BALTIMORE CITY – 2051

Population: ~600,000
Metatypes: Human 84%, Elf 8%, Dwarf 4%, Ork 3%, Troll <1%
Key Ethnicities: Black 58%, White 39% (Jewish, Irish, German, Polish subgroups), Hispanic & Asian minorities

Major Factions

• Spikes
  East Baltimore street gang; controls smuggling, street-level operations, and local protection networks. Relies on strong community ties and neighborhood loyalty/fear.

• Ancients
  Elven gang in Central Baltimore and surrounding districts. Primarily focused on protecting people when possible and maintaining normalcy for their neighborhood.

• I-95 Resistance Group
  Operates in the Fort McHenry Tunnel. Masters of underground magic, artifact preservation, and cultural influence. Respected despite small numbers.

• Aegis AI Drone Enforcement
  Corporate automated patrols dominate downtown and port districts. Heavily armed drones enforce security; human presence is minimal.

Corporate Presence

• Ares Arms: Droid research and industrial coding; Curtis Bay port facilities. Heavy drone integration and expanding.

• Yamatetsu: Backs Johns Hopkins Cybernetics Institute Acrcology; cyberware and augmentation hub.

• Knight Errant: Mostly absent; minimal remaining influence.

• Local Businesses: Neighborhood-focused; small-scale trade dominates in absence of strong outside authority.

Culture & Society

• Baltimore has reverted to a local-first city; neighborhoods self-organize and enforce their own rules.

• Underground markets, barter, and informal economies dominate.

• Magic and cybertech exist but are highly localized. Shadowrunning is high-risk and targeted.

• Residents generally distrust outsiders; factions provide security, services, and resources.

Infrastructure & Services

• Transportation: Roads and waterways functional; public transit mostly defunct.

• Utilities: Patchwork power grids; private generators and solar arrays common.

• Medical & Cyberware: Hopkins Cybernetics Institute serves as main hospital and augmentation center. There are many street clinics and black market shops if you know who to ask.

• Matrix / Cyber: Local networks dominate; corporate nets are heavily monitored and defended.

Security & Crime

• Traditional police presence is gone.

• Drone patrols enforce corporate zones but expanding

• Street-level crime controlled primarily by the Spikes and Ancients in their own neighborhoods. Folks nearer to the Arcs have to rely on Aegis

• Shadowrunner activity occurs near corporate enclaves, ports, and cyberspace nodes.