What is Shadowrun?
Shadowrun is the merging of typical TTRPG Tolkienesque fantasy with a grim cyberpunk future complete with high technology. Cybernetics, AI, Guns, High Magic, and every fantasy race you can think of co-exist in this world. It combines the genres of Cyberpunk, Urban Fantasy, Crime Noir, Conspiracy theory and theological Horrors into a single universe. It’s set in Earth's near future.
The magic of the world is born through spontaneous emergence. Often referred to as the dawn of the Sith World, Dragons roamed once again and humans turned into the various mythical races we normally associate with classic fantasy. Alongside the magic, technologies and social developments usually associated with Science Fiction also grew.
Of course, with all these developments comes a lot of organized crime, and more than enough corporations participate in espionage or assassinations. These operations are called Shadowruns, and make use of specialists either indentured or hired to do the necessary dirty work.
The campaigns can be varied and can deal with Eldritch Horrors, pure technology or corporate story arcs, can be all about that high fantasy life and everything else you can dream up in between.
It also subverts some of the things you would find in a traditional fantasy setting. Orks and Goblins aren’t necessarily evil, they’re just living beings.
There are no preconceived notions such as Elves and Dwarves don’t get along.
The different customization options means no two parties are ever the same. It gives a lot of freedom already baked in to do whatever you want to do.
Watch the video below to see how characters are created in Shadowrun's newest edition.