in an

area, the critter can use a Major Action to place a Mutation
hologram over themselves that makes them hard TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
to see. The critter’s Resonance becomes a negative M Major Self Special
dice pool modifier on any Perception test to see it,
and ranged weapons tests against it receive a –2 This power gives a critter the ability to rapidly
dice pool penalty while the power is active. This undergo physical change and receive new abilities.
power does not affect individuals who have no ac- Critters undergoing such mutations often show
tive Matrix connection or ability to perceive Aug- changes in their attributes, more commonly phys-
mented Reality. ical in nature. The act of Mutation is a Major Ac-
tion most often uncontrolled in its nature. Critters
can only undergo a single mutation at a time, but it
Hypnotic Song is possible to undergo one mutation after another,
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION with the total number allowed not to exceed the
M Complex Special Sustained Essence or Magic of the critter in question, which-
ever is higher. Most mutations are temporary in
Creatures with the Hypnotic Song power can nature, lasting until the triggering event is over, but
influence others who hear it. The creature makes they can remain present for longer periods of time.
a Magic + Magic vs. Willpower + Logic Opposed
test. If Hypnotic Song is successful, for every 2
net hits, the targets’ minds are adjusted from their Phasing
current attitudes toward a subject chosen by the TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
creature (including themselves) in the direction the P Major Self Sustained
creature wants. There are four basic attitude levels:
Hostile, Dislike, Neutral, and Friendly. The crea- Some creatures have the ability to pass physi-
ture can adjust the targets’ attitude toward a spe- cally through solid earth without the need to slow

// CRITTER POWERS & RULES

 down. A creature with the Phase power is able to
use their full movement while going through natu-
ral earth. This does not allow them to see, and they
190 must rely on other senses to be able to perceive
where they are. In addition, they cannot move
SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE
through constructed materials such as brick, con-
crete, metal, or plastic.
Radiation Engulf
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
P Major Touch Sustained
In addition to the existing engulf secondary ef-
fects on p. 223, SR6, there is also Radiation Engulf.
This requires a Close Combat attack and causes
(Magic)P radiation damage; net hits increase the
damage of the attack. Success on the test engulfs
the target, and they gain the Immobilized and Irra-
diated statuses. On the target’s turn, they may use
a Major Action to attempt to escape by making an
Athletics + Strength vs. the critter’s Body + Magic
Opposed test. On the critter’s next turn, if its target
is still engulfed, it automatically inflicts (Magic)P
damage, which the target can resist normally.
Resonance Feed
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
P Auto Self Always
Though it may not be its only source of nutri-
tion, the critter can eat Resonance. The amount of
Resonance surrounding them means their diet does
not affect many Matrix activities, but it gives them
a good chance to hunt down anyone or anything
using technology. They receive a +1 dice pool bo-
nus on Perception tests or Trace Icon tests against
anyone or anything that has wireless capabilities;
this moves up to +2 for devices or beings with a
Device Rating or Resonance of 4 or more, and +3
for devices or beings with a Device Rating or Res-
onance of 7 or more.
Sand Form
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
P Major Self Sustained
This power allows the critter to transform it-
self into a cloud of sand similar to a dust storm.
Shifting into and out of sand forms are Major Ac-
tions. When shifting into sand form, the critter
transforms itself and nonliving items it is carry-
ing. The sand form has a movement rate of five
meters per Move action or about six kilometers
per hour; the critter can control some of its move-
ment in this form, though it is susceptible to wind
speeds greater than its movement speed when
moving against them. These can push or dis-
rupt the cloud, which can temporarily disorient
CRITTER POWERS & RULES //
the critter. The sand form can pass through any
cracks or crevices as long as they are not airtight.
Systems that defend against gasses, bacteria, vi-
ral infiltration, or fine particles will stop a crit-
ter in sand form. While in sand form, the critter
has Immunity to Normal Weapons. If the being is
exposed to a substance to which it is allergic or
vulnerable, it is immediately forced back into its
normal form. While in sand form, the critter can
perceive normally but cannot use any of its other
powers until it resumes its normal form.
Sonic Projection
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
P Major LOS Instant
Some critters, especially marine mammals, have
learned to master sound much as they might other
forms of elemental energy. Make a ranged com-
bat attack, using the critter’s Magic + Agility. The
attack has a DV of (Magic)P, Attack Ratings of
Near (Magic x 2), Close (Magic x 2) – 2, Medium
(Magic x 2) – 8, Far (Magic x 2) – 10. If the Attack
Rating drops to 0 or lower, the elemental attack
cannot reach those ranges.
Sonic Attacks in Water
Everyone knows that sound travels better through cer-
tain mediums than others, with water being better than air.
When used underwater, increase the DV of sonic attacks by
half (rounded down, minimum addition of 1) and increase
the Attack Rating by 2. This can even give the attack addi-
tional range, if appropriate. Sonic attacks also have a minor
area effect: anything within Near range (3m) of the target of
the attack receives statuses as if hit by the attack, but the
target does not need to roll Damage Resistance. Should you
be hit by a sonic attack in water, you receive the Deafened I
and Dazed statuses just for being hit. If you take any damage
from the attack, you gain the Deafened II, Dazed, and Stilled
statuses, though Stilled becomes Hobbled at the end of the
following combat round.
The target also gains the Deafened I and Dazed
statuses for (critter’s Magic rating) combat rounds.
Spores
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
P Major Special Special
When exposed to a Spore attack, the target re-
sists as if exposed to a toxin with a Power equal to
twice the critter’s Essence. Spores commonly use
the Contact, Ingestion, or Inhalation vectors (p.
121, SR6). Each hit on the resistance test lowers
the rating, and if reduced to zero it has no other
effect. Spore attacks must be thoroughly cleansed
from the point of contact through proper sanita-
tion methods or anti-fungal medications. They lin-
ger on or upon a surface until doing so. Use of
the Sterilize spell (p. 32, Street Wyrd) requires hits
equal to the rating to cleanse surfaces adequately.
Until the spores are cleansed, any individuals who
Critters with this power can walk on walls,
ceilings, or other similar surfaces at their nor-
mal movement rates. No special tests are needed
for regular movement on these surfaces, but the 191
Climbing skill should be used instead of Running

SHADOWRUN: WILD LIFE

come into contact with them must resist the spore for Sprinting tests.
attack again at half its original Power.

Taint New Statuses

TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION Irradiated #
M Major Self Special
Radiation is an insidious form of damage. A
A toxic critter uses the Taint power to pollute creature or person who is irradiated may not even
the manasphere. Use the rules for standard Cleans- realize that they are suffering from damage caused
ing (p. 117, Street Wyrd), but consider any hits the by radiation. This makes it different in that the
toxic critter gets as increasing a mana flow (toxic) damage done is measured in days instead of com-
by 1 for every two net hits. The range of this effect bat rounds.
is a two-meter radius. The status is noted with a number that indicates
the amount of Physical damage the character must
resist at the beginning of each day due to the sta-
Tremor Sense tus. Any time the character is unable to resist all
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION this damage, they also gain the Nauseated status.
P Auto Self Always For attacks that don’t specify what the status num-
ber should be, then the Irradiated number is equal
Creatures with this ability can detect subtle to the Magic of the creature. If the victim suffers
movements of the earth. The critter makes a Per- a critical glitch on the resistance test, reduce their
ception + Intuition test to detect movement even maximum Body by 1. A normal glitch increases the
when in complete darkness just by sensing vibra- damage taken by 1.
tions through the ground. The critter can sense The only way to remove the Irradiated status
when something is moving nearby (within Intu- is through medical treatment in a facility. This can
ition meters), but not exactly where, and not when be treated as an outpatient service, and it reduces
they’re standing still. the Irradiated status number by 1 per treatment.
This treatment is covered under DocWagon Gold
Wall Walking or higher, or at a cost of 500 nuyen per treatment.
TYPE ACTION RANGE DURATION
P Auto Self Always

NEW STATUSES // CRITTER POWERS & RULES

The howl that cuts through the night. The bared fangs
in a dark corridor. The talons piercing exposed flesh.
All these haunt shadowrunners’ nightmares. You can
always try to reason with or buy off other people,
but critters? Critters just come at you, relentless and
hungry. Whether they’re used as corporate security
or something you run into in the wild, they can be a
tremendous threat. They can also, however, be a source
of reagents or wealth if you know what you’re doing—
and you know how to steer clear of tooth and claw.
With information on critters that can be found in a
range of environments, Wild Life is the core critter
rulebook for Shadowrun, Sixth World.

CAT28008 Under License From

catalystgamelabs.com I shadowrunsixthworld.com
© 2023 The Topps Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Shadowrun, Sixth World, and Matrix are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of The Topps Company, Inc.,
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