I use fake news-faxes to help convey setting events, plot related items, and general “shadowrun flavor” to my players. I find it is a handy way to get the players into the setting, and lay the groundwork for plots. I’ll post them here – feel free to use them in your own games, and edit to your heart’s content. They are obviously DFW-specific, and touch on events in my campaign.
I’m listing the main articles, mostly as a reminder to myself of what I’ve already written, along with a quick explanation of what the article is for. Some are related to the campaign’s metaplot, which for obvious reasons, I can’t describe here.
2080-02-08
Spinrad Makes Offer For Tandy
To convey the fallout of the Audit, and corporate politics.
Mitsuhama Saves Local Mental Hospital
A general setting article. Originally fallout from a run in a previous campaign.
Other – Taco Temple Bombing in Atlanta
2080-02-29
Horizon Updates “Deep Lacuna” Survey
A general setting article.
Ares Refit Delayed
Laying the ground-work for Cutting Black
Other – Ebola Outbreak in Cairo
2080-03-21
ERLA Announces Audit of Air Liquide
Fallout from a run by my players.
Aztlan Holds Naval Exercise in Gulf
To play up the CAS/Aztlan tensions.
Saeder-Krupp Recalls Implant Suite
Megacorporate politics and general setting.
2080-04-09
Wasp Questions Remain
Keeping bugs in mind.
Charges Filed for LCCS Accident
Fallout from a player run. Sort of.
Other – Novacoke in Delaware
2080-04-29
DFW Gliterrati Welcome New PCC Consul
Setting up a run for the team. Syphon is a PC, and sluagh.
Shedim Activity Decline Continues
Another general setting bit, to stoke paranoia.
2080-05-15
Bombing Kills 31 in Johnson County Refugee Center
General setting to emphasize the refugee camps, and to setup an upcoming run.
Rugby Australia Chief Executive Resigns
This is a real story from BBC, modified for 2080. I just loved the headline.
2080-05-30
Floods Kill Hundreds in East Africa
Another modified BBC article, to keep a global feel, and to reference the Kilimanjaro Mass Driver and Mujaji.
Mitsuhama’s Motashi Receives MITT PhD
Reminding the players of Mitsuhama’s reputation, and establishing Motashi-san as a long-term NPC.
Other – Ares Refit Progresses
Keeping things on the simmer for Cutting Black.
Other – Argentina Bombing
2080-06-01
Mayor Thanks Millsap Sheriff, AFL “Heroes” at Rally For Fallen
Fallout from a run, and establishing the DFW political scene.
Death Toll From Bioterror Attack Rises
More fallout from the same run.
2080-07-23
Renraku Acquires Nightengale’s
General setting and corporate politics, especially for Renraku. And yes, the misspelling of Nightengale’s has been canon for a while now. Kind of irritating.
Ares Refit Nearing Completion
More Cutting Black foreshadowing. Which kicks off in a week in-game. Gulp.
Shadow Commentary
In keeping with the long-standing Shadowrun tradition of having shadowrunners providing comments and discussion, the screamsheets have comments provided by the same crew who commented on the Shadows of DFW 2080 writeup. Some of them are characters from my previous campaigns, so they have a distinct personality.
- Ain’t Tellin’ – A professional runner. Very mercenary, with no ideals beyond getting paid. (Ork, Male)
- Anonymous Coward – A long-time shadowrunner that hung up his spurs a few years ago. Keeps their nose in the game to keep themself busy. (?, ?)
- Foxdale – A hermetic mage that has spent several decades in the shadows. Was once an idealist, but most of that idealism has been crushed by life in the shadows. (Elf, Female)
- MEESA – All snark and sarcasm. (Dwarf, Male)
- Nocrimo – An upper-crust socialite, that does some decking on the side as a form of social activism. (Elf, Female)
- Pyrwatcher – An anti-Aztlaner activist, with a political bent. (Human?, Male?)
- Raven – A new-age spiritualist technomancer. Between communing with the digital spirits, some nasty encounters will black IC (digital demons), and some recreational pharmaceuticals, Raven isn’t all that coherent, but he does have insights from time to time. – (Human, Male)
- SithDog2057 – An activist for metahuman (trog) rights, with a sarcastic streak. Not quite as mercenary as Ain’t Tellin’. (Troll, Male)
- Techm0nkey – A decker and tech-head, and an out-an-out anarchist. A troublemaker and a vandal. (?, ?)
- Youarebeingliedto – A conspiracy buff. Not quite as credulous as Plan 9, but in the same ballpark. (?, ?)
- (In)sanity – A debunker and a self-proclaimed “realist”. The counterweight to Youarebeingliedto. (?, ?)
- Whitehat – A neo-anarchist idealist, trying to make the world a better place…as much as they can from the shadows. Which isn’t much, but they are at least still trying. (?, ?)