Shadowrunner Motivations

Everyone loves having a backstory. Few backstories really include motivations.

Why does your shadowrunner do what he does? It's been pointed out that shadowrunning pays on par with day jobs (give or take) and is much more dangerous and expense-laden. (Though later missions will probably pay more!) What are some reasons your guy is willing to go through it all?

Money: Not a great reason at all. Money is not a goal, but a vessel for something else. Though it can be listed as a motivator, money-motivated individuals should be greedy, hoarding, and penny pinching. For them, it's all about amassing the "top score" before you die.

Dependant: Perhaps your son needs constant medical care, your mother is a vegetable you can't let go of, or your wife has some disease that requires diamonds to power the machines that keep her alive while you continue research on a cure (?). In any case, you shadowrun to keep up with these bills, and you may or may not be willing to murder to accomplish them.

Fame: You want to be the best. You want everyone to speak about you in every circle, and compare you to the greatest shadowrunner. You do missions because they sound difficult or special, and will readily accept a lesser (or no pay) for the chance at the fame.

Enemies: You are hunted, you have an enemy, or for whatever reason, someone is in your way, and you shadowrun for the knowledge, power, and opportunity to destroy them. Sometimes this means simply buying a better gun, but if your enemy is the CEO of Aztechnology... well, that can be a compelling reason to be doing some shadowruns. If this is to protect yourself, you may or may not be willing to engage in "evil" activity, but if your motive is revenge, you almost certainly will.

Knowledge: Perhaps you want to advance your study of magic, or want to learn as much as you can about the megacorps, or want to write a book (sim-show) about shadowrunning some day, and you need real world experience. Perhaps you want to test your own limits. In this case you'll favor missions that put you near new technology, rare research, or strange phenomenon rather than stealing a big car.

It's What I Do: Okay, so you're a large giant with rediculous strength and cyberclaws. What the hell else will you be doing? Or you're just a gang member who knows no different. For you, shadowrunning is just a way of life. You'll probably take whatever mission at whatever pay because this is just one of those things like brushing your teeth or getting a job. Everyone needs to do something. Great for ex-military too.

I'm Bored: You do it for the thrill of the adventure. You want the hardest missions, not because you want fame (you might not even take credit) but you want to see what you're capable of. You might not even care about the money, except as a means to get to the next mission. For you, this is all a thrill, or a game!

Do-Gooder: You want to fix some percieved moral problem. Perhaps you want to get back to democracy and away from corporate rule, perhaps you want to fight those who hurt metahumans, perhaps you work for a special company who loses money just to accomplish "good" missions for no profit (...). In any case, you do what other people can't to protect others. You'll probably turn down "evil" missions, and try to avoid using violence or lethal force whenever possible. Or maybe you want to punish those who do evil, hunting rapists and torturing them Dexter-style. Maybe you're not so much a do-gooder as a punisher!