Blackjack's People #105
Ratings Fodder
By Blackjack [Blackjack's Shadowrun Page: www.BlackjackSR.com] [BlackjackSRx@gmail.com] [@BlackjackSRx]

Posted: 2000-02-28

Mulgen

Archetype: Human Trideo Producer

Mulgen made his first "death show" at the age of twelve when he videotaped two cats with their tails tied together fighting while hung over a clothesline. Now at the age of 45, this cold, but eerily funny man has produced thrill and death shows for a variety of stations, both legal and pirate. His current baby is "Death Hunt", a pirate show in which up and coming shadowrunners are literally kidnapped, placed in a section of the barrens, and hunted like dogs. Not that it's much consolation, but if the runners do manage to escape the area they are still hunted down, but for the purpose of receiving fifty thousand nuyen in prize money. Fortunately for Mulgan this rarely happens because he sends a virtual army after them and pays the barren squatters with food which turns them into his own personal snitches.

Sabot

Archetype: Human Former Street Samurai

Sabot is in charge of the hunt, overseeing various hunter units and coordinating their searches and attacks. Sabot's one weakness, at least in the eyes of Mulgan, is his desire for actual sportsmanship. Sabot will occasionally pull his hunters out when it appears as if the kill will come too easily. In the end, however, he will do his best to not allow the "players" to leave the containment area. Sabot still regrets having given up his former profession to become one of Mulgan's playthings and he knows that he is so hated on the streets that he can never return to them. Like everybody on the hunting team, Sabot is equipped with a variety of micro trideo recording gear, his personally being cyberware.

Slammer

Archetype: Ork Former Mercenary

Slammer's idea of sportsmanship is giving the target a full nanosecond head start before coming at him with a rocket launcher. His bloody techniques and humorously smart ass personality have made him a favorite with viewers around the world. Despite Sabot's attempts to keep Slammer under control he continues to wage his paramilitary like war against the contestants and is willing to take out entire apartment buildings still inhabited by squatters in order to get the target.

Opium Crack Head III

Archetype: Human Former Drug Dealer

A drug dealer turned cyber burnout turned druggie cyber burnout, Opium Crack Head III is in charge of what is known as the "Uh, Oh" round. If the contestants are in any way knocked unconscious during their attempt at escape they are taken back to Opium's horrid "lab" located in the basement of a burnt out apartment building and, while the cameras continue to roll, are subjected to a variety of torture which usually ends up killing them. Although Opium appears frightening and ruthless on camera he turns into the worlds biggest wussie when threatened. The only reason he's so bold on camera is because his victims are strapped down.

Luddy

Archetype: Dwarf Squatter

Luddy is in charge of the network of squatters who report back to Mulgan with information on contestant positions. He, and other squatters, will also do their best to "befriend" the contestants and draw them into ambushes. But Luddy, and most of the squatters, are more than happy to take bribes from the players for which they may or may not help them out.

Mainframe

Archetype: Human Decker

Located at various points throughout the gaming zone are aging cyberterminals, the existence of which Mulgan is not aware. Mainframe, who actually works for Mulgan by maintaining his computer systems, also maintains these hidden terminals which, at times, are a contestant's only hope. If they find one it can be used to make free phone calls, access the matrix, or, if the user is good, to access Mulgan's system itself through a small backdoor. Mainframe only appears in the gaming zone if one of the terminals needs repairs and if he is caught he might end up as a contestant himself. Mainframe is in his late thirties, although he doesn't look or act a day over eighteen. It is unclear whether Mainframe shows mercy to actually help people, or for his own amusement. He gets as big a kick as anybody else out of the games, but feels Mulgan could use a bigger challenge.