Matrix Gangs
by Adam Jury [ adamj@dumpshock.com ]

Part of my contribution to the Target: Matrix sourcebook included a section on Matrix gangs. The final version of the book featured a different set of gangs, which took a slightly different look on the state of Matrix gangs in the Sixth World. For the complete Matrix gangs writeup, see p. 102, Target Matrix.

Crimson Crew
Not to be mistaken for a branch of Crimson Crush, the Crew is a bunch of ruffians with barely adequate gear. Most of them are located in the Boston area, and actually spend the majority of their time hawking pirated chips to students and shady re-sellers in the Rox and other shadowy areas of Beantown. The few other members located around the UCAS spend their time shunting the software to the "burners" in Boston. Crimson Crew don’t actually crack any of this software themselves, and are really nothing more than a bunch of leeches on the system.

Radickalz
The Radickalz are a tight-knit group of crackers who work primarily on cracking and releasing productivity software. Since splitting from the crumbling group AllXS several years ago, they’re no higher than a third-tier gang because cracking is the only activity they partake in. The Radickalz maintain a working relationship with several other gangs who distribute their software, both over the Matrix and on chip to unwary consumers. They’ve also exposed some embarrassing backdoors and other "features" in products from leading corporations – including that little exploit in RCS-FastData that let anyone with the right passcodes intercept all your faxes and document transfers.

Broadway Olive
Named for an intersection near the Aztechnology Pyramid where the two founders allegedly met in the middle of the 50’s, Broadway Olive has carved out an impressive reputation and expanded throughout the last half dozen years to become one of the movers and shakers in the shadow Matrix. Starting from a small nucleus of rich kids in downtown Seattle, they’ve expanded at a steady pace, adding four or five members each year to now sit at about 35 members spread throughout the UCAS with a few more overseas. Broadway Olive specializes in the good old-fashioned datasteal, and in doing shadow "research." It’s not unusual to see files turn up on Shadowland weekly, painstakingly researched and authored by a member or members of the group.

"The Corner Of" is Broadway Olive’s public node on the Matrix, tangentially linked to the Denver Data Haven – once info hits The Corner it’s ferreted to the haven for good. The node houses the complete public "works" of Broadway Olive, cross referenced and updated when necessary, as well as the necessary information to get in contact with members (through multiple blind relays). Some members of Broadway Olive are more than willing to perform "custom" research, for a tidy fee, while other members prefer to work on their own projects for the thrill of exploration and exposure, not for monetary gain.

The two founders maintain tight control over Broadway Olive, aided by a council of three other veteran members. Important decisions regarding the future of the group, including admission of new members, are first debated amongst the founders and council, and then presented to the rest of the group for some internal discussion and a vote.

Irrational Systems, Inc
One of the larger Matrix Gangs, Irrational Systems, Inc. is a jack-of-all-trades gang. It is divided into a half-dozen or so smaller groups, all of which answer to the High Council. The Council is made up of a representative from each division, the three founders, and several other long-term members. The actual number of members is unknown, but conservative estimates place it at around 100. Some divisions, such as the Matrix Presence division—responsible for upkeep of ISI’s public and private hosts has under 10 members, while the Programming and politely named Intrusion divisions have well over 20 members each. Unlike many groups of its size, ISI maintains very little "Grey Hat" mentality—they’re a gang, the bad boys riding into town in a black hat.

> A lot of ISI members hang out in a New York based Matrix bar called Club 31337. They pretty much rule the roost there and are friends with a lot of the staff, so don’t try starting anything stupid.
> Optik evreN

Irrational Systems has no qualms about pimping their services to the highest bidder, with members operating as a typical freelance decker or working together for an employer. When need be, Irrational Systems is extremely professional—you won’t find them leaving behind evidence or "call signs," as some gangs are prone to do. But make no mistake about it, they’re not doing this because they like you, they’re doing it for self-preservation. They value your money more than your friendship and respect.

> Just to throw out a few more names here, because there’s a million more: The Black Widowz, a small gang with an extremely obvious arachnid flavor (they’re also very picky about their icons and suchlike being anatomically correct…), Rocks and Stones, a small gang that fashions themselves as environmental activists, and we can’t forget VirtueUs: The Matrix gang for God.
> Sam Haine

Game Information
Matrix Gangs come and go like the wind. When using them in your campaigns, keep in mind and play up the speed of the Matrix as opposed to the meat world: Alliances can be made, broken, and forged anew within hours or even minutes. Yesterday's heroes will be old news tomorrow if they don’t keep up with the pace of the Sixth World.

Crimson Crew
Gang Focus: The Crimson Crew is a third-tier gang that operates by selling pirated software in the Boston area.
Leader: Jackboot, a 20-something dwarf with nothing better to do.
Gang Rating: Inferior
Head Count: 10-20
Initiation Rituals: None.
Uniforms: None.
Symbol: Red graffiti-like text reading "CC."
Territory: The Rox and poorer student-populated areas of Boston.
Operations: The Crew primarily sell burned copies of pirated software to college students, or to other re-sellers in the Boston area who then sell the softs to unsuspecting customers.
Foes: Anyone in the Boston area distributing pirated software for free or cheaper than them. These people will be threatened and most likely assaulted or mugged.
Uniqueness: Nothing really sets the Crew apart from the pack.

Radickalz
Gang Focus: The Radickalz are a well-tuned third-tier gang that crack productivity software. They have a reputation that makes them look better than they are—not that they’re slouches.
Leader: G-Force, a former council member of AllXS.
Gang Rating: Equal
Head Count: 10-15
Initiation Rituals: Prospective members must try and crack a piece of software devised by senior member Hudson. Only about 1 in 6 actually manage to do so; the gang accepts those who managed to crack it, and some who had exceptionally good ideas while trying to do so but still failed.
Uniforms: None, although icons with outlandish hairstyles and "body" modifications are encouraged.
Symbol: Green text over grey triangle-like logo.
Territory: Aside from private nodes, the Radickalz frequent many software and cracking forums to keep on top of the state of the art, but do not "claim" any of that as territory. For the most part they are respectful users of other Matrix systems.
Operations: ­­­ Radickalz crack software only; they do not distribute it nor do they crack games or other entertainment software.
Foes: The Radickalz do not get along with the remains of AllXS.
Uniqueness: The Radickalz have pulled off some impressive cracks in their time, but a few individual members let ego get in the way of improving their skills.

Broadway Olive
Gang Focus: Broadway Olive is a datasteal and research machine.
Leaders: Denny and Boylston, named for a street and avenue near the Broadway and Olive intersection.
Gang Rating: Superior
Head Count: 35-40
Initiation Rituals: None as such, but extreme talent in both system penetration and data organization must be present in all recruits. All new members have a strict month-long trial period in which they can be denied full entry to the group at any time.
Uniforms: None.
Symbol: Red and black text over an intersection like cross.
Territory: Broadway Olive operates a public Matrix node named "The Corner Of," but maintains a low profile otherwise. Physically, they’re scattered across the planet.
Operations: ­­­ Datasteals, organization and research are what the Olive deals in, whether for personal gratification or by contract.
Foes: Broadway Olive’s main foes are systems administrators. They quickly crush any other Matrix gang foolish enough to steal their work.
Uniqueness: Renowned for their attention to detail, Broadway Olive are frequent contacts for fixers and other information brokers.

Irrational Systems, Inc.
Gang Focus: No particular focus, but whatever ISI tries to do it does well. Each division is an autonomous unit and has its own quirks and rituals.
Leader: The Head Council does not have a particular leader—it is remarkably democratic and self-regulating. The three founders are Robertson, a CAS-based troll; Tranc, a Seattleite of unknown race; and Charlatan, elven, residing in an unknown geographical location.
Gang Rating: Superior
Head Count: 100-125
Initiation Rituals: Individual divisions ensure that members are up to snuff in their chosen specialty.
Uniforms: The stylized ISI logo appears prominently on all member's icons.
Symbol: A stylized ISI, usually white on black.
Territory: Known to terrorize various public Matrix services, with no long-term public territory.
Operations: ­­­ ISI has well-developed operations in every facet of existence for a Matrix gang.
Foes: Almost everyone wants a piece of the ISI pie, so they butt heads with almost every other Matrix gang on occasion, and have serious grudges with gangs that they view as being not serious enough.
Uniqueness: One of the larger Matrix gangs, ISI stands out in the crowd but their size makes individual members hard to pin down.