[MatrixWraith]

Ok so I don't know what they are really called. Outlands? Borderlands? Anyways, I am seeking the help of you more knowledgable people. My players have seen what a city is like in a few trial runs to see if they would enjoy Shadowrun and one failed adventure. None of them know what life is like outside of the Major cities though. Infact outside of Seattle. So I'd like to start my new campgain outside of Seattle.

What my plans are so far is that they are each going to be betrayed by there "fixer" or someone. Two of them are BTL junkies and that's when they will be snatched. They will wake in the middle of the dessert one after another with a voice "in there head". A Technomancer is going to be telling them to get moving if they want to live. According to this technomancer trouble is on its way directly to them. The bandits heading there way saw the cargo (players, related gear, survival gear and vehicles) drop from the plane. They are coming to investigate. Also want to make a few deadly creatures coming there way that'll make it a 3 way battle. What creatures would you suggest? Thanks in advance!

[beowulf_of_wa]

just outside of seattle? or way off and across the mountains?

it's all tribal lands, so the "locals" will be tribal security or military, though other groups might try to grab the goods too, including your basic bandits and gangs
the wildlife could be any of the nasties listed in the books,

if you want to get them farther out, you could put them in snoqualmie pass or farther out in the areas closer to yakima or the columbia river (which flows down past portland/Tir)

though it sounds more like you could get away with just putting them outside of their normal stomping grounds, possibly just outside the border of "seattle metroplex" say between ft lewis and rainier.

[Reaver]

You mention desert, but I am unfammiliar with any desert setting in the pacific north west... Most of it (as far as I have experienced) is watershed forest, mountains, and glacier. In fact, the closest area that I can think of off the top of my head that could be considered 'desert' is the interior BC around kamloops/Vernon (about 6 hours from Seattle). Even then it's not a desert like the Sahara or Mohave... (interior BC = avg rainfall of 10cm annually, mostly scrub land. Pine forrests... But 3 major rivers.... North Thompson, South Thompson, Fraser).

In SR, it is all tribal lands consisting of towns, forests, mountains meadowland and watersheds. Great landscape to get lost in an death from exposure is a constant threat for the unwary. Natural predators include wolves, cougars, bears (black and grzzily), wolverines and an assorted list of awakened nasties as well. Food sources are the hardest part as well as temperatures, dangerous environmental hazards (cliffs, steep hills, mountains, etc)

If looking for a desert, there is the baja and mojave deserts of California...

[Black]

Maybe the ash fields in the pulluyup barrens? I know its still in the seattle metroplex, but its still pretty remote and full of potential nastiness.

[OFTHEHILLPEOPLE]

I guess the question here is also this: Outside of the city how do the roles of characters change?  Like, is a hacker as effective outside of the city?  I don't think the Matrix works like a 4g network, but what challenges would they have, you know.  Also, do the players have a rougher time in places with less population and more bias (Racism and purists of various degrees) and why would a fixer even send them there for a job if they'd have a harder time completing the mission?

Maybe I'm overthinking it now, I'm not sure.

[lurkeroutthere]

As others have pointed out, there are no deserts within near vicinity to seattle. That's not to say that getting dropped into the middle of the woods anywhere in that country would be a picnic either, but no no deserts nearby. Additionally as PEOPLE sort of touched on how is the technomancer contacting them? In the middle of nowhere = no matrix coverage. You might want to think through that, it's not insurmountable you should just have an answer.

[Simagal]

Actually the western Cascades are high desert forming a region known as the Great Basin. It goes south to Nevada and east to the Rockies.

[beowulf_of_wa]

yeah, the nearest desert-like area is eastern washington near and across (eastern side of) the columbia river. coming down from snoqualmie pass you can see just how dry a rain shadow can be. there are areas considered high desert and just as dry as that sounds.

[MatrixWraith]

I dropped them in the forest. It works just as well. Thanks for all the responses. I played Shadowrun back 15 years ago or so and not since. None of my players have played so its a pretty fresh and exciting thing for us all. My players haven't  thought of the Matrix not being accessable outside civilization and they probably won't. With that being said I do have a reason for it but not posting here as they may read the boards. Again, thank you all!