Shadowrun

Greetings chummer, welcome to the shadows.

Shadowrun is a tabletop cyberpunk+fantasy based role-playing game. The game is set between 2050 and 2070. The creator of the game used the Aztec mythos of earth being a great cycle. The next cycle begins in 2011 and brings magic back to the world at the same time technology has brought cyberspace into full being. In addition, due to the cycle change, a small percentage of the fauna (humans and animals) are transformed into exotic animals (like Griffins and Dragons) or beings (like Elves, Dwarves, Trolls, and Orks).

Megacorporations have expanded beyond the borders of countries and are effectively an entity upon themselves. They have their own armys and are self-sufficient and self-contained arclogies. Countries have changed as well. Most are smaller and some have enclaves within them. Others are under the control of the major populations.

As a player, you have a few general "classes". Because of the unique way stats are passed out, you can have combinations that have you fall outside these "classes". Skills wise you can specialize into these "classes" or be more general and dabble in two classes (multi-classed for you D&D folks).

Decker or Hacker - Someone who hacks cyberspace (The Matrix)
Magicians - Hermetic/Shaman, Adepts, Mystic Adepts, Technomancers
Rigger - Super driver. Can direct connect to vehicles for ultimate control
Street Samari - Fighter with cyberware enhancements

You are a shadowrunner. Outside the control and safety of the megacorps. With the help of a fixer, you get jobs and the fixer can even arrange interviews with megacorps that need clandestine work done. The fixer will connect you with the megacorps contact, typically nicknamed "Mr. Johnson".

Shadowrun was originally published by FASA in 1989. Shadowrun 2nd Edition was released in 1992. Shadowrun 3rd Edition was released in 1998. In 2001 FASA closed its doors and sold the property to WizKids in Germany. Fantasy Productions (FanPro) was the US publisher. The new US publishers is Catalyst Game Labs. WizKids re-published much of the FASA 3rd Edition game materials and added new material. In 2005, WizKids released Shadowrun 4th Edition. There is some support for 4th Edition but because of the newness of the setting and rule changes, there are a few additional books. From reading Dumpshock, most gamers appear to still be in Shadowrun 3rd Edition.

There are a few forums that are available:

Dumpshock - Probably the primary Shadowrun dedicated forums around.
RPG.Net - A generic RPG based forum although they'll point you to Dumpshock for detailed SRun questions.
The Shadowrun Livejournal Community - A few of the game's writers and developers are known to frequent this community and answer many questions..
Penny-Arcade - More electronic gaming oriented, there is a RPG subboard.
Proboards Shadowrun 3E
Proboards Shadowrun 4E

There are a few game locator sites besides Nearby Gamers:

Frappr - Google maps Shadowrun site.
Meetup.Com - Shadowrun Meeting Arrangement site.

And of course the publisher sites:

WizKids
Catalyst Game Labs - Most recent US publishing arm.
Official US Shadowrun site - Links to PDFs and missions as well as release information is here.
FanPro - This points to WizKids now but may point back to the primary Shadowrun site.

For more information on Shadowrun: