1. What this game is

Deep Shadows is a text roleplay game set in Shadowrun 5th Edition. You play a shadowrunner (or a corp-affiliated street operator) on a shared city grid. Stats, gear, karma, and nuyen live on your character sheet. Rooms are where you roleplay. The game automates bookkeeping (dice, pools, inventory, Matrix actions, many magic/resonance verbs) and leaves story outcomes, consent, and fuzzy calls to poses, rolls, and staff.

Rules source: SR5 Core plus the sourcebooks the game has implemented (Run Faster lifestyles, Data Trails / Kill Code Matrix, Street Grimoire magic, Rigger 5.0, and so on). If a number is on your sheet or in a catalog, trust that over memory. House rules that differ from the book are called out in this guide.

This is not a video game. Combat helpers and Matrix commands do not freeze the room or stop you from typing. Initiative trackers and combat prompts are advisory. You still pose, roll, and play fair.

2. How to connect

Web client (recommended)

1. Open https://dsmush.com and log in (or create an account).
2. Open the web client. You get a command line, output pane, and (when AR is on) an AR overlay for Matrix/comms chrome.
3. You are automatically puppeting your character. There is no ic / ooc / puppet / unpuppet command. One account, one character in play.

Telnet / MUD client

Connect to the game host on the published telnet port (staff / website will list the current host). Same commands as the web client. You will not get the HTML AR pane or the embedded +map iframe; you still get text.

First login

• Type look — see the room.
• Type help — category index.
• Type who — who is connected.
• Type +staff — which staff are online.

If you are brand new, find a Deep Shadows Digital Assistant (DSDA) in the intro area and type talk to dsda (or talk on that object). Different NPCs cover MUSH basics, layout, Character Creation, corps, crime, government, magic, Matrix, augments, runner life, theme, and PvP policy.

3. How to get help (always start here)

Help categories (top-level help): General, Roleplaying, Character, Character Creation, Combat, Matrix System, AR, Comms, Rigging & Vehicles, Security & Stealth, Economy, Forum, Events, Building, Admin & Staff, System.

If a menu says Character Creation does not allow for that command, you are inside +ccstart. Only a small set of commands work there (help, cchelp, desc, +nptable, +nsheet, +qsub, and subscribed channels). Type a menu letter or Q to quit.

4. Your first hour (checklist)

1. Consent — Character Creation opens with a disclosure screen. Read it. Continue only if you agree.
2. Start Character Creation — +ccstart (staff must have given you the tester permission). Choose Full build or a template (template locks you to name + final questions).
3. Do the required steps — Priorities, Basics (name, age 18+, gender, ethnicity, height, weight), at least one Concept, Level of Play.
4. Everything Else — metatype, attributes, skills, nuyen/gear, karma, qualities, contacts, magic or resonance if applicable, optional corp/org.
5. Descriptions — desc (personal / clothing / demeanor). Aura is for astral, not mundane look.
6. Finalize — answer player and character questions, submit. Staff review your application. You play as a normal PC after they complete the Character Creation ticket.
7. After approval: +nsheet, inventory, equip, desc, +identity, +go/ic onto the grid, +where, and find a hotspot or intro scene.

You cannot skip staff approval. Finishing the menu sends a queue ticket. Do not assume you are “in play” until staff complete it.

5. Permissions you will actually feel

There is no switching characters with ic/ooc. In-room OOC speech is +OOC or . — that is not leaving the grid.

6. Moving, looking, time, and the grid

Looking

• look — the room (and your AR/astral extras if those modes are on).
• look <person or object> — that target.
• look <detail> — named “virtual” details on extended rooms (a sign, a mural, a keypad) without a separate object.

Rooms may change text by season and time of day. Astral-only prose is wrapped in <aura>…</aura> and only shows if you are perceiving or projecting.

Walking

Type the exit name: north, out, into the lobby, whatever look lists. Some exits need a SIN check, a keypad, or an allowlist.

Keypad:

type north 4821
type <exit alias> <code>

That unlocks the next traversal for a short window. Wrong code fails.

If you manage an exit’s guest list (staff set you as manager):

+exitaccess/list <exit>
+exitaccess/add <exit>=<character>
+exitaccess/remove <exit>=<character>

Remote lock/unlock from a comm (when authorized): +comm/lock / +comm/unlock (see help +comm/lock).

IC vs OOC lounge

+go/ooc     — to the Black Hole Lounge (OOC hangout). Saves your last IC room.
+go/ic      — return to that last IC room.

Requires approved. Do not use this as a combat teleport.

Who is where

+where              — occupied rooms and player counts
+where/show         — list your name in that table
+where/hidden       — hide your name again

Hotspots (rooms tagged for social play) show Hotspot. When 3 or more connected players are there and none have been idle more than 5 minutes, it shows Rewarding — that room is eligible for the hourly hotspot payout.

+map     — city map for the city tag on your current room (web client: embedded map; telnet: URL)
+area    — list “areas” inside a large room (bar vs dance floor)
+area/join <name>
+area/leave
+area/say <text>
+area/pose <pose>

Time and weather

+time
@time
+weather

Time is in-character by city/region tags, not server uptime. Weather is real-world metro data for the city tag (Las Vegas, etc.), plus occasional Shadowrun flavor. OOC rooms do not get weather.

7. Roleplay: say, pose, OOC, language, descriptions

Speech and poses

If you are jacked into the Matrix, say / pose go to your Matrix node instead of meatspace (or use +msay / +mpose).

Languages

You always type English. The game mangles what listeners hear based on their skill in the language you are speaking.

+language                 — list known languages and current pick
+language Sperethiel      — speak Sperethiel
+language/switch Japanese
+language/clear          — back to English (everyone hears you clearly)

Listeners who do not know the language get opaque noise; partial skill gets mixed/garbled English; native/fluent hear the real line. Pick languages in Character Creation (Skills) or later with karma.

Descriptions (what people see on look)

desc/set/personal = <appearance>
desc/set/clothing = <what you are wearing>
desc/set/demeanor = <bearing, mannerisms>
desc/set/aura = <astral appearance>     — NOT shown on mundane look

Save / list / delete named outfits:

desc/save/personal streetwear
desc/set/personal streetwear
desc/list/personal
desc/delete/personal streetwear

Do the same for clothing, demeanor, and aura. Put spaces around = as in the examples.

Idle and pages

@idle = AFK, back at 9pm MST
@idle/clear
page <name> = <message>
tell <name> <message>
page last
page

Pages are OOC private messages. Staff are not blocked by mute-all.

@reject                         — summary
@reject/add <player>
@reject/remove <player>
@reject/clear                   — clear the list only
@reject/all on                  — mute everyone except staff
@reject/all off
@reject/message = <auto-reply>
@reject/message <player>=<text>

@idle does not stop the page; the sender just sees your idle line.

Mail and who

who
mail                            — Evennia mail (see `help mail`)

8. Character Creation (full walkthrough)

Start: +ccstart. Help: cchelp. Table: +nptable. Sheet preview: +nsheet. Tickets: +qsub.

Menus are letter keys ([P]riorities, [B]ack, [Q]uit). Type the letter or the number. Destructive resets ask for confirmation.

Path

1. Disclosure / consent — Continue or quit.
2. Full CC or Template — Templates fill a legal build; you only set name and final questions.
3. Main hub — Priorities, Basics, Concept, Level of Play, Everything Else, Reset, Quit.

Basics (required)

• Name (primary_alias) — the name others see unless you +identity/switch.
• Ethnicity, age, gender, height, weight. Age must be 18+. Height: 1.8 = meters, or 5'11". Weight: 70kg or 150lb.
• Level of Play — type street, standard, or prime (Prime only if staff already approved Prime for this character).

Level of Play (house table)

Street is required for formal corp/org membership. Prime is not a menu you can pick without staff.

Concepts

Pick up to 8 concepts (street samurai, decker, face, rigger, magician, adept, technomancer, …). They gate magic vs resonance. You cannot mix technomancer with conflicting magical concepts. “Adept” in the matcher means physical adept, not Adept Trainer.

Priorities (SR5)

Assign A through E once each to:

• Metatype — which metatypes you may pick, and special attribute points (Edge / Magic / Resonance).
• Attributes — points for Body, Agility, Reaction, Strength, Willpower, Logic, Intuition, Charisma.
• Skills — active skill points / skill group points.
• Resources — starting nuyen (table depends on Level of Play).
• Magic or Resonance — or mundane (E).

Changing a priority resets dependent steps. Use +nptable any time.

Metatype mins/maxes follow SR5 (Human Edge 2/7, Elf CHA 3/8, Dwarf/Ork/Troll racial vision and lifestyle cost, Troll reach/armor, etc.).

Attributes: spend all attribute points. Only one physical or mental attribute may sit at racial max at creation (Edge / Magic / Resonance do not count).

Special: Edge starts 2 (Human) or 1 (others). Magic/Resonance come from the Magic/Resonance priority.

Skills

• Spend all skill and skill group points.
• Max rating 6 at creation (7 with Aptitude).
• Knowledge and Language share one pool: (Intuition + Logic) × 2.
• One native language is free. Bilingual quality adds a second native.
• You cannot take a skill group and any individual skill from that group.
• Specializations: 1 skill point each; one per skill at creation.

Qualities

Positive qualities cost karma; negative qualities give karma. At creation: max 25 karma in positive and max 25 in negative (Street/Prime karma pool caps still apply). Some qualities are required for corp/org membership (corporate SINner vs Made Man).

Resources (nuyen)

Buy gear, weapons, armor, electronics, vehicles, drones, foci, lifestyles, SINs, credsticks, and misc through the Resources menus. Caps are Availability and (for electronics/augment ratings) device rating from Level of Play.

• Carry over max 5,000¥ unspent priority nuyen (SR5 Step 6). The validator errors if you try to finish over that.
• Essence cannot go below 1 during Character Creation.
• Augmentation bonus per attribute is capped as in SR5.
• Firearm accessories that scale off the host weapon use buy <acc> for <weapon>.
• If you finish with no usable commlink, the game grants a free cheap legal commlink (usually a Meta Link) at 0¥ so you can use +comm. Living Persona does not count; an implanted commlink does.

Karma leftover (during Character Creation)

Raise attributes/skills, buy spells (5 karma), complex forms (4), bind foci, convert karma to nuyen (capped by Level of Play), buy contacts. Carry over max 7 karma into play (warning if you exceed).

Contacts at creation

Free contact points = Charisma × 3 (Prime: × 6). Each contact: 1 karma per Connection + 1 per Loyalty; min 1/1; max 7 karma on a single contact at creation.

Magic / Resonance in Character Creation

If your priority and concept allow it, spend the free spells / complex forms / skills the table grants. Mystic adepts buy Power Points with karma (5 per PP). Aspected magicians are limited to one of Sorcery, Conjuring, or Enchanting.

Corps and orgs (optional, Character Creation only)

Everything Else → Orgs. Formal membership in a megacorp, gang, media corp, etc. is only available at Character Creation. After approval you cannot join a CO this way.

• Must be Street Level of Play.
• Corporations need a corporate SIN (SINner). Criminal orgs need a Made Man (or equivalent) quality.
• Starting rank is always Tier 1 (you do not pick rank).
• You need a recruitment / sponsor note (a PC member, or CEO/COO if no PCs exist).

See Corps and organizations for play rules after you are in.

Finalize and wait

Answer player questions and character questions. Review. Submit. That opens a Character Creation queue ticket. Re-finalizing updates the same open ticket.

Staff complete the ticket → you become approved, get the public roster tag, and (if you are online) start receiving live street Facts.

Until then, stay in Character Creation / OOC space and do not expect grid commands that require approved.

9. After approval: what to do first

1. +nsheet — confirm the sheet matches what you built.
2. inventory then equip your armor, commlink, and a weapon.
3. desc/set/personal, clothing, demeanor if you skipped them.
4. +identity — know which SIN you are broadcasting.
5. +go/ic onto the grid (if you are in the lounge).
6. +where — find people. Look for Rewarding hotspots.
7. +comm — Connexus (contacts + saved numbers). Save people with +comm add Name=<address>.
8. bboard — read News, Events, Logs.
9. +qsub/list — know how to reach staff.

10. Character sheet (+nsheet)

+nsheet
+nsheet/attributes
+nsheet/skills
+nsheet/magic
+nsheet/contacts Ace

Sections (and short aliases): personal, attributes, conditions, combat, skills, active, knowledge, language, qualities, contacts, ids, lifestyle, safehouses, augments, magic, resonance.

Show the room or one player:

+nsheet/show
+nsheet/show attributes combat
+nsheet/show Alice=
+nsheet/show Alice=attributes magic

The sheet is mechanical truth. Gear is not duplicated there — use inventory and equip. Staff can +nsheet <name> on another character; players cannot.

11. Inventory, equip, load, give

inventory
inv
i

Shows nuyen cash, credsticks, then stacked SR5 gear/weapons/vehicles, then carried objects.

get <item>
grab <item>
get 2 cavalier          — if several match, pick line 2
drop <item>
give <item> to <person>
give <item> = <person>
give 3 stimpatch to Alice
give 500 nuyen = Alice   — wallet cash, same room

SR5 gear dropped on the floor only works in extended rooms. Duplicate names get a numbered list.

equip
equip armored jacket
equip primary ares predator
equip ares predator secondary
unequip armored jacket
load regular ammo
load primary APDS
reload

equip with no args lists armor, hands, commlink, deck. Weapons fill primary first, then secondary. load uses the weapon’s magazine size from the catalog. Mixed ammo in one mag is not allowed; unequip/equip to clear.

12. Identity and SINs (+identity)

Requires approved.

+identity
+ident
+id
+identity Street Name
+identity/create <persona name>
+identity/switch <name>
+identity/burn <name>

• No switch: list personas. With a name: full detail.
• create — new persona, no SIN, no money, no notoriety.
• switch — you are that persona for display: name, SIN broadcast, money, awareness, street credit, notoriety. Play the cover. The SIN on that identity is what cameras and kiosks see.
• burn — SIN is burned (hidden). If it was current, you become SINless. Cannot be undone (staff may restore).

Some doors, apartments, and ticket kiosks roll your fake SIN. Criminal IDs are refused at some desks. SINless may be allowed when the building’s threshold is 1 (nuyen or Character Creation prepay only — not credstick).

13. Dice, Edge, and limits (+roll)

+roll pistols
+roll pistols + agility
+roll 12
+roll 8 + 3
+roll pistols + 2 physical 3
+roll/silent negotiation
+roll/basic perception
+roll/init
+roll/astral_init
+roll/ainit
+roll/cold_init
+roll/hot_init
+roll/judge_intentions

Hits are 5–6. Glitch = more than half the dice are 1s. Critical glitch = glitch and zero hits.

Skill names resolve against your sheet (partial names OK). Limits: type physical, mental, or social (abbreviations allowed). Wound penalties and sheet modifiers are applied by the roller when the code knows about them; extra situational dice you still type as + 2 / - 1.

Edge switches (on +roll):

+roll/init (and astral / cold / hot) need the matching state (astral perceiving/projecting; Matrix VR + jack or Resonance).

Soak and dodge

+resist damage
+resist fading
+resist matrix
+resist soak
+resist/edge damage
+resist/accept damage
+dodge
+dodge/edge

+resist / +dodge answer a pending incoming effect (combat helper, spell, Matrix, fading). If nothing is pending, they say so.

14. Combat (advisory)

Nothing here blocks out-of-turn poses. Use it so the table shares one sequence.

Surprise

+surprise
+surprise Guard
+surprise/alerted
+surprise/ambush
+surprise/clear

Reaction + Intuition (3). Fail: −10 Initiative and no Defense until your next Action Phase. /alerted +3, /ambush +6. Combat Paralysis on the target adds +2 for the ambusher.

Initiative tracker (per room)

+initiative/start
+init/join
+init/join/blitz
+init/physical
+init/astral
+init/cold
+init/hot
+init/order
+init/next
+init/pass
+init/newround
+init/delay
+init/add Thug=12
+init/set Guard=8
+init/remove Alice
+init/end

If no tracker is running, /physical /astral /cold /hot just roll once for flavor. /pass is −10 for the next pass (SR5). Staff: /rollall.

Guided exchange

+combat/start Guard
+combat/attack 9 -1
+combat/defense
+combat/net 3
+combat/soak
+combat/apply physical 4
+combat/status
+combat/clear

You still roll with +roll / +resist. This only stores DV, AP, net hits, and who is attacker/defender. Starting combat whispers adjacent rooms (bleed).

Healing (bookkeeping)

Roll First Aid / Medicine / Heal spell first, then apply boxes:

+heal/stun 3
+heal/physical 1

Self-heal is refused under scene lock. Healing another character (/firstaid, /medical, /recover) is staff. Magical healing uses +cast, then staff or the spell flow applies boxes.

15. Economy: cash, market, karma, spending

Seeing money

inventory (cash + credsticks). +spend (approved): last 30 days of nuyen movement. +spend/all, +spend/days 7, +spend/recurring.

Buying and selling

Stand in a room with a GearVendor and/or a ticket kiosk.

+market                 — Buy / Sell (and Transit ticket if a kiosk is here)
+market/buy             — acquisitions menu
+market/buy gear
+market/buy ticket       — public transit ticket (SIN check if the kiosk requires it)
+market/buy pending      — paid gear not yet on your sheet
+market/pending
+market/sell            — fence from inventory (approved)

Black market / restricted / forbidden (and SINless buying legal gear) may require the right shared contact and opposed tests. Deliveries can sit in a pending queue before they hit inventory.

Karma ↔ nuyen (approved): 2,000¥ per karma, 5 combined units per ISO week (UTC).

+karma2cash 2
+cash2karma 4000
+cash2karma 4000 stick 12

16. Advancement (+advance)

Requires approved. Opens a menu: skills, knowledge, attributes, qualities, magic, resonance, Edge, history.

• Training takes real time. Karma is taken when the training completes, not when you start.
• One improvement at a time.
• Instant: Edge, some complex forms, some qualities (confirm in the menu).
• Scene lock pauses timers and refuses new training.

help +advance and the menu keys (s skill, b back, q quit) are the live UI.

17. Lifestyles, rent, and safehouses

Lifestyles show on +nsheet/lifestyle. Tags you will see:

• [Chargen prepay] — prepaid during Character Creation (on-sheet label).
• Rented — long-term rent in play.
• Permanent — paid 100 months up front.

Apartment manager

Find the manager NPC. rent or talk to manager.

• Short-term — a temporary in-world unit for N days.
• Long-term — on-sheet lifestyle at that building’s monthly rate (not always a private room).

Pay with: (1) nuyen wallet, (2) a credstick that covers the fee, (3) trade a Character Creation prepaid lifestyle of the same (or higher) tier. Remainder of a prepay stay prepaid — it is not turned into cash.

SIN: fake SIN may be rolled vs the building’s hit threshold. Criminal IDs can be refused. SINless is sometimes allowed at threshold 1.

Options / qualities (Run Faster) attach to that lifestyle entry (lifestyle points, restrictions such as Angry Drunk). Permanent lifestyles cost 100 × monthly.

Team safehouses are staff-run (+teamsh is staff). If you are a member, they appear on your lifestyle block. They may be sheet-only or a real entry room.

Hospital: staff +hospitalize. Basic 500¥/day, intensive 1,000¥/day, billed automatically.

18. Travel (legal)

• Walk the grid.
• Tickets: +market/buy ticket at a kiosk. Pick a route; pay; board the transit vehicle when it stops. Hubs may SIN-check.
• Personal vehicles: if staff have spawned a physical vehicle for you, use the vehicle’s own commands (enter / leave / drive / lock — see look on the vehicle). +vlist lists vehicles in this room. +garage lists garages you own; +garage/lock /unlock.
• +breakin <target> = <pose> — Locksmithing or Hardware vs a lock; pose required.

19. Comms, Connexus, and Living Contacts

Equip a commlink (or deck / Living Persona).

+comm                         — Connexus (contacts + saved numbers)
+comm connexus                — same
+comm Ace                     — ring a **known contact** (Living Contacts menu) or a PC
+comm 555-12-3456
+comm accept
+comm decline
+comm hangup
+csay <text>                  — talk on the active call
+msg Alice=On my way
+comm add Spike=<address>
+comm delete Spike
+comm share Alice
+comm request Alice
+comm pay Alice 500
+comm pay accept
+comm invite Bob
+comm pan
+comm pan slave <gear>
+comm pan unslave <gear>
+comm pan check

Living Contacts: jobs and favors come through contacts, not a public job board. +hooks is Certified GM / staff only. Players: +comm a contact; if they have something for you, you get a short call menu. Hooks never auto-pay or start combat.

PAN is your Personal Area Network (wireless slaves on the commlink). Device Rating limits how much you can slave.

20. Matrix, AR, and hacking

Index in game: help matrix (or the Matrix, AR & Comms topic).

State

+matrix                  — status (AR, node, OS, programs)
+ar
+matrix/ar on
+matrix/ar off
+jackin
+jackin cold
+jackin hot
+jackout
+matrix/silent on
+matrix/reboot           — clears marks and OS; also repairs by reboot
+matrix/config           — ASDF on the deck
+matrix/program          — cyberprograms
+matrix/scan
+matrix/perceive
+matrix/grid <target>
+matrix/grid/hop <grid>
+matrix/tag list
+matrix/repair           — Hardware + Logic; tactical pause; **critical glitch can brick the deck**
+matrix/module           — hardware modules (Data Trails)
+matrix/rcc <nr>/<sharing>
+mlook
+mgo <node>
+msay <text>
+mpose <pose>
+mread
+persona/desc <text>     — icon flavor
+persona/desc/clear

Overwatch: Attack/Sleaze actions add defender hits to OS. OS also rises every 15 real minutes while jacked in (GOD +2d6). At OS 40, convergence. Baby Monitor or +maction checkos (costs OS) to peek. Plan runs; the timer does not pause because you went to get coffee.

+matrix/foundation is not implemented yet.

Matrix actions (tactical pause)

+maction bruteforce <target>
+maction/resolve
+maction/second_chance
+maction/cancel
+mdefend

Action types: bruteforce, hackonthefly, dataspike, crashprogram, crackfile, control, formatdevice, hide, perceive, edit, traceicon, tagsearch, sensorscan, jumpin, gunnery, search, checkos.

Failed Sleaze alerts the host and can give the target a free Mark on you.

Agents: agent / +agent — deploy, order, resolve (uses a program slot; damage hits your deck).

Skillsofts: +softs, +softs load <name>, +softs unload <name>, +softs skilljack <name>. Need a Skilljack; activesofts need Skillwires.

Boosters (technomancers): +booster.

21. Resonance (technomancers)

+resonance                 — index
+thread <form>=<level>
+compile <type> <level>
+decompile
+sprite
+submerge
+matrix/checkos
+resonance/find_backdoor
+resonance/event_horizon
+resonance/action

Fade is resisted with +resist fading. Sprite types and complex forms: help sprites, help complex forms.

22. Magic and the astral

Most magic commands use a tactical pause: roll → optional Edge → /resolve (drain).

+spells
+cast manabolt at Guard f5
+cast/edge manabolt at Guard f5
+cast/second_chance
+cast/resolve
+cast/cancel
+sresist
+counter
+summon fire f4
+summon/resolve
+spirits
+bind <spirit>
+banish <spirit>
+ritual <name> f4
+ritual/join
+ritual/seal
+lodge
+lodge/temporary 4
+reagents
+matlink
+focus
+focus/bond Onyx Ring
+focus/activate Onyx Ring
+initiate
+initiate/preview ordeal group
+initiate/commit ordeal
+metamagic
+mask
+quicken

Force default = Magic. Overcasting (Force > Magic) makes your drain physical. Foci: buy in Character Creation or staff grant → unbonded → +focus/bond. Bonding costs karma (Force × table). Caps: Magic foci, Magic × 5 total Force (Magic × 2 during Character Creation).

Astral (approved / eligible):

+astral/perceive     — toggle perception in your body
+astral/project      — full magicians: leave the body (puppet moves to Astral Body)
+astral/stop

Aspected: perceive only. Adepts / mystic adepts need the Astral Perception power to perceive; they cannot project. Set desc/set/aura so astral lookers see something.

Initiation: 10 + (new grade × 3) karma; optional ordeal / group / schooling discounts. Schooling: +initiate/enroll (10,000¥, 5 weeks) then commit with the schooling flag.

Reagents: staff grant for now; binding spends Force × 25 drams.

23. Rigging and drones

+rig
+rig status
+rig manual
+rig remote <vehicle> = <pose>
+rig jump <vehicle> = <pose>
+rig vrmode cold
+rig slave <drone>
+rig network
+rig autosoft <drone>
+raction …
+rdefend
+drone
+drone/mod <drone> = <mod>
+drone/remove <drone> = <mod>
+repair <vehicle>
+repair/matrix <drone>
+repair/scavenge <donor>=<boxes>

Jump-in needs a Control Rig and an RCC or deck. Physical repair is Mechanic + Logic (Default: No). Matrix repair is Hardware + Logic. Parts: 5% of base cost per box.

24. Corps and organizations

If you joined at Character Creation:

+myorg
+corporation
+co

Shows public stats, turf rooms, goals, org contact assets, and recent payroll (treasury pays members on a ~29 real-day cycle).

Play policy (formal CO members):

• ≥75% of your contacts should belong to that CO.
• 85% of runs should be for your CO. Other runs: 15% of pay tithed (staff deduct).
• Rank: PCs normally cap at Tier 3. CEO/COO discretion.
• On turf, you may call CO backup immediately; off turf, at least one combat round. Contact favors still cost.
• Do not lie about CO status when another player checks under these rules.
• PK of a member can draw a bounty.

Runner teams and informal magic groups without a CO row are fine. You cannot pick up a second competing OC without staff.

25. Events, logs, forums

Events

+events
+events/signup 1

List and signup are for approved players. Create / update / delete / allow-list are Certified GM or staff.

Scene logs

One log per room.

+log/start
+log/pause
+log/continue
+log/end
+log/end=We got out with the prototype.

Start wizard: title, prerun, what happened, optional CO, optional Event ID. Neighbors get a whisper that a log started. On end: recommend rewards → optional post-run → public (Paxboards Logs + staff queue) or private (staff queue only). Optional leave a bruise (world Fact) — default no.

Forums (Paxboards)

In game:

bboard
forum
bboard/read News
bboard/post News/Subject=Body text
bboard/reply News/3=Thanks
bboard/sub Events
bboard/unsub Events
bboard/scan
bboard/new
bboard/catchup all
bboard/search News/keyword

On the website: Forums in the site menu (/boards/). Same boards. You can also edit your own posts on the web and file a bug report (Player permission).

Typical boards: News, Events, Logs (public run transcripts).

26. Tickets (+qsub)

+qsub
+qsub/list
+qsub/submit 1=I need a garage built in North Vegas
+qsub/view 12
+qsub/note 12=Adding the room dbref
+qsub/add 12=Alice
+qsub/retract 12

/list is categories that are accepting requests, not your ticket status. /retract only works while pending with no notes. Rejected tickets cannot take player notes. Works during Character Creation.

Web: /boards/ shows your submissions; you can add notes there too.

27. Scene lock (downtime vs scene)

Default: the game treats you as in mechanical downtime (training ticks, rent, etc.).

When staff or a Certified GM sets a scene lock, progression pauses. RP continues. You will be told when it lifts.

Players do not set this on themselves.

28. Physical security (meatspace)

• Keypads: type <exit> <code> (above).
• Allowlists: +exitaccess if you are the manager.
• Some rooms log audio/video; staff review hubs with camreview (Builder).
• Breaking a vehicle/object lock: +breakin <target> = <pose>.

29. House rules and expectations (read this)

• Theme: Shadowrun 2070s, cause and effect, consequences. Talk to the theme DSDA if you are unsure.
• Consent: adult game, 18+ characters. Respect other players’ limits. PvP and PK have policy (PvP DSDA / staff). Formal CO backup and bounties are real.
• One character in play per login. No puppet hopping.
• Pose before (or with) the roll when a command requires a pose (+breakin).
• Do not treat advisory combat/Matrix as an auto-win. If someone is not at the keyboard, wait or page them.
• Facts / bruises: public logs and combat starts can leak to nearby rooms or mint short-lived world Facts. Assume the street notices loud runs.
• Languages: typing English while +language is Sperethiel is the point — you are not leaking fluent Sperethiel to everyone.
• SIN is identity. Switching personas is a lie in the world; play it.
• Staff mediate disputes, close tickets, and run Certified GM events. +staffcmds is not a player tool.
• In-game help wins over this wiki if they disagree.

30. What staff handle (so you do not hunt for a command)

• Character Creation approval
• Prime Level of Play
• Formal CO join after CC, rank above Tier 3, tithe logs
• Healing other PCs, hospital stays
• Team safehouses, garages, spawned vehicles, grid building
• Scene lock, Certified GM events, Living Contacts hooks
• Restoring burned SINs, bricked decks, bad projection state
• Catalog grants (foci, reagents, odd gear)

Page staff or +qsub. Do not spam +staffcmds.

31. Complete player command index

If a lock is listed, you need that permission. “Approved” means Character Creation has been completed by staff.

Help and meta

Roleplay and social

Sheet, gear, money

Dice and combat

Comms and Matrix

Magic

Rigging, vehicles, security

Building (usually not players)

+rdesc (@rdesc, @roomdesc, @detail) edits the room you stand in (main/seasonal desc, details, srating, AR pane). If the lock refuses you, you are not a builder. Free-form plot rooms may use +roomdesc when that cmdset is on the room.

32. Typical loops (copy these)

Social scene: +go/ic → look → +where → walk to a Rewarding room → say / pose → +language if needed → +log/start if it is a real scene → +log/end public.

Fight: +surprise if ambush → +init/start → +init/join → +combat/start <defender> → +roll attack → they +dodge or +roll defense → +combat/net → they +resist → +combat/apply → +heal after.

Buy a gun: go to a vendor → +market/buy gear → pay → +market/buy pending if it did not appear → inventory → equip.

Call a contact: +comm → +comm <contact name> → answer the menu → pose the meet.

Hack: equip deck → +jackin hot → +mlook → +maction hackonthefly <host> → /resolve → watch OS → +jackout before 40.

Spell: +spells → +cast <spell> at <target> f<N> → /resolve → they +sresist if prompted.

33. Glossary

34. If you are stuck

1. help <command>
2. cchelp during Character Creation
3. talk to dsda (or the themed NPC in the room)
4. +qsub/list then +qsub/submit
5. page a name from +staff

Welcome to the shadows. Stay frosty.