Max Mojave and Jacob Runningbird can usually be found either running their shop at the New Mexico Free Trade Zone where they sell a variety of hand crafted and authentic Native American goods, or acting as middlemen settling trade negotiations, disputes, and safe travel contracts between nomads and the United American Nation.  Being full blooded Apache their connections and influence with the native American tribes that make up the UAN give them a unique and pivotal role in the Nomad Community.  One or the other may also be called away to settle disputes or smooth things over with organized Native American tribes in other regions of the U.S. where their reputations succeed them.

 

The Rusty Tumblers are a nomad band who have a permanent gig at the Night City Nomad Market, only taking time off to play at the Wild Hunt or other large nomad celebration.  The band is made up of Kit Calico on piano, Dean Mason on Bass, Candy Cane on vocals and Guitar, and Chino on percussion.  Other musicians frequently jam with the band, and the lineup is ever changing.  Playing with them isn’t difficult, just get up on stage and if you can keep up you can play as long as you like, if you can’t then you will get dragged off-stage by an unruly crowd.  If the band likes you, they may even split the tips.  In addition to the tips, the band is paid with food, lodging and free drinks when they are on stage.  The tumblers have been offered contracts a few times, including by Wake Up Records, but have turned them down.  They reluctantly sell CD’s of their music, but they are all recordings of live performances. 

 

Sector 12 is a small nomad family made up entirely of ex military who hire themselves out as outriders when they are taking on Mercenary work.  They have a reputation as very formidable fighters  proficient with most weapons as well as hand to hand.  The only downside to Sector 12 is that they will work for anyone if the price is right, and they have been known to hire on with corporations and even Raffen Shiv.  This has created an air of suspicion around them, and their presence in the nomad markets and within the community at large is treated with closely guarded caution.   They claim Snake nation, but the popular opinion is that their only loyalty is to cold hard cash.  At current count their family is 15 strong, but they are recruiting.

Madame Rose runs Rose’s Cathouse, a saloon and brothel at the Flagstaff Flea Market.  Madame Rose was riding with a Jode affiliated family a few years ago when they were attacked by Raffen Shiv.  In the attack she was severely damaged, losing an arm, an ear, and taking burn damage to her throat and face.  She has since had cybernetic replacements installed and undergone extensive cosmetic surgery to not only repair the burn damage but to enhance her beauty and give herself a more youthful appearance.  She rode with various families for a while, often prostituting herself, in order to save her money to establish her own saloon and cathouse.  Knowing how rough the road can be for single women without blood relations or strong connections, she began taking on any willing girls who strode through her doors looking for work.  You don’t have to be a prostitute to work here, as she always needs maids, bartenders, and waitresses.  There is no pressure to do anything except earn your keep.  Of course whores make more money than waitresses, and any girl who works for Rose is assumed to be on the clock anyway.  Several of her girls have taken on permanent positions, and it seems Rose herself has a soft spot for any girls who have lost limbs or otherwise been damaged or traumatized by the Raffen Shiv.  This has caused many statics with a cyberfetish to become regulars at her establishment.  She also actively seeks out girls who have had exotic alteration, in order to cater to as many tastes as she can.  While she faces criticism from many in the nomad community, she holds to her philosophy that she is actually empowering the women.  She is extremely protective of her girls, treating the girls disrespectfully is simply not tolerated, and any rough treatment will be dealt with harshly, in an old testament fashion.  She always keeps at least one well respected and feared fighter on staff in order to make sure her rules are enforced.  Roses only requirements are that her girls are clean, safe sex is practiced at all times, and she has a contract with the local doc to test her girls regularly.

Dundee Flakes is an event promoter.  He claims Snake Nation but will promote an event for anyone.  He is the guy to talk to if you wanna throw a party, a

gathering, or any other major

occasion.  While the Hunt Tribe puts up

the money, its Dundee who does all the work, filling out the paperwork, greasing palms, handling the promotions, booking the bands, and everything else that makes the Wild Hunt the number on nomad celebration in North America.  His sheer number of contacts are legendary.  Once a more mainstream event manager for top level bands, the stress of the corporate bullshit and whiny attitudes of his static clientele caused him to have a nervous breakdown.  So he sold everything and went Nomad, where he put his skills to work in a far more laid back atmosphere.

The Black Coyotes are a Navajo led Nomad family originally hailing from Colorado, but have since picked up Cherokee members in Oklahoma.  Flying Aldecaldo colors, their specialty is smuggling, and they know the back roads of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico like no one else.  They are led by Jonathan Redwine, with his sons Donovan and Mark, and his daughters Nora and Julia.  They are all full blooded Navajo.  Jonathan’s wife died from the wasting plague, and Jonathan and his family lost their home and lands trying to pay for her medical expenses before she died. Jonathan is now 62, and while his body is strong his spirit is growing weary and lonely.  His son Donovan is the Eldest at 32, and the more aggressive.  He is highly skilled with a bow, which he prefers over firearms for its silence.   Mark is 25 and is a competent netrunner and driver.  Nora is 28, she cooks and has medical training, she was close to graduating nursing school when she had to drop out to help pay for her mothers medical expenses.  At 20 Julia is the youngest, she is an expert navigator and is a superb martial artist and former gymnast.  The Cherokee members are David Longknife, his wife Margaret, and their infant son Michael.  David is a former Hi-Way officer and is an expert driver and close quarters fighter while his wife is a shaman who is decent with a rifle but possesses little else in the way of combat related skills.  David quit his job after realizing he no longer believed in the government and its arbitrary laws, and instead believed in justice.  His police training and driving skills have made him an excellent scout.  He is 26, his wife is 25, and their son is 9 months old.  In addition the Coyotes have accepted Connie Whiteraven, 24, a former fashion model and singer who attained some level of fame before losing everything to an abusive boyfriend/manager.  Fleeing that situation is what caused her to go Nomad.  Originally the Black Coyotes would only allow full blooded Native Americans to join, however this was dropped when Sue Yazzie, a childhood Navajo friend of Julia’s and fellow martial artist and her boyfriend Angel Martin, a Sioux half-breed, joined the group.  However Angel’s violent temper and problems with authority have led to Jonathan questioning his own decision to let them join.  Time will tell if they can calm the boy down.  The Black Coyotes fully embrace their heritage, and believe a return to the old ways while keeping modern sensibilities is the best way for them to achieve balance.  The final, and newest member of the Coyotes is 16 year old Faith Nakoneh, who claims to be half Lakota.  She was a dancer who the Coyotes rescued from a Raffen Shiv attack on another family in Kansas.  She has since invited herself to stay, and is treated more like a mascot than a full member.  Still she is quite dedicated to learning the old ways, and has bonded with Donovan, learning the use of the bow and tracking skills from him.

Damien Lee is an attractive, easy going, and friendly soul with only one goal in life, to be recognized as the best martial artist in the Nomad community.  Upon hearing of any highly skilled Nomad fighter he will track them down, often travelling great distances to find them, merely to challenge them to a bout.  He prefers the fights to be public, though he has accepted private duels.  He has a reputation for being willing to fight anywhere, at any time.  He has become something of a well known name in the community, although many think his skills are overrated or exaggerated.  Regardless he has gathered something of a fan base, particularly among female nomads, though this is probably due more to his appearance than actual skill.  He is currently travelling with his girlfriend, a dancer formerly of the Gypsy Hearts who goes by the name Sunset.

Waltzing Matilda is Snake affiliated but isn’t a member of any family and will work for any nation that can afford her as an outrider or as someone manning a mounted weapon.  The “Waltzing part of her name comes from an off hand remark the leader of the Dirty Ballz, a Folk flag flying family, said after seeing her in action against a group of 8 boosters in Detroit.  Story goes she moved from booster to booster in a crowded alley, getting point blank and taking every one of them out one at a time.  The name stuck, and her reputation as a solid fighter has only grown since then.  She will only hire on with a contract, and once the contract is over she will leave.  She has been asked to join multiple crews, but has always turned them down.

Nutjob Eli is a common sight at the Boston Nomad Market.  Rumors abound about him, as he always shows up on foot wearing dirty, tattered pajamas and a robe, and with a load of weapons to trade for food and supplies.  He claims no set, and no one has ever admitted to riding with him.  It is not known whether he is a nomad, or a Boise local, but it is known that he can more than take care of himself, as a small group of Blood affiliated nomads found out when they tried to harass him and he beat them all to within an inch of their lives.  One old woman claims to know the truth about him, that he was a member of the Jodes whose family was killed in Boston by Raffen Shiv or one of the local gangs.  He was hospitalized then put into a mental ward until he was released to a halfway house.  She claims the guns and weapons he brings in are from local gangbangers and thugs he takes out in a never ending quest for revenge.  Whether true or not, this story about him is the most popular, and his earned him a measure of respect and pity, and so most nomads tend to simply let him come and go in peace and unmolested.

 

Juntes Libres is an Aldecaldo affiliated family who operate out of the Tijuana area.  Their leader, Chico Del Rijo, is an elderly man who claims to have once been a colonel in the Mexican Army.  He now virtually owns the small town of Seco Del Rio, which he uses as a base of operations for Juntes Libres.  Chico almost never leaves the town saloon, where he has his office and an apartment above the bar.  The bar is usually filled with members of Juntes Libres, and the group is mainly focused on border smuggling operations, although they have other interests as well.  They retain a chapter in Austin, which allows them to maintain cohesion on both sides of the border.  Chico has a daughter named Alma, though he rarely sees her as she keeps busy on the road, preferring true nomadic life over confinement to the small town.  Chico’s right hand men are Carlos Estrada, an American vet of black and latino descent who has been with Chico since the Long Walk and serves as his second in command, and Jorge “Rooster” Alvarez, who serves as his bodyguard and muscle.  All told Juntes Libres has about 200 members, though usually only about 25 are ever in Seco Del Rio at one time, the rest on the road across Nortern Mexico as well as Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.

 

John “Freebird” Hammershmidt is a Snake affiliated pilot who owns his own C-1-30 he has dubbed “Filthy Whore”.  Horatio flies for anyone who can pay, although in his old age he is starting to be a bit more concerned about his cargo.  He lives out of his plane and has gained quite a reputation as a skilled pilot and smuggler.  Recently after several attacks by air pirates, he has taken on a mechanic named Virginia Hawkins that he is also teaching to be his co-pilot.  He treats her like a daughter, and at her insistence has purchased and installed 4 M-2HB .50 cal machineguns in a swing down quad mount at the rear of the plane.  The rear door opens, and Virginia can pull down the mount and defend the plane against attackers.

 

Rocky Sonora is an Aldecaldo affiliated fixer in New Mexico specializing in buying and selling electronics and drugs.  He also has strong connections with The Cavers who have taken over Carlsbad Caverns and has the inside track on the smuggling operations that take place there.  Rocky is an expert at forgery, and rumor has it he is a key player in the Nomad Underground Railroad.  He has a severe distrust of anything even resembling government authority and is something of a conspiracy nut, often ranting about seemingly insane ways the government and corporations are infiltrating every aspect of our lives, and their sinister agendas.  Other than that he is amiable and friendly, if somewhat gruff.  He has a wife and young son, though he has not seen them in many years.  He talks about them as if he is still in touch, but from what his friends have gathered during drunken rants, they live somewhere in Montana and return his letters unopened.

 

Lars Hanson was groomed to be an executive from the time he could walk.  He excelled in school, he knew all the right people, and had a bright future in store for him with a major automotive company.  Then it all went south when the company was sold to a Japanese firm, and when he objected he found himself on the street, blackballed from employment.  Angry and homeless he fell in with the nomads, in particular, Juan Aldecaldo and Jonathan Meta.  With his knowledge he took on a rather unique job in the Nomad Community.  Lars infiltrates corporations who are suspected of working against nomad groups, or are in negotiations for large contracts, to find out as much as he can about what they are really up to, and how it will effect the Nomad Community.  His biggest breakthrough so far came last year when he discovered a corporation that the Aldecaldos were in negotiations to run shipping for had a sideline of child slave trafficking.  This information came at a terrible cost, as he was discovered, captured, and tortured.  Luckily the Aldecaldos were able to free him and the corporation was brought down when they leaked the information to the press.  The torture and trauma he suffered at the hands of the corporation only strengthened his resolve, and he has gone right back to work, acting as a spy for the nomads against the corporations.             

 

 

Skip Townzen is the Aldecaldo head Representative at the Austin Nomad Market.  He is arrogant and brash and loud, and likes to think of himself as a ladies man, but is also tough, fair, and his commitment to the Aldecaldo Nation and the Nomad community at large is unquestioned.  He was a respected outrider and scout before he took this position, and at 30 he is the youngest National Delegate to serve as leader.  He takes the position seriously, but his partying and tendency to pick up static girls from Austin are causing Santiago to rethink his appointment.

 

Jackie Douglas is the younger brother of Freddie Douglas, current National Headman of the Snake Nation.  He was there fighting during the problems in the Northwest, and spent years tracking down and killing as many of the Aryan seperatists who participated in the raid that killed his sister in law and nephew, and so badly damaged his brother.  Finally after years of chasing down his enemies, he grew weary of the road, and accepted his brother’s offer for him to be the lead Snake Delegate at the Boston Nomad Market.  There were hopes that the civilized and relatively peaceful nature of the area, as well as a sense of home, would calm him down.  However Jackie is still ruthless and merciless towards anyone who makes himself an enemy, and it’s rumored he goes off on his own into Raffen Shiv territories in the region looking for trouble.

 

 

 

Granny Goodness.  Such a sweet looking old lady, reminds you of grandma… except she is the leader of a large Raffen Shiv group called The Witches Warlocks, that have taken over an entire small town in Pennsylvania.  She rules them with an iron fist.  Her top men are all her children, grandchildren, and even great grandchildren.  She was old lady to an original member of the Warlocks, and has kept that hard core philosophy of rape, murder, and mercilessness alive, instilling it in her children, and when the collapse hit and the gangs went berserk after there leadership was taken out.  Watching everything going up in flames around her she stepped in with her sons and took control of the gang.  Female membership was forbidden, but any who argued with her was promptly silenced with a shotgun blast.  Now her chapter of the Warlocks is one of the most ruthless and vile Raffen Shiv gangs out there, and they prowl the Pennsylvania backroads and isolated stretches of interstate preying on anyone they think they can take.  Regardless of her name, there is nothing good about this woman.  Word has that she forces herself on any member of her gang she takes a fancy too, including her own children and grandchildren.  Yet somehow they remain fiercely loyal to her.  The Witches Warlocks are at least 200 strong.  Grannies eldest living son, Mordachai, is the second in command and runs most of the day to day operations.  The membership also now allows women, and even small children, particularly her grand children, to become full members.

Jayhawk and Charlie Brown are Folk currently between gigs at the Fargo Nomad Market.  Jayhawk is a Botanist and Chemist, Charlie Brown is a master mechanic.  The two are close friends and always travel together.  Some say they are more than friends, but that’s none of your business.  One wouldn’t think the two would compliment each other professionally, but they do, quite well actually.  You see Jayhawk’s specialty is creating the most powerful fuel alcohols he can, and Charlie will modify an engine to run on Jay’s bio-fuel.  It has turned into a lucrative career practice for them both.  Of course they are also popular to have along due to Jayhawks moonshine and the fact that Charlie can fix anything from a lawn mower to a helicopter.  They have been traveling together since they were both forced to drop out of MIT unable to pay tuition during the collapse.  They are thinking of settling down and opening up their own business, probably in the KC Nomad Market, but they need to get some cash under their belts first, so are looking to hire on to as many high paying gigs as they can get.

 

Philo was a junkie living on the streets of Detroit.  His sister was a prostitute who had gotten herself killed trying to earn money to pay off Philo’s debts.  Philo, distraught at his responsibility, began searching the streets for his sister’s killer, finally tracking her pimp down to a brothel in Detroit’s Combat Zone.  Things went bad, but just as Philo was going to be killed, a nomad intervened and saved him, as well as one of the pimps prostitutes, a girl called Candycane and a friend of his sisters.  The nomad made them a deal, he would get them out of the city, out of that life, and to a place where they could clean up, if they swore on Philos dead sister that they would stay clean and make something of their lives.  They agreed, and have been on the road together ever since.  They are now romantically involved, with no judgments about the past for either of them.  They survive by keeping each other honest, and they are the closest thing to family either of them has left.  They claim Folk, and are saving up to buy their own truck.  They have been clean for two years.

 

Crash lives for speed, everything else that comes with it is secondary to the feel of the wind in his hair.  He travels the country entering every underground racing circuit he can find.  His custom Mitsubishi is always getting tuned and improved, as each race brings him closer and closer to being the best.  He claims Snake, but only because you have to claim something or be treated as a static or worse, Raffen Shiv, but his only real loyalty is to the race. 

 

Chuck “Chops” Ahoya is the leader of the Screaming Skulls Raffen Shiv pack in Ohio.  It’s a small pack, only about 25 in all, fighting against all comers for territory and spoils.  However they lucked into something recently when they found a civilian vehicle, apparently lost, on the open road all alone.  The vehicle was being driven by the daughter of a prominent local televangelist.  Chops now makes her ride naked on his bike wherever he goes, never letting her out of his sight, while trying to get the evangelist to pay an ever increasing ransom. This has garnered the Screaming Skulls and Chops some measure of notoriety in the region, and he is hoping he can use the money from the ransom to increase his numbers and territory.  If not, he claims he will just turn the girl over to his gang.

 

Slim and Andromeda are Medtechs with a permanent clinic set up in the Night City Nomad Market.  Slim is the original owner of the clinic, and he often hires anyone with proven medical skills to act as his assistance.  Andromeda comes an goes from the Market, often hiring on with various crews, but whenever she is in the area she works the Clinic to help alleviate some of Slims load.  Slim is fully licensed; he was a military surgeon in the Second South Am Conflict, and actually chose to stay behind when the military pulled out, providing aid and care during the Long Walk.  He is now 53, and enjoys his practice in the Nomad Community.  Above his clinic, which has full surgical capability, he has a living area with 3 bedrooms.  One of those rooms is always reserved for Andromeda, whom he treats like blood.  Andromeda was 2 years out of school, serving her residency at Night City General, when she got fed up with turning people away from procedures that would save their lives because they didn’t have insurance or money.  She worked at a free clinic for a while, but the never ending supply of junkies just looking for a free fix got the best of her, and she left the civilized world behind to join the nomads.  Andromeda is 29, and very much a free spirit, which is why she occasionally feels the need to get out on the road.  She also likes visiting her brother in Milwaukie.  They both claim Folk.

Monk is a Jode spiritual leader.  He teaches a mix of Buddhist, Christian, and Hindu philosophy.  He teaches that the existence of any god or god is up to each individual to question, investigate, and decide for themselves, and that what really matters is how we treat each other.  No one knows his real name or anything about his past.  He has said that he gave up identity in order to seek enlightenment.  While not everyone subscribes to his teachings, he has proven himself to be wise, and his advice is often sought on spiritual matters, and he is often called in to mediate disputes.  He has taken a vow of nonviolence, the gun he carries he claims to use merely for the zen aspects of target practice. 

Ferret is a specialist.  He is a tunnel rat.  You wouldn’t think such a thing would be necessary in America, but keep in mind that even most small towns have some sewer or storm drain system in place, and you will come to understand why Ferret’s services are in need.  Ferret used to be a park ranger in New Mexico, and was one of the original Cavers.  He personally mapped out the most dangerous and narrow routes of the Carlsbad cave complex (the original maps were lost, all most of them had to work with were the tourist maps).  As more people started showing up it got to crowded for him, so he went to Chicago, to help with the reconstruction project by clearing out their sewers and storm drains of any potential threats.  He led the underground assault into the caves in Missouri to remove the Raffen Shiv that had been based there.  He is currently on his way to New York, to investigate rumors that there is a colony of insane irradiated cannibals living in the subway system under the ruins of Manhattan.  Ferret is very introverted and hates crowds.  He has had extensive cybernetic modification giving him extraordinary senses of taste, touch, smell, and sight.  Ferret claims Snake and has a pet rat named Bob.   

 

Griffin is the lead Meta Rep for the Night City Nomad Market.  Griffin has been with Meta from before the beginning, originally serving under Johnathan Meta during the Second South Am Conflict.  His loyalty to both Meta, and the nomad community at large is unquestioned.  Griffin takes his role as middleman for the corporate and nomad communities very seriously, and has garnered some incredibly lucrative deals.  Some of the deals have garned a bit of controversy as he has contracted nomads to corporations for sight unseen cargo.  However he remains for the most part popular as he actively seeks out new nomad inventions and innovations which he will arrange for the Meta Corporation to produce and market.  He has already gotten the Cent’ry (renamed the PKD for mass market sales) design by gunsmith Deckard and his wife Rachel being manufactured and distributed through Meta (though Deckard still hand makes the guns and sells them in his store in the Market.  He has also hooked up some of the more skilled craftsmen for custom jobs to corporate executives and other wealthy statics.  Griffin is not afraid of danger, and occasionally will ride along if a delivery he has negotiated is sensitive or of an extraordinarily dangerous or risky nature.

Spin Thrifty is a Snake affiliated mechanic at the Denver Nomad Market.  He served as an outrider for various families flying the Blood flaf before leadership and directional disputes got too much for him and he left the Nation to free ride.  While he is an able warrior, he comes from a long line of mechanics, and his years on the road have given him an impressive understanding of automotive and even aerodyne engines.  Eventually he got tired of moving from one fight to the next and decided his life needed a little stability, so he settled down at the Denver Market and opened his own garage.  He is still up for a good fight, and has been known to go on short trips as an outrider or mechanic just to get the road under his feet again, but most of the time he spends his days in the shop making repairs and modifications, and his evenings at one of the taverns in the market.  Spin is an expert at making a dollar stretch, and while his work is excellent, once he sets a price he is no likely to come down from it.

 

Benson Butlers grew up in suburban Indiana, his childhood life was structured to the last moment, when he wasn’t in school he was at piano, or little league, or karate classes.  His high school and college life were just as badly regimented by his parents, and the pressure was slowly driving him insane.  When he finally graduated from medical school he immediately dropped out of society and disappeared into the crowd.  He followed bands for a few years, went to all the hippy gatherings did immeasurable amounts of drugs and had sex with anyone who was willing.  He found peace in this existence, until the Raffen Shiv attacked the Folk caravan he was riding with.  Suddenly his medical skills were needed, and he found himself thrust into the role of a highly respected and needed member of the Nomad Community.  Fearful of being in another attack, but unwilling to give up his lifestyle, he settled down and opened up a clinic at the Denver Nomad Market.

 

Timmy Tim is a Technomancer specializing in Robotic Engineering and electronics, who was rescued from the Military after they took him from a gang of Raffen Shiv who had been holding him and forcing him to work with Militech weapon designers.  While the military had him they forced him to continue his work, until a nomad was able to infiltrate the Army base and free him.  He now lives with a Jode family in Oklahoma, where he builds intricate irrigation and harvesting systems.  The military is still looking for him, because unbeknownst to the Jodes who are taking care of him, he has programmed universal override codes for the robotic systems he was forced to design.  He calls this program Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots.  It has been discovered that all Technomancers are autistic to some degree (it is theorized that this was somehow done on purpose, perhaps in order to maximize their technological capabilities).  Timmy is one of the higher functioning individuals, but still requires care for food and shelter, and to keep him hidden from his pursuers.

Caleb Johnson remembers the days when private farms stretched across the landscape and food was so plentiful that the government used to pay people NOT to grow their crops.  He was happily married, had 5 sons and 2 daughters, his eldest son was a star quarterback at the local high school in Idaho.  Then the tragedies hit him like Dominoes.  His oldest son was killed serving in the First Central American Conflict, then the drought hit, and he lost most of his land.  The wasting plague took both his wife, his youngest son, and his oldest daughter.  The Second South Am Conflict took two more of his sons, one in combat, the other during the long walk.  His last son, Jeremiah, in a grief filled rage, attacked a military recruiting station, and was imprisoned and sentenced to 20 years.  No longer able to hold on, Caleb turned to drink, soon after he lost the farm.  He found himself on the road, trying to find work as a farm hand wherever he could joining the Jode nation, his daughter Sue tagging along with him.  In 2018 the nomad family he was riding with Dirty Pickers, was attacked by Raffen Shiv.  He, his daughter, and several others were taken hostage.  For two days they were held and suffered unspeakable tortures.  That night he got wind that they were going to be selling his daughter and the other young women off as slaves.  He broke free of his bonds, killed his guards, and then freed the other prisoners.  They grabbed whatever they could to use as a weapon as Caleb led them on a bloody night of revolt and retribution, killing or driving off the entire Raffen Shiv group that had been holding them.  Upon hearing what happened, the Jode leadership offered him the Lead Representative role at the Boise Nomad Market.  He has a sense of purpose now, his daughter is safe and well taken care of, and he is patiently waiting for his son to get out of prison.

Kat and Rain have been serving together since the first Central American Conflict.  They met in Infantry, and soon found themselves with the Rangers.  When the war ended they stayed with the military as trainers before finally getting recruited to Delta Force.  When the second South Am Conflict went down, they were deployed to the field, deep infiltration missions into enemy territory in Colombia.  It was on their downtime that they were hit by mortar attack, both of them suffering horrific damage requiring them to undergo full cybernetic conversion.  They were in fact some of the first recipients of the controversial new procedure.  They stayed in the military, now indentured by the cost of their bodies, and over the years they received numerous upgrades.  Eventually in 2020, they were able to buy Kat a Gemini body and pay off the rest of Rains.  Free of the military they became guns for hire, and licensed bounty hunters.  Rain, growing more and more protective of Kat began upgrading himself even further, without the benefit of counseling that the military provided.  As Rain began moving closer and closer to losing his humanity, Kat became desperate.  They accepted a live bounty from a corporate to hunt down a nomad by the name of Swift.  Things went all kinds of south however.  They ended up blowing up Swifts car, and Swift nearly killed Rain.  Oddly enough, after a series of improbable events, the two became friends with the nomad after he challenged rain to a Battledome match.  Swift lost, but a friendship was forged through honor and mutual respect.  Now Rain is finally getting the therapy he so desperately needed.  Rain has a Briar body, heavily outfitted with both legal and illegal (modular/removable) upgrades.  Rain has a Gemini body, that has also been heavily upgraded however she actually prefers to wear an inhibitor most of the time that limits her strength, speed, and reflexes to high, though human levels.  While Both Kat and Rain are over 50, Kats outward appearance is that of a 20 year old girl, possibly in an attempt to make up for a youth spent in violence.  Rain and Kats devotion to each other in unbreakable, but Rains decline towards cyberpsychosis has taken its toll on their personal relationship, and while he is therapy Kat and Swift are growing uncomfortably close.

Esmeralda “Vagrant” Vagrantes, beauty and the beast rolled into one.  She is an expert driver and a skilled fighter of the Snake Nation, though she has close ties to the Aldecaldo.  She is a renowned outrider who is said to be able to beat any man, on or off the road.  Her father was a U.S. engineer working in Panama, her mother was a dancer he met in Tijuana where he had previously been assigned.  When the U.S. pulled out of Panama at the end of the Second South American War Esmeralda and her parents were left behind, and forced to endure the Long Walk.  She was 10 at the time.  Her father was killed during the Long Walk but  Esmeralda and her mother eventually made it back home to Tijuana, and when Chico Del Rijo and what would eventually be known as Juntes Libres settled in to the nearby town of Seco Del Rio, her mother got a job there waiting tables.  Her mother began a long relationship with Carlos Estrada, and the young girl was taken under the wing of the burgeoning nomad group, learning how to fight, use a variety of weapons, and to drive and repair anything with wheels.  As she grew up it seemed sure she would join Juntes Libres, but their territory was too small, she wanted to see more of the world, so she hired on as a freelance outrider, not claiming any nation or family, though in her heart she will always be Juntes Libres.  Esmerelda currently drives a custom Maclaren F1 she won racing.  In addition she is a very skilled dancer.  At 23, Esmeralda has had no cybernetic augmentation other than a Sandevistan booster, Neuralware Processor with vehicle link, and Skin Weave.

 

 

Thor stands 6’8” and weighs 320 pounds.  He is the leader of Norse Lords, one of the largest and most feared Raffen Shiv groups of the Northwest, made up of old bikers, survivalists, and Neo Nazi’s.  From the ground up they are a group based in hatred, in the weak over the strong, and a pure Aryan bloodline.  The Norse Lords are the scum of the earth, and Thor is the worst of all of them.  His hammer is a cinderblock with a handle sticking out of it that most people can’t even lift, let alone swing, he does so one handed.  He was already superhumanly strong, but since attaining leadership he has had extensive cybernetic strength augmentations (BOD 16), as well as skinweave.  He  has no mercy even for his own men.  He is violence and rage personified.  He has survived numerous gunshots, stabbings, being hit with a car, and 2 explosions.  His little brother Loki is even crazier than he is, though thankfully no where near as strong, or as augmented.  His sister Hel, the only female in the gang who has any authority, is crazier than both of them, and runs her own group of all female members who will sometimes try to seduce or infiltrate a target group to lead them to an ambush or sabotage their vehicles.  All three of them are addicted to combat drugs, which only increases their violence, paranoia, and irrationality.  They rule their gang through fear, intimidation, utterly ruthless results.  The Norse Lords infest the hills and rural areas of Idaho like a plague raiding nomad and corporate convoys alike. God help lone travelers or small groups who get caught in their crosshairs  It has been said it’s better to eat your own bullet than to get captured alive by them, they have a fondness for raping and torturing to death their victims, the ones they don’t sell into to the covert Monsanto slave farm nearby.

Wandering Joe is a household name in the Nomad Community, owner and proprietor of Wandering Joes Used Vehicle Auction at the Night City Nomad Market, the largest of its kind in North America.  No one knows more about vehicles, especially the often held together with positive thoughts vehicles of nomads, than Joe and his family.  Despite the name, Joe hasn’t wandered anywhere in quite a long time.  Running the auctions keeps him busy from sun up to sun rise.  At 67 he shows no signs of slowing down.  Every member of Joes family he lays any claim to has been in the automotive industry in one way or another since cars were invented.  Joe himself not only owned his own Chevy lot before the collapse, but was lead mechanic for a Nascar team, and a Baja team.  Some say oil flows in his veins instead of blood, and that his heart was replaced with a V6.  Joe himself handles the car auctions, he also occasionally will tune or modify a car personally, if the money is right and he likes the customer enough.  His brother Zeke at 61 handles the Truck auctions and his son Cletus at 40 the bikes.  His sister, and youngest sibling at 42, Jo-Jo has taken over the aircraft auctions in addition to the boats since Joe’s wife Meg died last year.  Cousin Merle still handles everything else, though usually they can only get Merle sober for it one day a week.  Rigger, a former Folk mechanic and Joe’s Granddaughter Tabitha, now 20 years old are Joes chief mechanics, overseeing between 50 and 100 others, depending on who is in town that week. At any given moment Joe has between 75 and 200 vehicles on his lot and prides himself on the fact that he will not sell a vehicle that doesn’t run.  In addition to buying and selling vehicles, Wandering Joes is now the place to have modifications and repairs performed, and Joes brother in law, Big Bob Budro owns an absolutely enormous salvage yard about two miles away that has been in there family for 80 years.

Dust is a freelance scout with Snake affiliations.  Lakota and Apache blood flows thick in his veins, and his skills as a tracker, guide, driver, and sniper have earned him a bit of renown.  He specializes in leading groups through Raffen Shiv heavy territories in the south west, particularly Arizona, Nevada, and Southern California.  The UAN placed a bounty on his head, after he was ordered by the them to lead a convoy of weapons into an ambush and he instead led the nomads shipping it to safety.  This has led to him being all but exiled in New Mexico.

Old Man Rivers is a Jode agritech specialist.  He knows soil, and he knows plants.  It’s almost unnatural how much this man knows about botany and horticulture.  He doesn’t claim any specific family, instead working within all walks of the Jode community, and occasionally with the Folk (though he tends to double his fee for anyone he works with who isn’t Jode affiliated).  Rivers turned outlaw farming into an art form, it is said that, or his protégé’s have been responsible for at least 65% of all successful Jode harvests.  He is so valuable to the Jodes that he has been assigned two personal bodyguards and companions, a husband and wife team of former scouts named Elias and Mint Daltry.  Their relationship is strained as Rivers does not take kindly to have everything he does monitored, nor is he happy for anyone else to know the locations of his private crop sites.  However, he has eased back on his protests after a kidnapping attempt last year.  While there is no proof, the attempt came after Biotechnica had used a Meta proxy to aggressively attempt to recruit Rivers.  Elias and Mint for their part, complain constantly about the cantankerous old man, but it’s plain to see they are fond of him to anyone with eyes.

Scully’s Scav’s are a Folk affiliated Family who specialize in going into abandoned or quarantined areas and scavenging or salvaging anything they can.  They were working Chicago, but have since moved on to New York to get to the choice spoils before all the competition arrives.  They originally formed after the Mexico City quake, and quickly gained a reputation as unrepentant vultures, picking over the dead for scraps.  That’s not far off, but the do provide an important service, mapping disaster zones, identifying threats and danger zones, and finding ingenious ways to get around problems in the rubble or getting into unstable structures.  They don’t share these secrets but they will work for a price, usually a hefty one.  Scully himself is a large man in his 40’s with a Large exposed plate on his forehead.  He is fond of attaching flashlights or optics to it via magnets.  Baron English is his oldest friend and second in charge of the family.  Jager and his dog Sharky handle security for the team, with experience as an army medic and an outrider.  Lola Payola  is the final member of the core group, and the youngest at 16.  She is Barons Daughter and she handles the equipment.  There are usually around 5 to10 other members of the group, depending on the size of the job they are taking on, though if the risk is low they have been known to go at it alone.

Alisa Mayes is not a nomad, she is an FBI field agent based out of Philadelphia and is the lead agent of the Nomad Affairs Department.  She has been both investigating the Raffen Shiv kidnapping of an Ohio politicians daughter  as well as searching for a man known only as Swift as part of an ongoing investigation.  She has been spending a lot of time at the Columbus Nomad Market.  The nomads there treat her with extreme suspicion, but so far she has been careful not to step on too many toes.  She has come to learn the difference between Nomads and Raffen, and acts accordingly.  She is being closely watched however.

Luscious Jones has a heart for speed, and eye for money.  Luscious is a race promoter and sponsor for the Snake nation.  His main stake is the Baja run, and he spends most of his time looking for, recruiting, outfitting, and training the absolute best nomad drivers he can find.  He actively promotes illegal races across the country, mostly to scout for prospective drivers, but also simply because he likes watching things go fast and putting money in his pocket.  His focus lately has been diverted, as the underground racing world is abuzz with a new illegal circuit that runs an annual race called the Scramble.  The Scramble started in Nigh City but has spread to Tokyo and Cairo, and is stated to be based in Mexico City next year.  Luscious has been spending massive amounts of money trying to divulge the identity of the race promoters, but so far they have been ghosts.  What is known is that a Japanese bike rider won the first race, a Nomad from Arizona won the second race (though he was dead when they went to pull him out of the car to present the prize), and the third race was won by a man who had cybernetically fused himself to his car, his identity is unknown, according to him “Mecha-shan and Rolling Tiger are one!”

 

Zindrah is a fortune teller, Shaman and medic  who is usually found at the Olympic Nomad Market.  She claims Blood Nation, but is not part of an individual family.  One month a year, Zindrah leaves the market and travels.  Her method for choosing a crew to travel with is vague, but has something to do with letting the spirits choose for her.  It does not matter where that group’s destination is, for Zindrah it’s the journey itself that is important. 

 

Kodiak Carson is the leader of Carson’s Blockade Runners.  Unlike most family leaders, especially one who specializes in shipping across Raffen Shiv territories in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, Kodiak prefers to Outride.   At 62 he is still a fierce warrior, and has claimed that the day he can’t fight for his kin is the day you can put him in the ground.  Carson is  rough, uncouth, and short of temper, but if he calls you friend he will walk through fire for you, and if he calls you family he will lay himself down in the flames so you may tread safely across his back.  His second in command is a younger man named Bull.  At 38 Bull joined 5 years ago when Kodiak pulled him out of a burning car moments before it exploded during a Raffen Shiv attack.  Bull and Carson were part of two separate families, and the incident gave Kodiak his prominent forehead scar.  The selflessness of the act, and many like it, have inspired many.  As a result the group is now 8 strong, and their reputation for getting through any obstacle is becoming legendary in the region.  Bull is the driver for the Blockade Runners truck, a heavily armored and modified beast.  His little brother Pony rides shotgun.  Connie and Mabel, Kodiaks daughters are outriders.  His scout is named Lupo, and his friends Ringo and Chop serve as mechanic and medic.  Carson often will hire on additional help, or offer to ride point in larger caravans.  The truck has a heavily reinforced front bumper to break through roadblocks.  The other vehicles the family uses are all considered expendable, and they tend to go through them quickly.

Cammi and Sissy Monroe are cousins, they are under the care of the Aldecaldo clan in the  while their parents are working the Chicago reclamation project.  Between the unstable structures and buildings, wild and feral animals, chance of disease outbreak, and constant Raffen Shiv harassment, their parents decided to leave them with the Arizona Aldecaldo delegation, specifically appointing Maggie and Hen as the guardians.  Maggie and Hen run the Arizona Nomad Market Nest.  Nests are common at Nomad Markets, with usually at least one per Nation at each market.  When parents have to take on dangerous work, or are otherwise forced to be away for extended periods of time, they will leave the children at a Nest.  A Nest acts as daycare, school, foster care, and if need be, orphanage.  This is one of the most sacred jobs one can undertake within the nomad community, and is the backbone of the communal raising of nomad children.  Cammi and Sissy earn trade credit by offering their Gopher services.  Gophers are a necessary and important job in a Nomad Market, and one usually performed by children. Gophers work with Rugrat Wrangler.  If you don’t have much time, or are unfamiliar with a market, and don’t have time to scour the place shopping, you can give a list of items you need to on of the Wranglers.  The Wrangler will determine a total value based on the list (this is the only point of negotiation, as the Nomad can set a maximum price he is willing to pay for an item), and determine the value of goods the nomad is willing to trade for them if he isn’t paying cash.  They will then send out the Gophers and they will find you the closest approximation available for a ten percent fee (5% to the wrangler, 5% to the Gophers).  The fee is non-negotiable.  Since the Gophers don’t have time to haggle, they will pay the asking price for any item as long as it is in the buyers range.  The Gophers will give the merchant a voucher, who will then be paid by the Wrangler at the end of the day.  Another service often performed by children working under a Wrangler is that of guide.  Since the children working for a Wrangler, or under the care of a Nest, are under no circumstances ever allowed to leave the Market proper without a trusted adult chaperon, they know the market better than anyone else, and for roughly 5eb an hour in cash or trade you can get a child guide who will take you anywhere in the market you need to go. 

Bliss is a Blood Talent Scout specializing in finding the right crew for the right job.  She works out of the Night City Nomad Market primarily, but has connections throughout the states in the Nomad Community.  Regardless of Nomad Nation affiliation.  If you need someone to fill out your crew, outriders, a scout, drivers, medics, mechanics, whatever, Bliss is the one to talk to.  If you need work, she is your messiah.  She charges a small finders fee, usually around 200eb per head, and will take it either in cash or in trade (weapons, electronics, and cybernetics only).  She also deals in cybernetics, new and used, and has several ties to Nomad doctors across the states and urban Ripperdocs in Northern California and Oregon.  Bliss is 32, and a well respected resident of the Night City Nomad Market. 

 

Gideon Gunn and his sister Cinnamon are bounty hunters with strong Snake Nation ties.  They specialize in hunting down fugitives who have fled into the Nomad Community.  This has put them at odds with many nomad families, but they have a reputation for only hunting the worst criminals, murders, rapists, and lawyers, so there are still plenty of nomads who are willing to pass them information, and in some cases have their backs if it comes to that, especially if their target is Raffen Shiv or has harmed a child.  They operate out of Colorado, but their fugitives often have them going all over the country.  They mainly take only federal bounties, but they have been known to work for corporations if the money is good enough.  They also take on jobs for Nomads who need someone tracked down.  Gideon is 34, Cinnamon is 28, and they have been bounty hunting together for 10 years.  They grew up in a small Snake family, but Gideon was caught Wilding at 16 and became a Texas Ranger to avoid prison.  He quit that at 24 when his sentence was served, grabbed his sister, and went into business for themselves.

 

The crew of the Maggie May are a small group of Thelas smugglers who operate in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.  The Maggie May herself is a heavily modified PT Boat captained by 42 year old Tyrell “Seahawk” Hawkins.  A former Navy Swift Boat captain, Tyrell was raised on his mothers sport fishing boat in the Florida Keys.  He has spent more of his life at sea than on land by a wide margin, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.  In addition to smuggling things in and out of the Gulf, the heavily armed and armored Maggie May also serves as an outrider for aquatic caravans, fishing groups, and even private yachts if they can afford it.  Piracy has become a very real threat, particularly in the warm Caribbean waters.  Tyrells first mate is 32 year old Shona Brody, a former Coast Guard diver who lost both arms to a Tiger Shark attack in Jamaica.    Cody Lowell is good with a gun, a former Blood outrider who had to skip Florida in a hurry.  He is a bit hot headed, but he is a decent mechanic and he has a fair amount of contacts on the mainland.   Molly Estevez is a 16 year old girl who stowed away on the boat last year and has since been adopted by the crew, she serves as cook.  

Jonah Bonham is one of the few nomads to own his own Powered Amor.  There is a reason for that, they are expensive to maintain, have a limited power supply, and almost impossible to find proper parts for in the nomad community.  Jonah’s suit of Bast Armor is in a constant state of disrepair, and the repairs that have been made have often come from bits and pieces scrabbled together from vehicles and electronics devices.  Jonah is a skilled and respected fighter, but will take nearly any job he can get, just to keep his suit functional.

Erik “Bloody Mac” Cormac is the leader of the Deth Killers, a Raffen Shiv gang in Jersey that finds itself in constant conflict with the other Raffen Shiv gangs over territory and the meager pickings of those foolish enough to travel through Jersey with anything less than full corporate convoy armed to the teeth and armored to beat all.  Cormac has lead his group for 6 years now, impressive considering the competition.  Oddly, his gang is one of the least psycho-pathic Raffen Shiv groups around.  While they are brutal in a battle, they can be reasoned with, and Erik does have a merciful side, letting children and women live, as well as anyone who surrenders to him.  In fact, most of the Raffen in the area don’t really consider the Deth Killers among their number.  Erik sees himself as an honorable man, doing the best he can to ensure he and his crew survive.  His group grows in numbers, mostly from other Raffen Shiv groups in the area who just can’t take the pointless slaughter, and see Eriks group as the best alternative in chitty circumstances.  It is also for this reason that the Deth Killers have a high number of female members.  Do not get the wrong idea, the Deth Killers are as guilty of robbing, raiding, and killing as any Raffen Shiv group, but they have the potential to become something more.  In the meantime the group is more than capable of holding firm to its territory in the southwest corner of the state, raiding any nomad or corporate caravans they think they can take, and snealing across state lines to trade or steal any supplies and goods they can.

Soroya and Ursula are the leaders of an all-female tribe of Raffen Shiv called the Daughters Of Chaos.  Originally based out of the Great Plains region, the Daughters have been forced to stay on the road, always moving, after they had a dust up with the Norse Lords.  Soroya and Ursula are hard driving, hard fighting, and they will brook no disrespect from any man or woman alive.  They lead their attacks personally, and any woman who joins who can’t keep up is cast out to fend for themselves.  These two women, whom most believe to be lovers, are wanted in 16 states for aggravated assault, unlicensed prostitution, and murder.  The violence and brutality of their attacks is matched only by their daring.  They have run police road blocks, staged raids in broad daylight, left a trail of bodies in their wake across the land.  They seem to delight in their own path of wanton destruction and violence.  Bounties on the women are high, but their tribe of warrior women is 35 strong and growing, as are the number of allies they have made with Raffen Shiv across the US.  This has made them incredibly hard to track down, and even if they are found they would be nearly impossible to take without an army.  In addition to maintaining their allies loyalties through their prowess as fighters and raiders, the Daughters are also known to throw wild parties upon entering the territory of any male Raffen Shiv, if the daughters feel safe, or generous, these parties have a tendency to turn into orgies.  However things have been known to go south, and the next morning has found most of the men with their throats cut, everything of value missing.  New members, especially young pretty ones, have been known to be pimped out in order to have them infiltrate a target and either lead them to a trap or sabotage their vehicle.

The Tinkerkin are a small group of young Aldecaldo techs.  They specialize in robotics, usually for salvage or construction, but they have also each created their own defense bot.  The group is led be Noam “Tootsie” Taft, who at 43 is by far the oldest member of the group.  Taft is every bit as gifted as his young charges, whom he discovered after they had been kicked out of MIT, although his expertise lies in electronics and netrunning.  The group had been expelled for causing an explosion when one of their robots malfunctioned and its acetylene tank for its welding torch blew up.  Taft saw the enormous potential in the three students, and proposed a life on the road, full of adventure and little in the way of rules.  The group with no where else to turn accepted.  The oldest Tinkerkin is 21 year old Crush.  Mechanically genius but socially awkward, Crush is known for his appetite and for his short temper.   Crush has traded his services for combat lessons from any respected warriors the Tinkerkin happen to be working with, and prefers heavy weapons.  Clementine is the next oldest at 19.  Her general good disposition is often all that holds Crush in check when he gets angry, and as such he has developed a crush on her.  Clementine for her part is probably the most level headed of the group, and her machines are the least prone to malfunction.  Clementine prefers to let her robot “Bootsy” do her fighting for her, and doesn’t even carry a weapon.  16 year old Orson is the second  youngest member of the group, and often it shows.  He is impetuous, at times obnoxious.  He has taken a few weapons lessons with Crush, but beyond the basics his attention span problems often get in the way.  Orson is known for completely scrapping his robots to rebuild them from scratch on nothing more than a case of boredom, or excitement on finding some new gadget he can install.  Willow is 14, and the youngest member, she is also the smartest.  She is fond of making robots that resemble animals, and her personal bot is in the shape of a large dog, whom she often rides.  The Tinkerkin are currently on there way to Chicago with designs for search bots that will aid in the reconstruction efforts.  Meta has expressed a keen interest in them and has already purchased several of their designs for further development.

Captain Warlock Arcadian leads the Airlords, a large band of sky pirates.  The Airlords are not seen as Raffen Shiv since they never attack Nomads, instead they target corporate road convoys, dirigibles, and even slow moving cargo planes in mid-air.  It was rumored that Warlock was killed last year after they were betrayed by one of their own to Militech.  However Warlock has resurfaced and again regained control of the Airlords.  His second in command is his wife Ember, who led the crew in his absence.  The Airlords are the largest group of airborne nomads in North America.  Their exploits are legendary among the Nomad Community and the price on their heads outside the community is enormous.  In addition to raiding corporate targets, the Airlords often make their services available to the Nomad Community at large, and have provided air support against Raffen Shiv attack, search and rescue missions, and even emergency airlifted out wounded.  However the main focus of their legend is in their daring mid-air piracy.  They will fly above a target and jumpers will leap out, boarding a target craft in midair, gaining entrance, overtaking it, then bringing it down at a safe location.  The Airlords are about 100 members strong, although over half of that is support and maintenance crews.  The preferred aircraft of the Airlords are small prop driven hand built stunt planes.  They are also known to have a refurbished WW2 B-17, a few small helicopters, a few AV’s (though it’s difficult to keep them running), and 2 cargo planes.  They have secret airplane graveyards and forgotten airstrips mapped out all over North America, and the main force moves around constantly, while repair crews repair or rebuild aircraft in scattered groups.  The Airlordss have at least 2 Technomancers working with them, which explains their wild looking aircraft.  Every young nomad (and many static) pilot, skydiver, or aircraft mechanic, has dreamt at least once of joining the Airlords, and its pilots are mostly made up of former military or stunt pilots.  Warlock Arcadian is on a personal quest to reclaim his personal fighter, his airship, and his handgun… all of which were sold at the Night City Nomad Market after it was believed he had been killed by unscrupulous former members of his group.  It has been difficult to reform the group, but once again the Airlords are the most feared name in the skies.

Rust is a former firefighter named Marvin Taylor.  He was badly injured trying to rescue low level salarymen and women from a burning coffin hotel.  Rust suffered burns over 90% of his body, and it was deemed full cybernetic conversion was the only way to save his life.  When he showed up to testify as to many safety violations of the building on behalf of the victims, he soon found that the business conglomerate that owned the building, also owned the insurance company that was paying for his body, as well as the fire department he worked for.  He was fired, and his insurance benefits were revoked.  The company was threatening to confiscate his body and replace it with an Basic B-1 body.  Rust fled into  the combat zone, but found himself a target there for anyone trying to prove themselves by taking out a ‘borg, and corporate bounty hunters were trying to track him.  He fled into the nomad community and hasn’t looked back since.  Rust has made several changes and customizations to his original Alpha model body, and as it is damaged and repaired, usually with used cybernetics taken from fallen enemies, his appearance is becoming ever more  kitbashed.  These days Rust claims Aldecaldo, and often works as a driver, especially if the vehicle is smartlink capable, or as an outrider.  Rust has quickchange limbs and has several spare or specialized limbs and digits to choose from, he also has several faceplates he likes to switch between to keep from being recognized or tracked.  Before his accident Rust was a practitioner of Tai Chi, he has taken that up again and uses it to retain focus and calm, helping him keep hold of his remaining humanity.

Fallon Forward, Theresa McCandless, and Stick Strong are Hi-Way patrol officers in Arizona.  Like many Hi-Way officers they maintain strong ties to the Nomad community, however in their case they take it one step further, officially affiliating themselves with the Snake Nation and calling themselves the Hi-Waymen.  In fact, they were nomads before they become police, joining Hi-Way specifically to provide nomads in the area some protection from Raffen Shiv, Corporations, and Hi-Way itself.  While they wear the leathers and uphold the duties of Hi-Way, they are not without corruption, often overlooking nomads breaking the law while cracking down hard on statics and corporate vehicles they come into contact with.  Fallon and Theresa ride the Mitsubishi PCM 520 bikes, while Stick drives a Max Interceptor.  Externally all their vehicles are the standard but hard used Hi-Way patrol issue vehicles, how ever internally they have had their friends in the nomad community make several modifications.  Fallon is 45 and married to a Snake doctor at the Flagstaff Flea Market named Cace.  Therese and Stick have an on-again-off-again casual romance though Theresa has expressed interests in a deeper commitment.  The Hi-Waymen’s nomad bias has been causing a stir lately among their superiors and fellow officers, who see the behavior as dangerous and their bias against corporate drivers as financially risky.

 

Harper “Grease Weasel” Trahn is a Vietnamese mechanic who claims both Thelas and Folk, and is known for his ability to fix anything that moves on land or sea.  He is an able gunsmith and weapons dealer, and his contacts in South East Asia and South America keep him supplied with surplus military hardware he will sell or trade for a good price.  The illegal arms get brought in to the Olympic Market where he keeps a small portion in stock, and distributes the rest nationally through his Folk contacts.  Trahn  has made enemies in the Triad and Tong societies, and doesn’t leave the nomad market often, but has been known to travel when large or sensitive shipments must be delivered.

               

Adara Majors leads the Karma Darmas, a Jode affiliated family specializing in search and rescue operations and relief efforts.  Anytime there is a disaster involving nomads, or there is high probability of one, they go in and help.  Unless the job is particularly  risky, they rarely charge for their services, instead relying mostly on donations. The group relies on a democratic mechanic, and every member of the team must vote on whether to accept a job or not.  Once accepted the team will stay until the job is complete, or until Adara calls it off.  Adara is 35, her father was a Smoke Jumper and her mother worked as a doctor for the Peace Corp.  When her parents were killed in the Los Angeles quake, she was left homeless and joined the nomad community.  She spent much of that time as a nurse to a doctor travelling with a Jode family, eventually learning from him and becoming a nomad doctor herself.  She formed the Karma Darmas after helping to rescue a nomad group with several children who were lost in a blizzard in the Rockies.  Her second in command is her boyfriend Jude Plato, a military vet who served in the Ethiopian problems.  Her younger sister Brylee is the only blood she has left. Since forming the group they have picked up several other  members as well.  Dugger is an expert with explosives, which often are necessary in cave-ins or to remove obstacles.  It is rumored that he was once a criminal, possibly even a terrorist, but something happened.  Regardless he has sworn never to harm a human  being.  Charmer is a shaman and medic who claims he can talk to the earth.  He is a weird one, who often makes the rest of the group uncomfortable, but his knowledge of herbs and holistic medicine is uncanny, and his manner of speaking can help calm  even the most panicked or rage ridden of individuals. Cole Vigil is the groups scout and tracker.  He served with Jude in the Congo.  He doesn’t handle confined spaces well.  Jumper is the team’s tech and mechanic.  She drives a yellow short bus with a monster suspension.  Tom Bane, Erin Ford, and Studs are the groups outriders.  Tom is the oldest member of the group at  50.  A Vet of the first and second South American conflicts, his entire family was wiped out in a wildfire, sparing only his grand-daughter, who rides with the family.  Erin worked briefly for Arasaka before she got fed up with their bullshit.  Studs is a full conversion who retained his face, and seem to ride   along with the family more to seek out thrills than for the sake of altruism.  This has caused problems with Adara, but his strength and fearlessness are too valuable to the team.  The Karma Darmas usually travel via convoy, but they maintain close ties with several pilots, and for a fee, or in extreme emergency, the family can usually be anywhere in North America in a few hours at most.

The 13 Masters Of Dust are a troupe of martial artists who travel the wastelands, competing in Dome fights.  Each member of the group has maintained an undefeated record and several have fought in death matches.  The leaders of the 13 Masters are 33 year old Quill and Forrest, husband and wife.  Quill’s style is U-Ra-Do, and Forrest’s is Kuk Sool Won.  Quill wears a pair of heavily customized and armored echolocation glasses.  Thrust is 29 and practices Muay Thai and Krabi Krabong, and is deadly with his custom made Daab short swords and knives.  Mondo Carnal is 27 and is a master of Jitte, nomad knife fighting.  His African descent and fighting style also suggest knowledge of Nambe.  Shade is said to be a true Shinobi.  She never speaks, but looks to be somewhere in her mid twenties.  36 year old Badger is former Raffen Shiv, and is held in low regard by everyone outside of the 13.  Jaihouse Rock is his preferred fighting style, suggesting he has spent long stretches of time in prison.  Whistler is a gentle soul, and by far the most merciful.  He will not fight to the death over sport, and travels with his wife Hannah and daughter Cora.  Even in the most heated matches he actively tries not to maim or permanently injure an opponent.  Formerly of the Night City booster gang the Neon Dragons, Butterfly is the youngest of the group at 25.  She practices Wai Wing Chun.  Panthro is a Kuntao specialist, and for a time was leader of an Indonesian immigrant fishing group until they were attacked by pirates off the coast of North Carolina.  No one is quite sure what Donkeys style is, he prefers berserker swords, and his style is raw and undisciplined, suggesting he practices a self taught form of Streetfighting.  At 47 Donkey is the oldest, and his daughter Pinto travels with him.  Selena is a master of Catchascatchcan.  She grew up in the barrios of Mexico, learning her skill in a local gang before joining up with a nomad group to get out of an ever worsening drug war.  Shiva comes from a small Indian community is Portland, her father owned hotels, her mother doted on her brother, and Shiva was the lowest on the totem pole of affection and rights.  She grew tired of her families greed and adherence to outdated beliefs and left on her own, taking the one thing her father taught her with her, the Indian martial art of Kaliope.  The newest member of the 13 Masters of Dust is Kim Max, who replaced Mugg after he was defeated and lost his eye in a Dome Fight.  Kim remained undefeated at the Night City Nomad Market for 8 months before retiring to rejoin the Stormriders.  The Masters sought her out and invited her to join them.  The 13 Masters of Dust travel as a group but fight individually, and never against another member.  They have been known to offer themselves as champions in a dispute to be settled by combat, for a hefty fee.  They will accept any challenge, failure to do so will result in expulsion from the group, as will losing a match.

Cinder and Ash are Pathfinders.  They each have served as both Outriders and Scouts, but disliked the idea of being tied to a family when they would rather be exploring lost and forgotten roads and trails.  The live only for the “Road less travelled”, and so travel light and fast, with custom off-road capable bikes and carefully chosen equipment.  Cinder is 29, and a highly skilled sharpshooter, a skill she learned from her father.  Ash is 38, and half black half latino.  He doesn’t remember his parents, only that they died during the long walk.  The two travel all over North America, exploring for explorations sake, often documenting their finds on video, as well as keeping extensive journals and maps.  Copies of their maps and journals fetch a high price, as they have been able to safely navigate paths through what were thought to be impassable areas, or areas thick with Raffen Shiv.  In addition, they provide routes to the Underground Railroad.

 

Pixie is a 20 year old Aldecaldo affiliated Netrunner looking for a work currently at the Colorado Night City Market.  In the meantime she has created a small business refurbishing cyber-modems, computers, and other electronic devices.  She is a very skilled hacker and former NC University Student.  After a run in with the law she was forced to go underground, and laid low in Vegas for a while.  A friend of hers at the time was working for a covert military group, and offered to get her in.  To kill her ever growing restlessness she joined.  Just after boot camp she secretly discovered the true nature of what she would be doing for the military and went AWOL, fleeing into the nomad community in order to search for her friend who she feels would be able to protect her.

Brandy is the daughter of a Jode national representative at the New Mexico Nomad Market.  She is somewhat spoiled by her fathers position, and has used it to leverage favor during trades and negotiations.  She is actually a skilled leather worker and seamstress.  She has tried to market her fashions, but has so far found little success.  The one area she has found success is at throwing impromptu parties.  Her reckless nature and her attitude of embracing excess has led to embarrassment for her father.  The subsequent restrictions placed on Brandy has her actively planning to either join up with a wilder group of nomads heading out, or even stowing away.

 

Tabitha and Kasey are a pair who draw stares wherever they go.  Tabitha is a full cyborg conversion with a soft shell skin.  She doesn’t believe in wearing clothing, claiming that as a full borg, there is no need for it.  Kasey is a total mystery, other than he/she is most likely between the age of 7 and 10, speaks through a vocal synthesizer built into a gas mask, and is clothed at all times from head to foot.  The exact relationship between the two is uncertain; it is known that Tabitha will protect Kasey ferociously with her life, and that they are on the run from something or someone.  They tend to travel in small nomad families as part of larger convoys, and choose groups whose routes keep them far awsay from major cities.   If asked they claim Snake, though they seem to have no real affiliations to anyone but each other.

 

Winnie Holden and her father Paul are Jode farmers who know the back roads of Montana and Wisconsin as sure as they do the lords prayer.  They find as secluded a spot as they can, plant their crops, and leave, only coming back when its time to harvest.  They say they rely on nature and prayer.  It works for them, as the majority of what they plant they are able to retrieve and bring to market.  They also have a very successful side business growing and selling marijuana.

Feda Karimazul, otherwise known as “The Sheik”,  is half Russian and half Afhgani.  His father was a soldier who raped his mother during the Russian occupation of Afghanistan.  When he was 5, because of the shame and humiliation his existence brought the girls father, he was sold to an Egyptian crime lord who raised the child as his personal valet.  The crime lord noticed that as he grew older, the unassuming man with the kind face was quite adept at numbers and merciless to the other slaves who crossed him.  Over time the Egyptians criminal empire passed to his son, who recognized the value of Feda, but did not like the man.  Feda was sent to America, where now he buys slaves and sends them to his boss in Egypt.  Feda almost never leaves the Orlando Nomad Market for fear of his life.  Most nomads despise him.  The Bloods tolerate him only because of his ability to bring in money, guns, and heroin from his Egyptian boss.  Orlando is quickly becoming the last stopping point for slaves in America.  The Raffen Shiv will make stops at Nomad Markets along the way to attempt to ransom captured nomads back to their families at ridiculous prices, but any slaves who haven’t been bought by the time they reach Orlando are likely never to be seen again.  This is doubly so for children and attractive young women who end up in personal harems or brothels across the third world.  Men and unattractive women are sometimes sold for labor, but just as often they end in pit fighting arenas, where their only worth is their ability to spill one another’s blood for the howl of the crowds.  The Sheik has actually funded a group of Raffen known as the Hounds to set up a smuggling operation across the US for these slaves.  They are ruthless in their operations, and captured slaves who cause too much trouble are often made horrible examples of to the others to keep them in line.

Ellen “Shine” Alden is a Thelas affiliated river rat who makes her living selling Moonshine and other home brewed spirits up and down the Mississippi River.  She is also known to do a bit of smuggling and guide work, but usually only if she is going that direction anyway.  Few know the river better than Shine, and through bribery, seduction, and her good nature she has few problems with most law enforcement that patrols the river.  She is however a prime target for waterborne Raffen Shiv, and has made powerful enemies among them.

Zen, approximately 20, is so far unique among Technomancers, in that her gift of near superhuman innovation and skill is not related to science or technology.  No, her specialty seems to be entirely physical, and someone has trained and nurtured this ability.  Where other Technomancers have created unheard of technological leaps and applications, Zen has taken the art of fighting to a level never before seen.  She is a master of several martial arts and is proficient with most firearms.  But if you present her with a weapon she has never used before she will ignore it completely.  She has been diagnosed as having Eidetic Reflexes, and can copy any physical act she witnesses, though she must practice to add it to her retinue of moves.  She is also double jointed and ambidextrous.  However, she is even more withdrawn and reserved than most Technomancers, and cannot socialize.  She must be given her food and told to eat, she must be told when to sleep and she must be constantly supervised or else she has a habit of wandering off.  She will follow orders, but they must be explicit.  She has been ordered not to kill, but when they ordered her not to fight she was nearly killed when she was attacked by a small town bully. After that she was merely told not to fight unless hit first.  She was found By a Folk family sitting on the side of the road amidst the bodies of 7 well armed Raffen Shiv, quietly humming to herself.   Seeing profit potential they were entering her in pit fights and battle domes across the US and Mexico, until a group of Aldecaldos recognized what was happening and bought her to bring her to New Mexico where they could care for her.  Not much more is known about her.

Darla, Wheezy, Alf, Frog, and Bucky have made several different claims about their past, from running away from a corporate orphanage, or being kidnapped by Raffen Shiv from their homes and escaping.  The one thing that always rings true is that they are trying to get to Colorado to join the Forgotten.  All of the kids are between 12 and 13 years old, and no one in the Olympic Nomad Market seems keen on the idea, for now they are under the care of that markets Nest until the Tribal Council can decide what to do with them.

 

Craig “Stryker” Davis was just another Militech corporate soldier, collecting a healthy paycheck and spending every free moment with his wife and infant son at their beachside home in San Francisco.  In short they had a beautiful life, which they loved dearly.  Then he was transferred to Kansas City.  His wife though it would be more fun to drive, to see America as it were.  They were crossing Kansas on the last leg of the trip when the Raffen Shiv hit them.  Craig drove hard, fighting them as best he could, when a tire blew, the last thing Craig remembered.  Craig was found in the wreck of his car by a Jode Caravan.  His wife and child were no where to be found.  Craig has quit his job at Militech, but not before stealing an arsenal of weaponry and supplies.  He has spent every day since the accident desperately tracking down and killing Raffen Shiv and trying to find the remains of his wife and son.  Craig has been joined by a man going by the name Dove.  Dove also lost his wife and children to a Raffen Shiv attack, although not much else is known about him other than his face was severely burned, and he wears bandages over his face to cover the scars.  A third member of their group, Tora Waites, has joined.  Torahs sister was taken by Raffen Slavers, and she has convinced Craig and Dove that if they can get to Orlando quickly enough, they may have a chance at finding her.  They may also be able to find out what happened to Craig’s family.

Melvin “Magpie” Piemacher is a freelance nomad Medic although he is Snake affiliated.  He is nicknamed for the odd gas mask he wears.  Melvin is a excellent medic and cyber-technician, however he has a very odd and somewhat disconcerting attitude and his sense of humor and bedside manner are seen as a bit disturbing to some, downright creepy to others.  Melvin hides a secret.  He is a serial killer, hiding within the nomad community.  Melvin rides with different families each time, usually gong as far from his last victim as possible.  He uses this to hide his trail of bodies, and when the group he is traveling with stops in a large city or town for more than a day, he will leave, with the excuse that he needs to go into town for supplies.  Once alone, he will seek out a homeless person, especially any he finds with cybernetic prosthetics, and offer them medical care.  Once he gets them back to his vehicle, he will drug them and drive them outside the city limits, where he will strap them down and wait for the drugs to wear off.  Then he will begin removing their organs while they are awake and without painkillers.  Their struggle and screams are his trigger.  If they have cyberenetics he will remove them, clean them, and use them in the nomad market.

 

Morgan and Jax Morcock are a brother and sister team of warrior and mechanic who claim Aldecaldo, although they usually work with Folk and Jodes.  Their original family, including their parents, were killed by police outside of Dallas, when they were caught smuggling weapons into the state.  This left Morgan with a severe distrust of authority, and Jax with a fear of it.  At 23 Morgan is a highly skilled fighter, and would rather be working with her own nation as an outrider or scout, but Jax prefers the relative safety of working with the Jodes or folk, guarding their shipments of produce and livestock to and from their farms to the Nomad Markets.  17 year old Jax doesn’t carry a weapon, and cringes from violence, but he is an excellent mechanic.  The two always work together, although they fight constantly.  The main source of conflict seems to stem from the vastly different ways they are coping with the loss of their parents, and Morgans ever aggressive behavior contrasting the ever more passive personality of her brother.