A near-universal currency in the Shadowrun world. The average yearly wage of a citizen varies, but is around 17 to 20,000 nuyen per year, with middle class citizens earning closer to 60,000. Nuyen is generally kept in credsticks, a highly advanced version of the old credit card that can transfer money directly through touch.

A passkey designed to open high-tech magnetic locks. An essential item to have for anyone going on a run against a Corporation, who use magnetic locks regularly in high-security areas that are very hard to force open otherwise.

Magical items, usually AmerIndian in origin, that manifested their power after the Awakening returned magic back to Earth in 2011. Can be used to mitigate side effects from casting powerful spells, improving overall spell quality, personal protection, or ability to concentrate, among other things........

The Astral Plane is a mana-based plane of

existence that mirrors the physical world. All physical objects create

shadowy representations of themselves in astral space (with living objects glowing with an aura, the light of which varies depending on the object's magical potential). The astral plane only be viewed by those who have Awakened in some form to magical potential. The spirits within the astral plane can be harnessed (via the hermetic or shamanic method) to create and cast magical spells.

A Republic in North America and the primary setting of our story, the AMC is part of the Native American Nations, formed in 2018 after the Treaty of Denver ceded significant amounts of Canadian and American territory to AmerIndian tribes. Originally called the Algonkian Council, until the elven Manitou tribe was acknowledged as a big enough part of the land to be incorporated into the republic's name. The AMC occupies chunks of the territory that was formerly the Canadian Prairies and Western Ontario. The Council is run by three tribal chiefs, who receive national policy requests from representatives, requiring unanimous decisions from all three Chiefs to become law.

The capital of the AMC is Saskatoon, with Calgary, Regina, Thunder Bay, Grand Rapids, and Lynn Lake among its other notable cities.

Link to Shadowrun's North America map here:  https://imgur.com/PdyUT0z

The Athabaskan Council is a republic and part of the Native American Nations, consisting of chunks of what used to be Northern Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the northern Canadian Territories, and Alaska. It was formed in 2018 after the Treaty of Denver ceded large amounts of land in Western North America to the AmerIndian population. The Athabaskan Council runs on a democratic government, electing a Grand Council Governor to serve every five years. It is known as a smuggler's destination spot, being the go-between on a couple routes between the East Coast and Russia, and as a proving ground for aspiring eco-terrorists, due to the booming oil businesses they target.

The capital of the Athabaskan Council is Edmonton, with Anchorage and Fairbanks also considered important cities.

Link to Shadowrun's North America map here:  https://imgur.com/PdyUT0z

An elvish kingdom, formed in 2035 from an elvish breakaway tribe from the Salish-Shidhe Council. Occupies most of what was formerly Oregon, a chunk of northwestern Nevada, and a disputed territory zone with the California Free State. Run by a Council of Princes, with a peerage system in place that has faced harsh criticism from some parts of the world for oppression of lower-class elves and non-elves. Has uncordial relationships with a number of countries, and are rumoured to be primary backers of various elven factions throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Currently rumoured to have an economy in ruins thanks to restrictive corporate policies, combined with a bitter trade embargo dispute involving the Salish-Shidhe Council and Seattle.

The capital of the Tir is Portland, with Salem, Eugene, and Astoria considered noteworthy cities in the area.

Link to Shadowrun's North America map here:  https://imgur.com/PdyUT0z

The Salish-Shidhe Council is a nation established in 2018 after the Treaty of Denver, and is part of the Native American Nations. The land consists of what used to be southern British Columbia, most of Washington (except a pocket owned by the United Canadian and American States consisting of the area surrounding Seattle), a chunk of southwest Alberta, and parts of Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming. Decisions are made on a regional level, with tribes owning parcels of land and being able to dictate the laws within their lands. National laws are determined via vote from the six biggest tribal chiefs, representing the Salish, Makah, Cascade Crow, Cascade Ork, Sinsearach, and Nootka tribes. Known for its progressive attitude towards metahumans, and is part of several smuggling routes leading to or from Seattle. Relations with most Native American Nations are cordial, but are considerably more complicated with the Tir Tairgire and with the United Canadian and American States.

The capital of the Salish-Shidhe is the small port city of Bellingham, with Vancouver, Victoria, Spokane, Idaho Falls, Boise, and Olympia also considered major locales.

Link to Shadowrun's North America map here:  https://imgur.com/PdyUT0z

A nation formed in 2018 after the Treaty of Denver, and is part of the Native American Nations. Consists of chunks of what was formerly Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. Governed by a Council of Chiefs, consisting of one representative from each of the twenty nationally-recognized tribes. Representatives serve a five year term, and decisions require a two-thirds majority amongst the twenty reps to become law. Has cordial relations with all the Native American Nations, and sees itself as the "cop" of the NAN, helping to forcefully mediate disputes between its members and between the NAN and outsiders. Has a very strong military presence, with their special forces (known as the Sioux Wildcats) considered to be one of the best military units in the world. Frequently gets into minor border disputes with the neighboring UCAS, and is part of several notable smuggling paths (usually involving guns).

The Sioux capital city is Cheyenne, with Billings, Helena, Rapid City, and Casper amongst its other notable locales.

A high-end megacorporation that is Aztlan (formerly Mexican) in origin. Makes a variety of products, and is among the top corps in the world in terms of profit and influence. Has a major foothold in the Algonkian-Manitou Council, due to rescuing the AMC population from starvation after a critical crop failure in 2050 (securing major grain contracts there in the process). Rumoured to control at least two of the three AMC tribal chiefs.

A mid-level Japanese corporation, who recently obtained a foothold in the Algonkian-Manitou Council through a lucrative construction vehicle production contract. Yokogawa sees Aztechnology as a blockade to their ambitions to exert more influence in the AMC. Rumoured to have ties to the Yakuza crime syndicates in Japan.

A local corporation in the Algonkian-Manitou Council, contracted to handle policing services in the area. Their CEO/Chief of Police David Longmiles is an incorruptible, tenacious bulldog who is all for law and order, but he lacks large quantities of people that share his enthusiasm for justice. Still, Long Arms occasionally does competent police work, and aren't as corrupt or needlessly violent as other private police forces in North America.

A megacorporation based in Japan, with a strong international presence. Specializes primarily in computing-related products, patricularly memory and datastores. Known for their notorious hatred of shadowrunners, and known for their vicious, well-trained Strike Teams, as well as their "Red Samurai" special ops unit. The Renraku Arcology in Seattle, a massive pyramid-shaped building near downtown, is a graveyard for many would-be shadowrunners attempting to make some big-time money, with only two people known to have survived performing multiple shadowruns on their corporate offices.

An elven tribe, located in the northern reaches of the Algonkian-Manitou Council. The AMC inherited a large elvish population upon its formation in 2018, and the elves rallied under the banner of the Manitou for political purposes, eventually incorporating their name into the Council. However, many within the tribe are dissatisfied with their lack of a political voice, and believe AmerIndians within the Council to be discriminatory against elves. Many within the tribe also adopt a pro-environment stance, and wish to live simpler lives without the use of technology that may "poison" the lands. Higher-ups within the tribe have been assassinated on multiple occasions, with the Algonkians denying any official involvement, and the Manitou are believed to be looking at starting a civil war to gain independence. Their unofficial capital is Lynn Lake, a small city that was formerly a part of Manitoba.

A shamanic terrorist faction, based in the Algonkian-Manitou Council. An offshoot of the shamanic False Face Society, the Crying Masks were born out of dissatisfaction with the increased industrialization of the planet, seeing it as an offense to Mother Earth. Frequently use powerful magic to destroy research labs, production facilities, cyberware clinics, and notorious polluters. The name "Crying Masks" is derived from the wooden masks they wear that enhance their magical powers, which are painted to look like they cry blood from their eyes. Rumoured to have over 100 members, and ties to various enemy groups of the Council.

Teams of highly paid, well-equipped marksmen who work for corporations. Generally used for offensive purposes, gunning down a corporation's enemies, but are used occasionally for defence of corporate property as well. The best of the best, many have experience in the army or in organized combat leagues, or are trained tactically from the ground up within a corp.