1

Town Forgotten

The mission involves an abandoned section of the city, one where only the most desperate would consider going. An industrial accident or natural disaster may have rendered the place uninhabitable, or it might be a no-man’s land between two warring powers that will kill anyone they find in it. Corporate disputes may have cordoned it off, or a corp may have purchased it and left it to rot, or it may even be a literal abandoned town left to decay in the outland beyond the city.

Crazed gang boss in the ruins, Brutal scavenger chief, Monstrous spawn of the wreckage

Desperate local who refuses to leave, Investigator seeking the truth of the downfall, Pioneer trying to revive the place

The place is still in the process of abandonment, Scavengers are pillaging it actively, The cause of abandonment is still an active hazard

Precious things lost in the downfall, Actionable proof of a Corp's culpability, Tech or resource that could revive the town

Desolate public gathering place, Crumbled residence tower, Building smashed by the cause of the ruin

2

Knowledge Unknown

Somebody has learned something they absolutely should not know. It may be incriminating evidence, insider trading knowledge, data passcodes that can’t be conveniently changed, secret corporate product plans, proof of a gang alliance with a corp, or some other problematic knowledge. They probably want to do something with this knowledge, and the affected party might suspect that the information has leaked.

Suspicious corporate investigator, Leaker desperate to plug their leak before it's discovered, Treacherous "partner" to the one with the information

Recklessly ambitious underling who got the data, Innocent bystander threatened with ruin by the data, Clueless "lucky" data thief

The data holder vastly underestimates their peril, The data's actually going to make an enemy of an unexpected entity, The data's value is extremely time-sensitive

The key that unlocks the data's full value, The treasure that the knowledge can claim, The pay that was meant to pay for the data

Grimy underworld meeting place, Secret facility the data revealed, Hidden cache marked by the data

3

 Demagogue

A leader has drawn together a number of people with their fiery words and wrathful vision, promising justice and vengeance against their real or perceived enemies. They’ve played on old injuries and present troubles to stir up their followers, many of whom are convinced that only by violent action can justice be had and their tormentors punished.

Ethnic or religious supremacist, Violent factional leader of an otherwise sympathetic cause, Returned hero thought killed by the group's enemies

Hapless local grudged by the group, Peace-minded rival within the group, Disenchanted former group member

The demagogue is working for a corp or gang, The demagogue needs to keep upping the stakes or they'll be replaced, The demagogue is about to badly overstep

Object symbolic of the group's grievances, Proof of the justification or lack thereof of their cause, Payment made to buy them off or redirect them

Known group hangout, Neighborhood dominated by the group, Place the group was driven out of or where they suffered wrongs

4

Revolutionaries

A group of armed insurgents or terrorists have somehow gotten mixed up in the situation, either because they’re targeting someone involved in the mission, they want something the mission offers, or they’ve been paid by someone involved in the situation. The group probably has a corporate patron if it hasn’t been stamped out yet, and most members are either hard-core zealots for the Cause or thugs in search of an outlet for their urges.

Cynical group boss going through the motions, Figurehead leader who's a corp catspaw, Charismatic but insane zealot leader

Misguided but sympathetic group member, Victim of the group's last action, Hard-bitten hunter of the group

The group's fighting a splittist sub-group, A corp is egging them on for their own benefit, The group has a sympathetic greater goal

Cache of weapons or drugs to fund the fight, Proof of corporate backing, A ticking bomb that the group set

Hidden slum training site, Neighborhood full of civilian sympathizers, Site of a bloody or destructive action

5

Cyber

Malfunctioning cyberware somehow plays a role in the situation. It may be causing a dire illness, provoking irrational behavior, or have caused some critical background event. It may also be that the cyber is working properly, but it’s attached to someone who taking advantage of their newfound abilities in highly troublesome ways.

“Used” cyberware vendor, Crazed street doc, Metalhead who pushed his ware too far

Worried spouse or family, Fellow victim of a bad batch of hardware, Victim of the cyber’s misuse

It’s better than usual but with dire drawbacks, They need to keep the cyber on for their job or survival, An enemy set them up with bad gear

Critical component for repairing it, Dangerous batch of bad ware, Legally-admissible evidence of corporate fault

Site of a cybernetic rampage, Hideout where the victim lairs, Trashed street doc clinic

6

Local

The local neighborhood’s natives are in a terrible situation that may or may not be related to the mission. Their leadership is struggling to cope with the consequences of their troubles, and some of the natives might have very different ideas about how to deal with the situation. Under such circumstances, it’s likely that greedy outsiders are moving in to take advantage of their troubles.

Predatory gang boss moving in, Corp manager profiting from the situation, Ambitious native looking to push out “ineffective” local leaders

Sympathetic stall owner, Crusading street journalist, Worried gang boss

Some of the locals are richly profiting from the situation, The party’s employers are indirectly causing the issue, The local solution may be worse than the problem

Collected money for dealing with the issue, Proof of the real culprit, Valuables left behind by dead or fled natives

Now-abandoned civic meeting place, Building destroyed by the problems, Stronghold of the intruding or profiteering outsiders

7

Big Hitter

The mission has somehow entangled a big name in the district, some figure of major importance and substantial power. They may be the target of the mission, the patron, or simply affected by the outcome of the job in a way that isn’t obvious. If they’re exceptionally physically capable, they might be personally present at the mission site as a hazard the PCs have to avoid

A scheming rival of the big hitter, A troublesome client or henchman of the major figure, The actual figure himself or herself

A sympathetic soul out of revenge on the hitter, A desperate minion of the hitter trying to hide a mistake, A helpful rival of the hitter

The big hitter doesn’t want to be involved but is getting dragged in by the situation, The big hitter fundamentally misunderstands the situation, The hitter is actually competing for the same goal

A dangerous piece of blackmail about the hitter, Special gear they commissioned, Tribute intended for them

Luxurious hangout of the elite, Devastated site that suffered the big hitter’s wrath, Business or location closely linked to the hitter

8

Biological Weapon

Some sort of biological weapon is involved in the mission. It may have been developed by the target, stolen by them, accidentally discovered by them in a lost cache, or used against them by an enemy. It’s probably not drastically contagious, and its effects might be keyed to particular cyber or types of victims. Other powers might be inclined to take drastic action to ensure the afflicted are “contained”.

Suicidal bio-scientist craving revenge at all costs, Reckless gang boss using dangerous tools, Corporate scientist who doesn’t understand the dangers involved

Worried local street doc, Sympathetic victim dying of the weapon, Insider whistleblower trying to get the truth out

The disease’s harmful effects are triggered by a catalyst, It was a beneficial treatment gone bad, Anyone having anything to do with it is likely to be exterminated by the corps and city on principle

Cure for the weapon, The secret data on reproducing the bioweapon, The details on how it’s going to be spread

Nightmare laboratory full of victims, Wretched plague ward, Building full of diseased corpses

9

Breakthrough Tech

The mission involves a significant technical advance, though this innovation may be in some esoteric industrial process or chemical synthesis valuable only to a few producers. Everyone around it knows it’s important, however, and the first corporation to get its details can expect to profit richly from it.

Ruthlessly amoral researcher, Cruel scientific headhunter, Traitor inside the research team

Well-meaning research tech, Justly-deserving inventor, Sympathetic entrepreneur

The tech is very dangerous to manufacture, The tech has a serious downside to it, The tech is fake bait to lure out traitors and spies

Useful prototype gear involving the tech, Secret formula vital to the tech, Lost data files needed to implement the tech

Hidden corporate laboratory, Restricted testing grounds, Ransacked remnants of the real inventor’s lab

10

Bureaucratic Error

A city or corporate bureaucrat has made a serious error related to this mission. The wrong resources may have been shipped, the wrong people assigned, or the wrong task given to the workers involved. The bureaucrat is likely eager to cover up their error, a process which may involve eliminating troublesome witnesses to it.

Assassin who was hired to clean up the situation, Corporate rival taking advantage of the mistake, Outside hacker who caused the mistake in order to profit by it

Sympathetic victim of the error, Local trying to take advantage of it, Deserving correct target of the resources or services

The culprit is doubling down on the mistake, The “error” was intentional malfeasance, The blame is being foisted on someone else

Proof that it was a mistake, Resources lost in transit, License or pass granting carte blanche to fix the problem

Remote and completely wrong delivery site, The correct operations site, Secret drop location

11

Celebrity

A significant celebrity is involved in the mission, perhaps as a target, a client, or an innocent bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time. The celebrity likely has a crew of handlers and security, along with a mob of zealous fans close by. A rival in the industry may also be involved in activities likely to bring harm to the celeb’s reputation or endorsement deals.

Viciously self-centered celebrity, Psychotic cybered fan stalker, Scheming rival celebrity

Harried celeb handler, Sympathetic celeb, Industrious reporter

The celeb is actually a dangerous operative, The celeb is accidentally in the most troublesome possible position, The celeb is actually competing with the PCs over the mission objective

Blackmail on the celeb, Priceless gear or objects from their endorsement partners, Object of enormous sentimental value to the celeb

Thunderously loud public appearance, Heavily guarded hotel, Dive bar or nightclub targeted for a surprise appearance

12

City Beneath

The mission involves the mazelike underway of the city, the sewers, utility passages, demolished megastructures, and other passages that lie beneath the streets. The desperate locals who inhabit them may not be friendly to strangers, while the black sites and secret gang lairs can prove more hazardous still to the uninvited.

Savage cybered sewer-dweller, Gang boss extortionist of the desperate, Cult leader below the city

Plucky subterranean survivor, Broker of below-street information, Local elder trying to protect their people

The underways are nicer than the surface and the locals want to keep out trouble, There’s a gang war going on below the streets, There’s a recurring environmental hazard that sweeps through

Map to a secret cache or facility, Plunder left here by a now-dead thief, Abandoned extremely illegal tech or forbidden science

Lightless maze of tunnels, Hardscrabble settlement, Sinister portal to the ways below

13

Controlled Opposition

The mission involves a group that appears to be antagonistic to another involved party, but is actually being controlled by that group. The rank and file members may not realize it, but the leadership is entirely in the pocket of their supposed enemies, and the plans they undertake will all end up serving their paymaster’s purposes.

Traitorous group leader, Secret kingmaker handling the contacts, Senior turncoat unsuspected by the other leaders

Suspicious group member, Victim of a recent treachery, Somebody who knows too much but can’t yet prove it

It’s actually controlled by a secret faction as a weapon against their rivals in the organization, The control is a recent turn of events, Only part of the org is controlled by its enemies

List of compromised group members, Documents of a secret plot the group is meant to aid in, Payroll meant for the turncoats

Secret meeting place in no-man’s land, Private base where borrowed resources are kept, Site of a recent action that ended up helping their supposed enemies

14

Corporate Defector

Someone involved in the mission wishes to become an ex-employee of their current corp patrons, but they’re too important to be allowed retirement. They may be secretly working with enemies of the corp, or their extraction might be a necessary step in the mission or a requisite payoff for their cooperation.

Amoral corporate headhunter, The subject’s ‘bodyguard’-slash-handler, The corp investigator who suspects the turncoat’s intentions

A family member used as a handle on the employee, A recruiter from another corp who wants them, A fixer who has a reason to want them back on the market

The corporation is giving them something they need to live, They were ‘recruited’ forcibly in the first place, They need to accomplish something before they can flee

The critical data only they can decode, Some priceless object given them as a sweetener, The tech that’s keeping them on a leash

Luxuriantly comfortable prison dorm, Isolated area where they can be snatched, Black site lab where they’re working

15

Corrupt Corper

A corper involved in this mission is even more corrupt than normal, cutting deals that would certainly get them snuffed by headquarters if they ever came to light. They have some kind of backing that prevents that from being a real concern for them, and whatever they’re doing is profitable enough to keep that support.

Corper with a horrible hunger, Petty king of an isolated corporate domain, Parasite on local city government with inordinate legal pull

Rival corper who wants to clear them out, Innocent victim of their vile bargains, A former rival who was forced out of the corp by them

Their superiors are using them as an eventually disposable tool to do what they cannot, A third party has a vested interest in protecting the corper, The corp has no intention of stopping them if their vile machinations are revealed

Wealth garnered by their foul plots, Something they stole from one of their victims, Proof of their excessive wickedness

Business dedicated to their awful schemes, Corp facility under their direct control, Hidden den where their dark work is done

16

Crazed Ideology

Some person or group involved in the mission has a lunatic ideology and is determined to make some grand gesture involving it. Their beliefs provide some sort of psychic benefit to them, however ridiculous they may be, but they tend to be extremely unhealthy for non-believers. This group is willing to do irrational things because its motivations are not rational to begin with.

Wild-eyed demagogue dreaming of utopia, Coldly mad leader of a movement, Desperate cult leader driven to take refuge in impossibilities

Would-be escapee from the movement, Victim of their most recent excess, Member of a group targeted by the ideology

The ideology is very sympathetic in its public aspect, They have a major corporate backer, The ideology could be very useful to the PCs somehow

Tribute offered by zealot members, Ridiculously dangerous device built or obtained by them, Security passcodes given by a secret believer

“Re-education” site for any wavering members, Public-face office of the group, Mass meeting of the group

17

Criminal Cop

Police corruption is a given in cyberpunk settings, but this mission involves a cop of far greater criminality than the norm. They might be an actual gang boss, an assassin for their corporate or government masters, or a broker for some horrific service or business that operates under their personal protection. Their peers are unlikely to intervene unless their activities prove problematic for the city government.

Criminal kingpin with a badge, City official who’s behind the cop’s excesses, Useful monster protected by the law

Hapless idealist among the police, Bitter victim of the cop, Rival criminal who wants to take them out

Their criminal plots are protecting a sympathetic group or person, They’re preferable to the alternative for a lot of locals, They’ve arranged for their wickedness to be entirely legal

Restricted tech or weaponry, A massive blackmail file, Payoff they received

Police precinct building, Palatial private home, Grimy crime den where they meet with their underlings

18

Crooked Fixer

Fixers who betray their clients or operators tend to die quickly, but this one has somehow evaded that consequence so far. They may be hopelessly venal, compromised by corp ties, or simply incompetent, but blind luck has kept their victims from realizing the situation. Whatever deal they give the PCs will not go as promised.

Fixer with a secret addiction to be fed, Fixer with someone else’s fist around their throat, Fixer who’s actually working for someone else

Survivor of a past “mission accident”, Former client who suspects something dark, Former employee of the fixer who knows too much

The fixer wasn’t compromised until quite recently, They’ve had a lot of successes lately enabled by their real master, The fixer’s deals are so tempting that people don’t look hard at them

Huge payment from the fixer’s owner, Loot that the fixer took off of a conveniently dead operator team, Proof of the fixer’s malfeasance

Richly-appointed lair of the fixer, Site of an “unfortunate turn of luck”, Secret meeting place where the fixer meets their real boss

19

Drug Dealer

A dealer in illicit pharmaceuticals is somehow entangled in the mission. Given the ubiquity of drugs in most cyberpunk settings, they are likely unusual in some way, either vending massive amounts of street drugs or offering special chems that can’t be had elsewhere. A few might deal in the corp-specific cyber anti-rejection drugs that help keep corporate employees locked into their contracts.

Mad genius with a new and attractive drug, Amoral vendor quicker to spend lives than money, Extortionist using drugs as a tool of control

Addict trying to get free, Local leader with a grudge against the dealer, Victim of a bad batch

They also sell vitally important medical pharms, They’re a pillar of the local community, The drugs are just a cover for a much worse trade

Large stash of expensive chems, Formula for a popular new drug, Priceless object sold or given by a desperate junkie

Wretched opium den full of torpid clients, High-end club with party favors, Lab with no interest in safety measures

20

Feckless Idealist

Someone involved in this situation has a noble ideal or a grand purpose that has no appreciable chance of working as intended. They’re too insulated from the world or too willfully blind to understand that their ideal is hopeless as constituted, and they’ve set in motion plans that can only lead to disaster for those dragged into the situation.

Zealot willing to break eggs, Ruthless mercenary being paid well by the idealist, Roused enemy of the idealist who is bringing down disaster

The sympathetic idealist, A fellow traveler who fears disaster, A luckless victim of their ideals

The plans are so unexpected by others that they’re actually working for a brief time, The idealist has made a deal with the metaphorical devil, The idealist is impressing their vision on a deeply unenthusiastic group

The secret weapon that will bring them victory, Cache of wealth donated by a supporter, Funding provided by the puppetmaster behind their plans

Secret meeting of zealous believers, Monument to something the idealist wishes to destroy, Business or site dedicated to the ideal that is not working correctly

21

Forbidden Tech

Half of what’s in an operator’s pockets is likely illegal in the city, but this mission involves a piece of tech that is really illegal. It involves bioweapons, poison gases, large-scale military explosives, unspeakably vile VR chips, or something else that no cop or corp security can afford to ignore. Someone may want the tech, may have the tech, or may be trying to get rid of the tech without it being traced.

Amoral scientist bent on building it, Deniable corp official on a black mission, Desperate zealot set on using the tech for their cause

Victim of the tech’s use, Rival trying to destroy the tech, Associate who needs the tech to discreetly disappear

The tech is disguised as something else, It was stolen from someone else who wasn’t supposed to have it, It’s seductively easy to sell on the black market

A key needed to unlock the tech, Vital parts needed to enable the tech, A device that can defend against or neutralize the tech

Grim lab where the tech is created, Site of the tech’s recent deployment, Heavily-guarded storage site for the tech

22

Former Ganger

Someone in the mission has walked away from a local gang. While such defections aren’t unknown, this person is unwise enough to remain within the gang’s reach, either because they can’t leave the area or their departure was so infuriating that the gang is reaching out after them. They may have left simply for the sake of a better offer, or the gang may have done something to drive them away.

Relentless gang pursuer, Hired assassin or bounty hunter, Former victim of the gang out for revenge

Sympathetic ex-ganger, Family member or lover trying to help them, Person somehow responsible for their change of heart

It’s all a set-up and the “ex-ganger” is still working for their former gang, The renunciate has powerful new allies, The renunciate took a number of gangers with them

A vital object they took with them, The payoff they took from their new boss, Blackmail material on their former employer

Shadowy slum where they’ve gone to ground, Street full of searching gangers, Hidden safe house

23

Genius Hacker

There’s a true prodigy of hacking involved in the mission, someone with a remarkable talent for code or virtual mayhem. They may be a direct opponent of the PCs in the virtual world, or their code or hacking activities may have played a major role in the current situation. In the former case, the PCs may need to figure out some way to deal with them before the PC hackers have any real chance of success.

Mercenary hacking prodigy, Only coder who can handle a corp project, Ruthless handler of a hopelessly dependent genius

Sympathetic protege of the hacker, Hacker victim of their online prowess, Hunter looking for the hacker in meat space

The hacker is extremely capable in combat, The hacker is exceedingly elusive in reality, The hacker recently brought down more heat than they planned to handle

The hacker’s prized custom deck, A backdoor keycode into the hacker’s code, Precious pay-data the hacker swiped

A dark and grimy NEET lair, Underground code vendor’s shop, Entertainment venue favored by the hacker

24

Government Assistance

The city government has their hands in this situation, either causing it, investigating it, or trying to stop it. The other parties involved are too powerful to directly contravene, or else the government hasn’t committed enough resources to simply disperse smaller opponents. In some cases, the PCs may have to operate carefully to avoid government agents or investigations that can’t simply be gunned down.

Corrupt city agent looking for profit, Schemer who plans to turn the city’s attention on the PCs, Bloodless bureaucrat who cares only for his job and nothing for the cost of it to others

Amiable city clerk, Cop with ties to the situation, City investigator into government corruption

Their involvement is related to an otherwise-uninvolved third party, Someone double-crossed a corrupt official, This is all part of city office politics

Large cache of city property, Extremely valuable license or permit, Stash of overlooked city funds

Gray concrete office building, Mazelike city bureau, Grim city law enforcement office

25

Hidden Databank

There’s a lost or hidden databank in the situation that’s priceless to someone, either for its raw pay-data value or for a particular secret on it. One or more sides are searching for the databank, either in the online system where it’s kept or around the physical site where a hidden chip is located. Even finding its general hiding place may be a challenge.

Powerful local who fears blackmail, The chip’s former owner trying to recover it, Hacker who needs that chip to avoid a dire consequence

The luckless soul who lost it, A local who knows too much about it, Curious investigator who’s heard rumors of it

The chip’s data is very time-sensitive, The chip requires a separate key to decrypt, The chip doesn’t exist and is bait for another plot

A related chip with valuable pay-data, The map to where it’s hidden, The key to unlock the security around it

Ransacked site where it might have been, Hidden data lab meant for cracking it, The high security site it was stolen from

26

Hideous Hunger

A person involved in the situation has an abhorrent craving or habit that they must feed, and their need is coloring their goals. A GM doesn’t need to make this appetite explicit; implications and suggestions tend to be most effective in provoking the worst of player imaginations. Whatever it is should be something horrible even by dystopian standards

The dealer who supplies this craving, An aficionado who spreads it among the decadent, Brutal minion of the vice owner

An escaped almost-victim of the vice, Horrified witness of events, Relative of a vanished participant in the appetite

The hunger isn’t physically possible without sinister tech, They have protection from fellow decadents, Their appetite leaves a hole in their defenses

Proof of their sins, The payment they need for their next fix, Precious loot left behind by a dead co-indulger

Transport waystation for the vice, Hidden dump for the remnants, Salon of fellow degenerates

27

Blackmail

Someone involved in this situation has a piece of blackmail that can’t be safely put away. They may have a limited window of time before events render the material useless, the target is able to destroy it, or the target is no longer useful to them. They need to act quickly on the blackmail if they’re to get anything profitable out of it, and their move will somehow be involved in the adventure.

Traitorous secretary, Machiavellian corporate middleman, Former associated turned enemy

Survivor of an event that was supposed to be buried, Faithful minion of the target, Idealist trying to use the blackmail for good

Using the blackmail will have consequences far beyond those expected, The target intentionally put the blackmail out to identify would-be manipulators, A third party wants the blackmail quashed at all costs

Valuable goods involved in the blackmail, Datachip with the encryption key to it, Payoff to the blackmail’s supplier

Corner booth in a shady nightclub, Site of the event that needed concealing, Tense meeting place for exchanging the material

28

Human Property

Commoditized human beings are involved in the mission somehow, whether as sex workers, slave laborers, organ “donors”, pit fighters, or some other sort of traffic. In the City, this may include indentured workers, though those people are valuable enough to merit using an actual legal contract to control them rather than the simpler expedients of a drug habit and brute violence.

Savage gang slaver, Bloodless corporate HR manager, Psychotic organlegger boss

Relative of one of the victims, Escaped victim with someone left behind, Competitor taking umbrage at their rival’s use of free labor

The victims chose their fate as preferable to their former life, They’re treated very well due to their value to someone, The traffic involves extensive false pretenses

Organs salvaged from victims, Precious item a victim hid, The valuable products the victims are working to produce

Grimy human kennel, Immaculate facility with a hidden darkness, Dumping site for used-up labor

29

Screwjob

A person involved with the mission is intentionally tanking it. This probably shouldn’t be the client, as operators tend to half-expect that. Instead, it’s probably some minion of the client or a capable agent of the other side who’s learned about the incoming mission. While the resulting job shouldn’t necessarily be a death trap, it’s liable to go very bad, very quickly

Traitorous minion of the client, Dangerously capable mission target, Counter-intelligence expert for hire

Survivor of a premature move by the traitor, Agent of the client trying to make things right, Fellow victim of the inside job

The malefactor needs the mission to fail in a very specific way, The client is being set up by their superior, The screwjob happens when a supposedly loyal PC ally turns on them

Proof of the traitor’s identity, Precious object the target used as bait, Payment intended for the traitor

Meeting site that turns hot, Target facility with interior that doesn’t match the briefing, Hidden location with the real mission target

30

Prince

Corpers love their children too, to a fiscally defensible extent, and so it’s not unknown for some slumming scion or careless princess to be collected by a rival or an entrepreneurial gang. If they’re lucky, their parents care enough to pay for a peaceful resolution. If they’re unlucky, their parents care enough to pay for a team of professional murderers to make a clarifying example.

Corporate rival trying to apply pressure, Gang boss who saw their chance, Psychotic organlegger looking for a “special order”

Faithful family combat butler, Young friend of the victim, Kidnapper who wants to get clear of the situation

The scion actually set the situation up but may not be in control right now, The kidnappers aren’t interested in money, Somebody would prefer the scion to be dead

Some vital object the prince was carrying, The ransom payment, The critical data or blackmail material they’re trading them for

Dingy hideout in the slums, Loud street club favored by slumming corpers, Elegant corper tower where the parents live

31

Lost Treasure

Something precious is involved in this mission, an object once thought lost or some tech that is no longer easily produced in the City. If its presence were made public too many people would try to seize it, so everyone involved is trying to keep it quiet. It may be the mission’s target, the mission payoff, or a discovery made by one side’s blind luck during the mission’s actual execution.

Ruthless salvage gang boss, Remorseless agent of its original owner, The object’s crazed guardian

Local who twigged to its presence, Nearby neighbor trying to dodge the crossfire, Treasure hunter who’s been searching for it

It’s physically dangerous or toxic to possess, Its supposed existence is bait in a trap, It’s too bulky to easily move by hand

Priceless artifact of political significance, Prototype tech never duplicated, Rare substance now almost entirely used up or lost

Collapsed facility where it was stored, Dangerous zone of radiation or toxins surrounding its hiding place, Maze of buildings in which it is hidden

32

Mad Artist

Art still exists in the chromed future, but not always of a kind that is pleasant to experience. Some lunatic artist is pursuing an aesthetic vision that is likely to cause large amounts of death or suffering, a situation that may be the entire point of the piece or is perhaps just an unfortunate necessity. Such large-scale works often involve numerous helpers, though they may not understand the full scope of their actions

Art still exists in the chromed future, but not always of a kind that is pleasant to experience. Some lunatic artist is pursuing an aesthetic vision that is likely to cause large amounts of death or suffering, a situation that may be the entire point of the piece or is perhaps just an unfortunate necessity. Such large-scale works often involve numerous helpers, though they may not understand the full scope of their actions

Hapless victim of a prior artwork, Terrified subject of the artist’s latest obsession, Disgusted helper who fled their vision

They’re marketable enough for corp backing, Someone’s helping them as their vision is useful for their purposes, They are genuinely terrible at art and have profoundly inane ideas

Encryption key for their timed explosives, Formula for the cure for their bioweapon, Exceedingly expensive art piece

Uptown corper gallery, Inexplicable large-scale art installation, Filthy artist’s den

33

Politician

A politician of more than ordinary malice is involved in the situation, either as a target, a client, or an interested third party. They may not be able to admit to public ties with the parties involved, but they’re likely to “nudge” the government forces under their control in whatever directions are most profitable for them or their corporate backers. Their intentions are uniformly vile and inclined to make things worse.

Reformer who only ever makes things worse, Benign figurehead with horrible appetites, Faceless bureau chief of a black department

Underling with a grudge, Street reporter with inside information, Rival politician sensing an opening

The politician has party thugs on call, The local government averts its eyes from their doings, Eliminating them would open the way for an even worse politician

Blackmail that would end their career, Funds from a large bribe, Classified government files

Tense political rally, Heavily-fortified party headquarters, Slum area under de facto party control

34

Market Share

This mission is complicated by two or more corps fighting over the market share for their products. The conflict might be drawing heat right on top of the mission zone, the mission may be related to advancing a corp’s interests. The client might even be a third corp trying to make sure everyone involved loses via sabotage of production lines and kidnapping or assassination of R&D staff.

Desperate corp manager on his last chance, Gang boss on a corp’s payroll, Marketing exec who will let nothing stand in her way

Local shop owner caught in the crossfire, Entrepreneur struggling to hold on, Victim of a corp’s popular but unsafe product line

The products are terrible so they’re simply executing any competitors, One combatant is actually a third party who’s bootlegging another corp’s goods, The weaker corp has the better product

Top-secret product formula, Store of precious components, Credchip with a large street marketing budget on it

Smoking crater of a rival store, Violently loud street marketing rally, Rival fan riot scene

35

Product Pipeline

The mission involves a group of organleggers bent on kidnapping people and stripping them for used cyber and vital organs. Almost every gang needs a corp backer to clean the goods and get them into the product pipeline, but several layers of cutouts ensure that incriminating evidence is hard to acquire. Victims are often kept “fresh” for some time until the gang’s ripper can profitably disassemble them.

Cyberclinic exec with a lot of hardware, Bitter revolutionary looting their class enemies, Psychopath who just enjoys vivisecting people

Relative of a recent victim, Local who learned too much, Street doc with a grudge

The gang is upscale and does tailored snatches for specific parts, They work the bulk trade with indiscriminate zeal, They have numerous gang allies they supply with cheap cyber

Perfectly-extracted high end cyber, Case of ultra-compatible kidneys, Supply of extremely costly anti-rejection drugs

Hidden cages for fresh stock, Blood-smeared “operating theater”, Club where strangers tend to get lost

36

Reckless Gang

A gang is going far beyond the customary subjects of violence in the area, hitting targets that are supposed to stay untouched. City cops, corp security, ruling gang personnel, or other protected figures are taking heat, either because the gang is suicidally overconfident or because they have backers that can plausibly protect them from the consequences. They may or may not be correct in their assumption.

Megalomaniacal gang boss, Corp manager planning to sacrifice the gang, Gang strategist who’s actually in the pay of a rival group

Local victim of the new uproar, Gang deserter who dreads the consequences, Local elder trying to calm things down before it’s too late

The gang actually does have an effective secret weapon, The gang profoundly misunderstands the political situation, Somebody’s been paid off to incite this situation

Contraband the gang stole in a surprise raid, Payoff made for their services, A priceless object they stole from someone very important

Aggressively obvious new gang stronghold, Bombed-out police station, Site of the massacre of a supposedly untouchable group of people

37

Religious Zealot

A fanatic has whipped up the locals here and they’re complicating the mission. Whatever the original precepts of the faith, the zealot has turned them into effective tools of local control, and they’re goading the natives into acts of wild excess. Whether driven to violence, indulgence, or self-mortification, these enthusiasts are going to be a problem for the PCs.

Populist cult leader preaching apocalypse, Heresiarch with a cadre of skilled fanatics, Corp evangelist with minions desperate to obey the company word and get promoted

Former believer fallen away, Local religious leader, Victim of the zealot’s excesses

The zealot is doing useful things as well, The zealot is the only restraint on his frothing minions, The zealot’s lieutenants are fighting a multisided factional war over delegated authority

Sacred relic of the faith, Proof of the zealot’s very material motivations, Tithes collected from the faithful

P Eerie mass rally in the district, Constantly-active temple or church, Burnt-out shell of a rival shrine

38

Roaming Raider

A nomadic group of raiders is involved in the mission. These might be urban biker gangs that quickly sweep through the territory of rivals to loot and terrorize, or badlander smugglers who do a little land piracy on the side. Such professional plunderers often lay their hands on valuable goods, especially if their advance scouts and agents can give them useful intel.

Raider leader offering freedom to wretched minions, Desperate gang boss driven onto the road by past losses, Ruthless badlander chief

Raider who wants to settle down, Local plundered by the group, Bitter avenger who’s been trailing them for some time

The raiders deal in something they bring with them, They’re mercenaries as well as thieves, They’re fleeing a bigger problem

Priceless loot they’re carrying to a better market, Precious object stolen from a powerful target, Prototype vehicle of superior qualities

Makeshift camp or squat where they lair, Smashed-up street market, Pillaged remnants of a convoy

39

Secret Base

Someone involved in the mission has a base deep within hostile territory or a lair hidden amid an uninvolved populace. It might be a safehouse, a front company, a secretly-allied gang’s headquarters, a paid-off street doc’s clinic, or some other location from which they can perform their tasks. The base might be allied with the client, or it could be an outpost of the mission target.

Seeming ally who’s actually running a hostile base, Local tyrant growing suspicious of an allied base, Base director who’s planning on burning the site for a traitorous payoff

Local suffering because of the base’s activities, Urchin who’s learned too much, Neighbor being leaned on by the base’s operators

The base is somehow mobile, Exposing the base would be disastrous to its neighbors, The base is known but thought to belong to someone else

Keycard to get inside the secret area of the base, Roster listing secret agents of the base, Illicit high-value equipment kept in the base

Aggressively inconspicuous office building, Secret tunnel beneath the streets, Hidden slum courtyard

40

Smuggled Good

The mission involves contraband in some way, probably goods too dangerous for the corps to want them in ordinary hands. Other goods may be mundane but taxed so heavily that the only way to make a profit on them is to dodge the tariffs. Some might be critical medicines or parts that a particular corp keeps a monopoly on, and only smuggled substitutes are affordable to street denizens.

Amoral smuggler nomad chief, Corrupt city bureaucrat running a ring, Gang boss with an iron grip on a particular trade good

Local desperately in need of the goods, Fixer with a contract they have to get filled, Local cop who makes money off smuggler’s bribes

The smugglers don’t realize the dire nature of what they’re carrying, The goods are bait for a particular targeted buyer, The route’s being fought over by multiple smuggling rings

A lost shipment of precious goods, List of bribes paid to particular officials, Ultra-tuned smuggling vehicle

Desolate badlands route, Abandoned suburb meeting place, Discreet street stall selling smuggled goods

41

Secret

There’s a secret involved in the mission with potentially explosive consequences. Revealing it would have direly negative results for someone or some organization, though tangible proof would be required for a really effective drop. The PCs may or may not be seeking this secret as part of the mission; if not, they might stumble on it.

Professional silencer hired to keep it quiet, Traitorous ally using the PCs to get at the secret, Important local boss threatened by its revealing

Local suffering from the secret’s indirect consequences, Relative of someone who learned too much, Curious local investigator

Revealing the secret could be fatal to the PCs too, The secret is something morally monstrous, Protecting the secret would be profitable to the PCs but not to their client

Physical proof of the secret’s truth, Possessions of someone who learned too much, Payoff for a guardian of the secret

Hidden site deep within the slums, Isolated facility in the badlands, Concealed facility inside a front business

42

Turf War

Two or more gangs, corps, neighborhood groups, religious sects, or other organizations are fighting over control of a piece of turf involved in the mission. Interlopers will be grilled on their loyalties and the wrong answer could be hazardous. One of the sides might be willing to cooperate with outsiders in exchange for some useful help.

E Relentlessly expansionistic gang boss, Corper marketing manager on a mission, Local religious zealot who brooks no infidels

Local just trying to survive the conflict, Hapless outside peacemaker, Member of the crushed former group that used to control the area

One or more sides are being backed by third parties, The struggle is emotional and based on deep hatreds rather than profit, The locals aren’t affiliated with either group and suffer accordingly

Cache of weapons sufficient to turn the tide, Funding “donated” by locals, Evidence of a traitor in one group’s ranks

Burnt-down community center, Neighborhood purged of opponents, Street with numerous dueling snipers on it

43

High Heat

This mission is going to infuriate someone a lot more than might seem reasonable. Some part of the job touches a very tender spot for a corp, city government, or gang organization, and they will respond with seemingly outsized force. The sensitive spot might not even be the mission objective, but something somehow related to obtaining it.

Corp exec with a top-secret project, Gang boss making an important secret move, City gov black project director

Corp worker who’s noticed something strange, Victim of the secret activities going on, Last surviving operator of the last team to try this

The heat is actually going to come from a third party’s activities, Avoiding the heat is possible but taking it is very profitable, The heat is going to turn former allies into provisional enemies

Ultra-illegal contraband, Radioactive blackmail material, Critical corp data files that got here accidentally

Ordinary-looking corp facility with heavy interior defenses, Hidden corp security dispatch, High-tech security facility hidden behind a front company

44

Beast Unleashed

There’s a monster running amok during the mission, one probably just as dangerous to the targets as the PCs. This may be a literal beast in the form of a haywire cyber-animal or it may be some uncontrollably deranged ganger or psychotic cyberkiller. The PCs may be able to avoid it if they can manage to keep from drawing its attention.

Prototype cyber-enhanced guard animal, Ultrachromed killer off his meds, Corporate security chief sent to wreck things here by his superiors

Survivor of an encounter with the beast, Relative of a recent victim, Past ally of the beast that regrets it

The beast is actually doing the most damage to the mission target, There’s a limited window of time before the beast is released, Nobody knows the beast is there until it’s too late

Some code or device that will kill the beast, Valuable stash left by victims of the beast, Precious trophies kept by the beast

Horrific massacre site, Broken-open bunker that tried to hold out, Facility with everyone holed up in hiding

45

Mystery Connection

Two of the individuals or groups involved in this mission have an unexpected cooperative relationship. This may be due to blood ties, former service together, mutual friendship, or the current vagaries of the situation, but they’ll work together in a way that outsiders wouldn’t expect.

Secret mastermind behind the pact, Brutal enforcer who’s compelling cooperation, Hired killer being mutually financed by them

Survivor of a joint assault made by the groups, Investigator checking out reports of cooperation, Deserter who objected to the relationship

The ties will unravel explosively if a particular person dies or loses power, The organizations actually both share a single secret controller, The ties are extremely temporary based on the current situation

Precious loot given as a pledge of alliance, Cache hidden by deserters who objected, Plunder seized by a joint operation

Shared base of operations, Stronghold of one side with the other group present in numbers, Fortified facility being reinforced by the other side

46

Gift Not Refused

Some person or group involved in the mission has been made an offer they cannot refuse. The consequences of denial may be obviously nonsurvivable, the pay might be irresistible, or the entity making the offer might be proffering something they want too badly to ever turn down

E Expansion-minded gang boss, Corper exec on a mission, Kingmaker moving a piece on the board

Group associate who resents the pressure, Local who suffers as a consequence of the deal, Broker who’s heard about the bargain

Performing their end of the deal forces them into irrational actions, Their lieutenants or associates don’t want to take the deal, One side has no intention of coming through with the deal

Up front payment for the deal, The precious object that is the focus of the deal, Proof that the deal is not going to be honored

Tense club where meetings are made, Execution scene where a refuser was made an example, Facility being employed to carry out the deal

47

Refugee

A person or group involved in the mission is fleeing a bad situation and the other entities involved in the job are not happy with their presence. They’re either complicating the situation, an active threat to one of the parties involved, or whatever chased them out of their old lair is now pursuing them into their new location.

Murderous avenger pursuing the escapee, Monstrous brute fleeing consequences, Gang boss forced out of their old turf

Local displaced by the newcomer, Pursuing victim of theirs still seeking justice, Relative or associate of a sympathetic refugee

The refugee remains tolerated precisely as long as they remain useful to someone, The refugee is biding their time until fellows or allies arrive in overwhelming force, The refugee is actually an infiltrator from a hostile group

Valuables carried away by the refugee, Buried cache they left behind, The object they stole that forced them to flee in the first place

Makeshift squat in the slums, Club for the refugees, New-built gang HQ or shop run by the refugees

48

Gang

A new gang has complicated the mission by getting between the PCs and their target, allying with an enemy, or threatening something the PCs needed to protect. They may be a splinter faction of an existing gang, newcomers to the district, or a band of locals with ambitions of controlling their own turf. Other gangs may not take kindly to the new competition.

Charismatic but dangerously unstable leader, Grizzled former lieutenant striking out on their

Survivor of a recent encounter with them, Local being extorted by them, Disillusioned ex-member

The gang is being used as a catspaw by another group, They’re going to live only as long as the local rulers can’t be bothered to kill them, They’re providing a service or crime no one else in the area handles

Payoffs from local shop owners, Plunder stolen on a recent raid, Hidden stash left behind by the former owners of their new HQ

Gang HQ with newly-painted colors, Club taken over by the new gang, Site of a vicious clash with the current local gangs

49

White Knight

Someone or some group is determined to solve the problems of someone involved in this mission, whether or not it’s practical. They may be motivated by romantic feelings, old debts, gnawing guilt, or outside payment. The target of their help may be someone the PCs are targeting, an NPC tangled in the situation, or an underdog group under fire, but whoever it is will be problematic for the PCs.

Hired gun with no concern over collateral damage, Zealously devoted follower who cares only for the target, Corper on a mission for their own purposes

Former associate of the knight, Survivor of an attempt to stop the knight, Another person with the same target as the PCs

The knight’s intentions for the rescuee are not good, The rescuee is terrified of the knight, The knight wants to inflict collateral damage almost as much as they want to rescue the target

Valuables left behind by victims of the knight, Precious object near the target, Wealth used in a futile attempt at bribery to call them off

Broken-open strongpoint in the knight’s way, Heavily-fortified facility holding the target, Decoy site with a trap instead of the target

50

Wrathful Avenger

A person or group seeks vengeance, and their pursuit will end up complicating the mission. Someone or some group involved in the job is their target, and their destructive impulses are going to be as inconvenient as possible for the successful accomplishment of the mission’s objectives. They may possibly mistake the PCs as being fellow participants in whatever group or target they have a grudge against.

Lone assassin with a burning grudge, Corp manager with a score to settle, Heavily cybered survivor of an old betrayal

Sympathetic member of the targeted group, Old associate who knows the truth, Luckless local who’s just in the way

The avenger is determined to destroy their target in a very specific and meaningful way, The avenger has no just reason whatsoever for their grudge, The avenger has been manipulated into aiming at the wrong target

Sentimental object of great value to the avenger, The loot that was the object of their falling-out, Key item that will assuage their wrath

Secret lair they work out of, Smashed site of their initial attack, Hidden location their target hides out in