Jackpointers

[Stefan [GM]]

Baptiste

//Real Name: Alexander Leroy
//Known Alias: Baptiste, Der Graf, Le Comte 
//Age: Unknown
//Area of Operation: Seattle, UCAS
//Professions: Hacker (Data Theft, Encryption/Decryption, Surveillance, Corporation Systems), physical support 

//Profile: The hacker, known mostly as Baptiste, is one of a kind. He knows his way around firearms as much as he slings devastating codes in the matrix. 
As far as his history is concerned, not much is known. Together with the Crash 2.0, Baptiste made sure to erase virtually every bit of data about his person. 
One of the few things known is the fact, that he almost completely swore off of virtual reality. Some rumors have it that he was, like so many others, trapped inside the matrix during the Crash 2.0, and survived without any signs of disorder or technomancer abilities. 

>>At least not that he knows of.
>>The Pessimist

>>Good one.
>>Baptiste

After the crash, Baptiste disappeared for a while, having realized how close VR can bring one to a fried brain. 
In an age, where augmented reality is almost as fast as it's virtual counterpart, but without the lethal drawbacks, Baptiste reappeared in the shadows, working as professional as if he never left.
He made himself a very respectable name in the shadows as a hacker, who is not afraid of joining the frontline in the midst of corporate security fire to get the job done. He mastered the augmented reality to a point, where he can manipulate the systems around him, while interacting with (or fighting against) the meatspace, without missing a beat.

If you ever meet him online, you will find a very detailed persona of a count. Although the exact outfit changes, the persona will always stand up straight, looking down on you and just emitting an aura of self confidence and power. Even his attack programs, based on professional fencing, seem flawless, elegant and clean. 
In person, however, he won't hesitate to tell you what he thinks and he'll get in your face about it, if he thinks that you just don't get it. On the run, he is determined and even pushy, when it comes to failure. It's not the failure, that upsets him, it's the inability to deal with the consequences, that some inexperienced runners show, that grinds his gears.

>>Now that sounds just harsh. But really, failure happens - it's the x-factor in every metahuman. Think on the fly, correct mistakes and get the job done regardless, and we'll get along just fine.
>>Baptiste

>>Agreed.
>>Pi

He's also almost always accompanied by his agent - a perfect representation of a good old english butler, treating everybody with a fair amount of respect.

>>Don't be fooled, though. I've seen the butler kick the asses of some punk hacker kiddos before. 
>>Pi

If your job takes you deep into corporation territory to get some hot data, and if you can afford him, Baptiste will be your best bet. He keeps his cool even under heavy gunfire and is able to hack and spoof through the enemy systems, while returning the fire, supporting his team in both the matrix and meatspace. Just make sure you can take some criticism.

[Stefan [GM]]

The Pessimist

//Real Name: Unknown
//Known Alias: The Pessimist (Jackpoint ID)
//Areas of Operation: Seattle, UCAS, CAS, Hong Kong
//Professions: Negotiation, Infiltration, Interrogation, Information trading

//Profile: The woman with a thousand faces. Literally. This person changes her identities more than most runners their socks. Some people even speculate, that she is not even a she, or a he. 
In today's society and with today's technology for disguise and infiltration, who can really know who someone really is? 

>>With today's standards in biotech, a regular sex change is not too far fetched to get the job done.
>>Baptiste

>>Really, chummer, that's the best you've got?
>>The Pessimist

She is using the alias "The Pessimist" on Jackpoint and her attitude in almost all of her remarks do her name just. On a job, however, she is very pleasant to get along with, and she does her job well. Her people skills, her talent to adept to any social situation make her the perfect face. She can talk herself out of any situation, although if even that fails, she doesn't hesitate to use a little force and firepower if she really has to. 

Though she has a reputation as professional and clean, she also has a darker side to her. Years of changing your own personality into a different role, sometimes three or for different ones in one run, will eventually leave a mark on your own person. Sometimes she seems to forget, who she really is, or even gets her acts mixed up. So far she hasn't blown a run because of that, and thanks to AR she can always have a reminder up and running of who she real is (or supposed to be at the moment). But this is something to keep in mind when dealing with her, since this can lead to frustration, when the face gets too much into her role and believes, she actually is the living target.

>>Multiple personalities, huh? Well, not the worst that can happen to you in this business.
>>Pi

>>This is just a rumor more than it is truth. She gets really into her work and some amateurs might confuse that with a disorder, when she gets all worked up in her role. But she really knows her stuff and I can't think of a better face, in spite of her little complications.
>>Baptiste

>>How flattering, chummer. This almost sounded like a genuine compliment. 
>>The Pessimist

Regardless, The Pessimist is the perfect addition for any team, that encounters difficult clients, targets or social events. 

[Stefan [GM]]

DotCom

//Real Name: Matthew Cleine
//Known Alias: DotCom, DotNet, .com, and various other, old fashion web suffixes  
//Age: 62
//Area of Operation: Worldwide
//Professions: Hacker (compromising systems, matrix infiltration, matrix support),

//Profile: As a young and upcoming software developer, Matthew finished university and started his new career at one of the largest software companies of their time - Microdeck.
Working in the security department of Microdeck famous and infamous operation system, Windows, it was his job to find and patch security exploits. Maybe some if you remember the old PC interface, that prompted you to patch almost every day. Every time one hole got fixed, another one opened up. Today, Matthew won't deny that the programers did this on purpose, securing their own job and allowing Microdeck to keep breaking personal privacy. 

>>Now that's just rumors, isn't it?
>>DotCom

When the first crash hit the world in '29, which was pretty much the end of Microdeck, Matthew moved on to Renraku. He started as security decker for the Seattle project, soon to be known as "the Renraku Arcology". Matthew disappeared mysteriously, just a few days before the Arcology shut down, and didn't come back until after the Crash 2.0. 

>>Sometimes a decker needs a vacation. 
>>DotCom

>>Or, sometimes a decker is being trapped in the matrix and tortured by a rogue AI. Maybe, just maybe.
>>Pi

>>Maybe. Sometimes the wildest ideas are better than the reality.
>>DotCom 

Besides his very mundane career as software engineer and security decker, there was another side to Matthew. To earn a few extra coins on the side, and to get some excitement out of his talents, he cruised first the web, then the matrix as an entity, only known as .com. 
Working for one of the largest software developers gave him all the resources he needed to be a successful hacker of the pre-crash world wide web. But he didn't just hack for the heck of it, soon he was noticed and hired by various agencies to help them out, preventing online terrorism, locating online based cells of terrorist groups within the USA and so on. With the evolution of the matrix after the first crash, his work both as security and private hacker became even more professional, accurate and even dangerous. Now, thanks to virtual reality and lightning fast DNI connections, he was able to operate in dozens if systems at the same time, while maintaining his regular work schedule. 

>>Please keep in mind that the following informations aren't confirmed.
>>Fastjack

Just before the disaster in the Renraku Archeology, .com was contacted by the CIA. They offered a very fair pay if he works for them full-time. He agreed and was shipped to the north-west territories, where the CIA set up a very respectful arsenal of hardware and software, together with a newly formed teams of specialist in the fields of security systems and electronic warfare.
What projects .com was working on is not clear, but it's safe to assume that they were of very high importance. The decker known as .com disappeared from the shadow community and didn't reappeared until 2065, now mostly under the nickname DotCom. 

Ever since his return to the shadows, he has been complaining about the evolution of technology and the resulting degeneration of real life, and he's mentioned the urge to retire quite a few times.
Nevertheless, he kept up with the world and is as professional as he's always been.

Now he works exclusively as shadowrunner, and if you're looking for a top-notch hacker, that most likely has been part of the original code of any written program, he's your best man for the job.

>>Despite his age.
>>Baptiste

[Stefan [GM]]

Cosmo

//Real Name: Kevin Jay Harris
//Known Alias: Cosmo  
//Age: 27
//Area of Operation: North America; mostly UCAS & CAS
//Professions: Rigger, Smuggler

//Profile: Kevin Jay Harris grew up as the son of a trucker by the name of Cosmo Jay Harris. His father drove supply trucks from coast to coast, and since his mother died giving birth, Kevin was on the road with his dad from the day he was born. Though he never went to school, Kevin's father made sure his son would get a proper education through knowledge and tutor softs. Maybe Kevin didn't learn the bulk of useless information, normal schools had to offer, but he picked up his basics, and quite a few skills, that you don't learn in school - speaking a number of languages, manipulating computer systems, and every highway and town road, there is to know through north america. 
Ever since he grew tall enough to reach the pedals, Kevin helped his father out driving the truck, while his dad was resting. For a while, they had a fairly good business going, earning honest money for honest work. 

The year 2064 changed everything. Not only did the Crash 2.0 ruin their business, his father was shot at a truck stop by some thugs shortly after. 
Kevin lost everything. First his dad, then also the business, his licenses and, most importantly, his SIN.
Though, if his dad could teach him one thing, it would be never to give up.
He still had the truck, and since they got around a lot over the years, he knew a handful of useful people all across the UCAS, CAS and Salish nations. 
By the age of 20, he had the business up and running again. But without a SIN he was forced to take jobs, that weren't exactly legal - smuggling shipments for illegal operations. 
For the first little while, as the world tried to rebuild their civil computer systems and identification protocols, Kevin was able to get by the borders due to the fact, that the people at the border knew him and his dad. A few years later, as the new matrix spread across north america, he already managed to obtain a handful of fake IDs, blending in with the new system as it developed. 

>>Don't let his young age fool you. He's been on the road as long as he can think, and picked up skills throughout his entire life, most of us had to learn quickly in a few years. 
>>Baptiste

Today, when he is not out and about delivering or picking up delicate goods, he works as a rigger within the Seattle area and goes by the name of Cosmo - in memory of his late father, that gave him the strength and hope, making him the person he is today.

Whenever you need a driver, a pilot, drone support and even a backup hacker, you might want to consider Cosmo. His piloting skills are remarkable, his electronics cutting edge, and he knows every road there is to know in north america. Cosmo is a viable asset to any runner group.